Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
My wife and I like Chinese food, and we often enjoy the messages in the fortune cookies, although we don’t expect the promises to be fulfilled. We had a lot of fun with the fortunes recently, because while our fortune cookie messages seldom have any connection, this time it got interesting. My wife’s read, “Your judgment is a little off at this time. Rely on friends,” (I’m glad she didn’t get that fortune at our wedding rehearsal dinner, which was almost exactly seven years ago at a Chinese restaurant). Then, I opened my fortune cookie and read, “Now is the time for peace in your life. Go along with the other’s ideas.” Yep, “other’s” was singular so I knew it meant my wife and I knew we might be in trouble as a couple if we followed the fortunes’ advice, whether or not they were correct.
Don’t get me wrong; I believe that in most cases in human relationships, compromise is healthy and therefore, appropriate. Even when God is party to our relationships — and he should always be — there’s often room for compromise, even overlooking some things altogether (Romans 14:1-10; 15:1-3; 1 Corinthians 8:1-13).
Compromise in Biblical matters, however, will keep one from making upward progress in their spiritual life. We know that when the blind lead the blind spiritually, both will fall into the pit (Luke 6:39). So when God makes a statement, we must stand on that statement without compromise. Certainly, taking a stand against God’s word will lead to demise, but even being neutral (lukewarm) on critical issues is detrimental to one’s future. Jesus said, “If anyone is not with me, he is against me (Matthew 12:30).” Action in response to God’s word is required to become and remain a Christian (James 2:20-24; Matthew 25:14-30; Revelation 3:1-16).
There’s an interesting thought — if Jesus wanted to enter a tobacco-spitting contest, he could win hands-down, because he can spew an entire congregation from the center of the universe into outer darkness. Just a thought about the ramifications of compromise to inactivity.
The Bible warn us about blind compromise when it comes to following God’s word, and we’re told how to keep from falling into any pits (2 Timothy 2:14-17; 3:14-17; Acts 17:11). While many paths to heaven are taught in the “Christian” religion, Jesus said he was the only way, and the early church was taught to accept and teach only one gospel, which includes the mechanism by which we come to Jesus and have assurance of the blessing of eternal life (Galatians 1:6-9; John 14:6; Acts 4:12; 20:20-31; 8:26-39:2:38-39; Romans 6:3-11).
We can expect God’s promises to come true, every one of them regarding blessings and punishment (Joshua 23:9-15; Revelation 2:10; Hebrews 6:13-20). But it’s only through personal Bible study and using the Bible to verify what we’re being taught that we can be assured that we’re on a safe path to heaven.
Is your relationship with God uncompromised because you’re properly using his word of truth?
Leonard Lauriault is a member of the Church of Christ in Logan. Contact him at :