Christianity. Compromise or Truth? Read book Christians Awake

COMPROMISE

In respect of individual sins, we are called upon to have a judgment (and sometimes act) but not be judgmental, to hate the sin but love the sinner and as we “all often offend” our attitude must always be one of love and compassion, mindful that we too are susceptible to the failure we see in others. We must all, therefore, “Take heed lest we fall” ( 1, Corinthians 10. v 12)

At another level, however, there can hardly be any more serious sin than for the leaders of any ecclesiastical establishment to spoil and disfigure Christ's precious Church through a system of false teaching which condones error, misleading and confusing millions of precious souls.

Sadly it is not just in the higher echelons of the bigger denominations that we see such failure through compromise, but in almost every Church and sect. Even where good leaders believe sincerely in the efficacy of Scripture and its teaching and have a sound judgment of these things, they are reluctant to speak out now for fear of being accused of not being 'politically correct.' Even under their watchful eye, the “Darnel springs up with the Wheat”.(Matthew 13. v 24-30)

At some point in recent history, a 'tipping point' has been passed which has produced a climate in which those whose sense of what is right and wrong, based upon Scripture and the teachings of the Lord and the Apostles, are now in perpetual retreat and themselves made to feel that they are the unenlightened ones.

In their attempt to “be all things to all people", the ecclesiastical establishment has compromised to such an extent that the 'Church' stands for very little now. Other than the actual buildings and the outward ceremony within, there is little to distinguish it, in essence, from the world. Leaders, (wrongly in my opinion) calculate that the way to increase membership and attendance is somehow proportionate to the degree to which they allow compromise.

Just a little compromise here and a little bending of Scripture there and before long it is all irreparably spoilt. If they only had the courage, I believe they would find that upholding the truth would strike much more of a chord than they could ever imagine. The most used argument I hear today is that the Scripture is out of date, that the teaching of the Lord and the apostles needs to be adapted for today's world, something I utterly reject.

'Truth' is gradually being substituted for a system of ethics, designed by man to meet the needs of man away from God, the basis of which, is at best, compromise of God's word and at worst, the outright rejection of it .The extraordinary moral and spiritual (if such a word can be used) acrobatics and contortions that have to be employed to justify their attempts to reconcile the irreconcilable and retain the apparition of unity, almost defy the imagination.

The result is an accelerating decline in moral standards, family values, social order, community values, neighbourliness, civil order and so much more, all accompanied by a futile attempt to control the downward spiral by legislating around the effects of compromise rather than the abandonment of this “Broad path that leads to destruction” (Matthew 7. v 13)

It is not my intention to explore all these areas of decline but rather to highlight a few of them , pointing, without comment, to a few scriptures that bear upon them. In doing so, I am very aware of and sympathetic with so many who have found, (or find) themselves in difficult and painful related situations in life, sometimes with little or no blame attaching to them. I also acknowledge many past failures of my own.

Marriage

Therefore shall a man leave his Father and Mother and be united to his wife and the two shall be one flesh, so there are no longer two but one flesh.
What God has therefore joined together, let not man separate. (Mark 10. v 7-9)

Let marriage be held every way in honour and the bed be undefiled. (Hebrews 13. v 4)

Husbands, love your own wives, even as Christ loved the Church. (Ephesians 5. v 25)

Whoever puts away his wife, not for fornication and shall marry another, commits adultery. (Matthew 19.v 9)

If a woman put away her husband and shall marry another, she commits adultery. (Mark 10. v 12)


                                                                                                                     The Family

God maketh the solitary into families. (Psalm 68. v 6)

But I wish you to know that the Christ is the head of every man, but the woman's head is the man and the Christ's head, God. (1, Corinthians 11. v 3)

For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him. (Genesis 18. v 19)

Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands, as to the Lord, for a husband is head of the wife as also the Christ is head of the Church.
(Ephesians 5. v 22-23)

Husbands, love you own wives, even as the Christ also loved the Church. (Ephesians 5. v 25)

So also men ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. (Ephesians 5. v 28)

Young women to be attached to their husbands, to be attached to their children, discreet, chaste, diligent in home work.....(Titus 2. v 5)

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is just. Honour thy Father and thy Mother. (Ephesians 5. v 1-2)

Children, obey your parents in all things for this is well pleasing to the Lord. (Colossians 3. v 20)

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger but bring them up in the discipline and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6. v 4)

But if one does not know how to conduct his own house, how shall he take care of the Church of God? (1, Timothy 2. v 5)

Sexual Activity and Proclivities

But I beseech you brethren, by the compassions of God, to present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God,
which is your intelligent service. (Romans 12. v 1)

Related to Pre and Post Marriage

Flee fornication. every sin a man may practise is without the body but he that commits fornication sins against his own body. Do ye not know
that your body is the Temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you? (1,Corinthians 6. v 18-19)

But on account of fornications, let each have his own wife and each woman her own husband and let the husband render his due to the wife and
in like manner, the wife to the husband..................but this I say as consenting to, not commanding it. (1, Corinthians 7. v 1-6)

Whoso hath found a wife hath found a good thing. (Proverbs 18. v 22)

I will therefore that the younger marry, bear children, rule the house and give no occasion to the adversary in respect of reproach. (1,Timothy 5. v 14)

Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Romans 13. v 9)

But when God, who set me apart, even from my mother's womb and called me by his grace......(Galatians 1. v 15)

General Sexual Behaviour

There shall not be a man's apparel on a woman, neither shall a man put on a woman's clothing, for whoever does so is an abomination to
Jehovah thy God. (Deuteronomy 22. v 5)

Thou shalt not lie with a man as one lieth with a woman. It is an abomination, and thou shalt lie with no beast to become
unclean therewith. (Leviticus 18. v 22-23)

For this reason, God gave them up to vile lusts, for both their females changed the natural use into that contrary to nature and in like manner,
the males also, leaving the natural use of the female, were inflamed in their lust toward one another; males with males.......
working shame........ (Romans 1. v 26-27)

Respect for The Authorities

Pay then what is Caesar's to Caesar and what is God's to God. (Matthew 22. v 21)

Let every soul be subject to the authorities that are above him. For there is no authority except from God and those that exist are
set up by God. (Romans 13. v 1)

Render to all their dues. To whom tribute is due, tribute; to whom custom, custom; to whom fear, fear; to whom honour, honour. (Romans 13. v 7)

And a certain one from among them smote the bondman of the high priest and took off his right ear, and Jesus answering said,
"Suffer thus far", and having touched his ear, he healed him. (Luke 22. v 50-51)

Put them in mind to be subject to rulers, to authorities, to be obedient to rule and to be ready for every good work. (Titus 3. v 1)

Employer/Employee Relationships

Bondmen to be subject to their own masters, to make themselves acceptable in everything. Not gainsaying, not robbing their masters
but showing all good fidelity that they may adorn the teaching which is of our Saviour God in all things. (Titus 2. v 9-10)

Whatever ye do, labour at it heartily as doing it to the Lord and not to men. (Colossians 3. v 23)

Masters, give to bondmen what is just and fair, knowing that ye also have a Master who is in the heavens. (Colossians 4. v 1)

And they that have believing masters, let them not despise (take advantage) of them because they are brethren but let them rather serve
them with subjection........(1, Timothy 6. v 2)

If a man does not like to work, neither let him eat. (2, Thessalonians 3. v 10)

Man and Woman. God's Ordering

In Life

But I wish you to know that the Christ is the head of every man, but the woman's head is the man and the Christ's head, God. (1, Corinthians 11. v 3)

For man is not of woman but woman of man, for also man was not created for the sake of the woman but woman for the sake
of the man. (1, Corinthians 11. v 9)

In Respect of Christ's Church

Every man praying or prophesying, having anything on his head, puts his head to shame, but every woman praying or prophesying with her
head uncovered, puts her own head to shame..................... (1, Corinthians 11. v 1-16)

I do not suffer a woman to teach nor to exercise authority over man....... (1,Timothy 2. v 12)

Let your women be silent in the Assemblies, for it is not permitted for them to speak..........(1,Corinthians14. v 34-36)

Race

Because we hope in a living God who is the preserver of all men, especially those who believe. (1, Timothy 4. v 10)

For God hath shut up all together in unbelief in order that he might show mercy to all. (Romans 11. v 32)

.........according to the image of him that has created him, wherein there is not Greek and Jew, circumcision and uncircumcision, barbarian,
Scythian, bondman, freeman, but Christ is everything, and in all. (Colossians 3. 10-11)

......our Saviour God, who desires that all men should be saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth. (1, Timothy 2. v 4)

And it shall be in the place where it was said to them, "Ye are not my people" there shall they be called, 'Sons of the Living God' (Romans 9. v 26)

And they sing a new song, saying........."Thou art worthy to take the book and to open it's seals because thou hast been slain; and hast
redeemed to God by thy blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and made them to our God, Kings and Priests; and
they shall reign over the earth". (Revelation 5. v 9-10)

Conclusion.

Many more scriptures could, no doubt, be referred to. Those that have been, should provide plenty of food for thought. I would
suggest the reader looks at each scripture in the context in which it is set and also studies the surrounding passages of scripture