The Art Of (no) Compromise

Stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

2 Thessalonians 2:15

Some time ago I went to the “books” section of Amazon.com and entered the word compromise in the search field. My search returned more than 273,000 results. Fortunately, the first book on the list was by noted evangelical theologian Norman Geisler and author Ron Rhodes: Conviction without Compromise: Standing Strong in the Core Beliefs of the Christian Faith.

Is it possible to be a Christian without compromising? One has only to read the New Testament to see that neither Jesus nor Paul ever compromised on matters of theological truth. And when Peter did, he received a stinging rebuke from Paul (Galatians 2:11-12). Yes, there is room for concession at times on practical matters. But when it comes to giving in to critics of Christianity in order to spare their feelings, the Bible knows no such strategy. Christ and His gospel are a “stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” (1 Peter 2:8) to those who choose to disagree.

When your faith or your stand for Christ is challenged, ask yourself whose disappointment you would regret most: Christ’s critics or Christ’s?

It is better to die for a conviction than to live with a compromise.

VANCE HAVNER