“A time to love and a time to hate” (Eccles. 3:8).
“He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal” (John 12:25).
COMPROMISE here has ruined the testimony of many. They once made a fair start, but the fear of man or the love of ease or of social standing or of the approval of kindred or acquaintances has come between them and the Lord. It is a poor exchange, but many a one has made it, and adhered to it to the end. It should break our hearts as we think of it, and make us hate the thought of compromise.
Let us trace the way of departure. Family influence is in opposition. Simplicity and faithfulness to Christ are derided, a name or reproach is given to true Christians; and the soul, because not abiding in Christ, is caught in the snare. Fearful of reproach or discomfort, the soul gives way and steers a middle course henceforth. Men call it moderation and wisdom, but the soul has been damaged and is adrift. God is merciful, but the Word and communion with God and with His people are less and less enjoyed, and trials and chastenings are too much for the heart. The peaceable fruits of righteousness do not follow. A sad witness for Christ! Such bear witness in their family and in the world that godliness is but a name, not a reality; or if not altogether so, still the course is vacillating and the heart not at rest, and the testimony correspondingly marred.
The fear of man is, however, closely connected with our love of the world in some form. We are unweaned in some way when the fear of God is displaced by the fear of man and Satan has power with us. The pride of life—how weak our hearts that it should ever ensnare us! Ought not a glance at the life of the Lord make us ashamed? What pure joy is lost by love of social standing; how withering to the soul is such a preference and such an atmosphere. Self-love and idolatry are thrusting Christ from the heart. In such cases there is also this grave danger—that of the hardening of the heart by the continuance of religious forms and outward service and utterances. But either way the soul has made an evil choice, and has turned from the narrow way. Jesus is still knocking at the door, standing there, but He has been left outside—abandoned for Herod’s feast. Friendship with the world is enmity against God.
Commonly in the Church today members of a family who are Christians are so in accord with the world that their witness gives little or no trouble to those of the same house who make no profession of faith. Indeed, a plain witness for God these Christians would themselves oppose, as the men of Judah opposed Samson for fear of the Philistines—”Knowest thou not that the Philistines rule over us?” (Judges 15:11). A shameful admission, but a fact.
But this peace with the world is not Christianity. “Think not I am come to send peace on earth. I came not to send peace, but a sword.” Therefore, the trouble Samson made was of the same kind the Lord Himself made in this world, and that every faithful Christian makes wherever found. “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me, and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he that taketh not his cross and followeth after Me is not worthy of Me. He that findeth his life shall lose it; and he that loseth his life for My sake shall find it” (Matthew 10:34-39).
Christian, let no one come between the soul and Christ, and let nothing turn you aside from the cross. Christ has redeemed you by His blood, and has given you the Holy Spirit. By this great redemption you are separated to God from all worldly friendships and alliances and purposes. Christ has joined you to Himself forever, and He has joined you to His people; for we are members of His Body and members one of another. His sheep can never perish (John 10:27,28). Let that encourage the heart to rise up and follow Him. He loves His own and loves them to the end (John 13:1). Hence He washes their feet, cleanses away defilements; for if He washes us not we have no part with Him. So He restores our souls, never forsaking us.
Let us flee, then, from half-heartedness and world-bordering and compromise, in the family, in business, in the inward exercises of the soul. As Christ has died for us, let us live for Him (2 Cor. 5:15), and we shall realize the word, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine or nakedness, or peril, or sword? … Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” In all these things. In the midst of your fiery trials, Christian, “more than conquerors” through Him who loves you. With such a word, may we let go all carnal seeking and carnal shrinking, and go forth upon the water to Him. Go forth to Him without the camp, hearing His reproach. Let us boldly take faith’s reckoning from Rom. 8:18: “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.”
“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went … Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceiver seed. … Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude and as the sand which is by the seashore innumerable. These all … confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country; and truly if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He hath prepared for them a city” (Hebrews 11:8-16).
—E.S.L.