Cedric Fisher: "earnestly contending for the faith."

Normalizing Compromise

One anomaly I have witnessed nearly all my Christian life is compromise. It occurs on all levels. It is as if professing Christians have no fear of God. How rare it is to meet someone whose commitment to God is built on the commandment, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.”

Presently we are witnessing high profile Christians compromising the truth, fraternizing with heretics, pagans, reprobates, accepting heresy, and groveling before famous sinners as if they lost the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Many of them are jockeying for position on the shining platform of fame. They appear to be incapable of conviction and as the politicians utilize the Saul Alinsky method, ignore the outcries, shame, and press onward. It actually works for rebels and reprobates until they come to a screeching halt and tumble through the door to eternity.

The fact is compromise has become normalized. It is justified if one stands to lose money, followers, fame, relevancy, position, a speaking engagement, church attenders, et cetera. It is permissible to shamelessly compromise to hobnob with an influential or famous person for advantage. Individuals compromise when they are exposed for flagrantly wickedness and try to cover it up. If they are exposed for compromise they casually shrug it off. It is sickening to witness. Where are the godly people with steel backbones?!!

In attempting to understand why they compromise I noticed that there is always a reversal of the greatest statement of full surrender. I will not even speak it unless I know I mean it totally. Speaking it casually or mechanically is out of the question. Christ Jesus said under extremely difficult circumstances, “Not my will but Thine be done.” The compromiser may not say it, but in his or her heart they think, “Not thy will but
Mine be done.”

I am forced by the preponderance of evidence to believe that these professing Christians think there are no eternal consequences for their sins. They apparently believe they have a special status that excludes them from God’s Judgment. It is not important to them that the Bible does not present one example of someone such as them being commended by God.

Not one compromiser or flagrant and willful sinner will hear God say:
“It’s okay. I know that in spite of having My word, being made a new creation in My Son, having spiritual gifts, the benefit of prayer, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, having crucified the flesh, cleansed by the blood, being set free indeed, being a child of the light, connected to the Vine, having the mind of Christ, having a prefect example to follow, and being made a partake of the Divine Nature—you are no different from a worldling. You could not possibly be faithful and overcome sin. That is why I wrote—let’s see, it’s in here somewhere. I cannot seem to locate it, but I’m certain that it is in My book—anyway, you have to sin every day. If you do not sin every day, you are a pharisaical hypocrite and a self-righteousness blasphemer.” Of course, there are no consequences for committing those sins either.

Please allow me to tell you what compromise is like. It is like driving a car 100 mph on a mountain road and letting go of the wheel to look for something in the back seat. You take a great chance each time such an opportunity is extended to Satan. The soul who sins will die. The wages of sin is death. (Also Hebrews 10:16-31)

As a young Christian I refused to compromise in a situation that resulted in losing employment. I was told by an older Christian and church leader that I had to learn how to compromise or I would have many problems in life. He was correct. It is even worse today. With each step of significant progress, on every verge of success, at each door of opportunity, et cetera, you will often find that the choice is compromise or rejection. The cost may be painful if you refuse to compromise. You will watch other people move ahead of you, prosper, be accepted, become “successful,” and much more.

This is the absolutely worst period to compromise. Furthermore, we should have nothing to do with compromiser. A preacher, teacher, or another leader that compromises should not be followed. If one that has been commissioned to preach and teach God’s word compromises for whatever reason, and instead presents heresy or hireling’s drivel, in the words of the KJV, “Get thee hence!”

Be patient, trust God, He’s keeping a record, and don’t compromise!

16 Comments

  1. Karen Siemens

    I started reading the Gulag Archipelago this fall because it is so often referred to by Jordan Peterson. The first few chapters are devoted to the sudden arrests of people and then subsequent interrogation and torture (in the Soviet Union 1920 – 1950). Everything and anything was done to cause the person to compromise – admit to things that were lies and to betray family, friends, neighbors, in an effort to save what was important to them. In fact, their compromise accomplished nothing. Their fate was already sealed although they didn’t know it.
    I was beginning to wonder where he was going with all this when he got to his point: “So what is the answer? How can you stand your ground when you are weak … unprepared? … From the moment you go into prison you must put your cozy past firmly behind you. At the very threshold, you must say to yourself: ‘My life is over, a little early to be sure, but there is nothing to be done about it. I shall never return to freedom. I am condemned to die — now or a little later. But later on, in truth, it will be even harder, and so the sooner the better. I no longer have any property whatsoever. For me those I love have died, and for them I have died. From today on, my body is useless and alien to me. Only my spirit and my conscience remain precious and important to me.’ Confronted by such a prisoner, the interrogation will tremble.
    Only the man who has renounced everything can win that victory.” (towards the end of Ch. 3, The Interrogation)
    This is nothing other than what our Lord taught and what is required of us in Luke 14:26 and John 12:24. If we “… have run with footmen and they have tired [us] out, Then how can you compete with horses? If you fall down in a land of peace, How will you do in the thicket of the Jordan? ” (Jer. 12:5) And if we compromise now in the land of peace, we will surely be destroyed in the time to come.

    • Linda

      AMEN!!!!!!

  2. Nancy

    Cedric, thank you for posting this commentary on compromise.

    Praise God Almighty for His GRACE!

    The majority of professing Christians (pew warmers) are NOT saved!!!!! Ask them how they know they are saved and they will always include works along with the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Problem is these gospels had to do with the coming Kingdom being offered to Israel (different program). The body of Christ wasn’t even revealed until Apostle Paul came on the scene – up until that time it was a ‘mystery.’ Our gospel FOR TODAY is found in 1 Cor. 15:1-4 (believing in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ Jesus for the atonement of our sins).

    This was bad news for Israel (repent and be baptized), and good news for gentiles (believe and be saved by GRACE alone – no works!)

    Compromise leads to total confusion and that is what we are seeing today throughout Christendom. And much blame lies at the door of the seminaries who have compromised truth for many, many years. THAT is why we are to avoid the traditions of men and need to rely on the holy word of God, the Bible, as our final authority. It is the Holy Ghost who will lead us into all truth (not man).

    • ken Hall

      The Pauline route is a good route to take for awhile, Nancy. I was there for about a year myself ( Paul is still my favorite apostle). Yes, he was given the job of teaching the “mystery” to the gentiles, by Jesus himself. Most professing Christians(?) do not have a clue about true salvation; they are in the main part “churchy” pew warmers indeed. It is definitely true about seminaries and most Bible colleges, what you say. What we say here in these comments is frightening and terribly sad. We know this about apostacy and have heavy hearts . God does not forecast revival to come during apostacy, Instead trouble will come and spring like an animal trap on those who are unprepared (Luke 21:33-36). The Bible says in verse 36 that there are those who will be “accounted worthy to escape trouble (hopefully most of it) and to STAND BEFORE THE SON OF MAN. The professors and COMPROMISERS will be left behind to face extreme trouble (the Little horn’s wrath and then God Almighty’
      s wrath). That is a terrible scenario for those coasting along on some hireling false prophet’s empty promises. “11 And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed. 12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. 13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to [fulfil] the lusts [thereof].” [Rom 13:11-14 KJV]

    • ken Hall

      I hope I did not offend you with my comment about Pauline dispensational theology. My explanation would be much too long to write in this comments section. I have a blog where I would be willing to try and explain my comment if you want me to . Ask and I will give you the web address to write to.

  3. ELIZABETH BRUMBAUGH

    Thank you for being a light in this dark world. It is very hard to find a church that hasn’t compromised in some form. My husband and I just left a church a few months ago because the Lord told me to “prepare to leave because there is no compromise”. We are definitely living in the time of the great falling away talked about in 2 Thes. We must stay strong in the Lord and walk in His will. God bless you and keep you strong.

  4. Linda

    Perfectly stated!

    I am so sick and tired of this myself. One reason is that this is all I see anywhere. Not to sound like I’m boasting, but I’m the only one I know who doesn’t do a long list of things that Christians shouldn’t do, but they do, and they look at me like I’m just some sort of exceptional uptight ‘hardcore’ Christian.

    These types in general seem to think that Jesus is going to be handing out awards to those who were ‘humble sinners,’ while giving us the stern look for being ‘holier than thou’ and so on. Boy, are they in for a rude awakening! You can’t read too far in the Bible without coming across the command that “You need to be holy!” We are commanded over and over to live a holy life in obedience to God’s Word. That is not in contrast to grace, but rather, it is a result of it! Yet so many wolves have worked a number on that one. I get so tired of the term ‘we’re just saved sinners!’ No, we are not ‘saved sinners,’ we were sinners, but since we are saved, we are no longer sinners, but saints! We are exhorted to be sanctified (made holy, in other words transformed into a saint by the power of the Holy Spirit, who makes us holy). We surrender to the power of God and become sanctified through the Holy Spirit. We leave sin behind and take up God’s righteousness. There is nothing, I repeat… nothing… that is ‘self’ righteous about that, hypocritical, or pharisaical! In fact, just the opposite is true since those who talk the talk and don’t walk the walk meet the exact definition of hypocrite. God calls us to be righteous and gives us all we need to be such. We are supposed to be righteous, it is a good thing, and there is no excuse any longer not to be.

    Compromise is of the devil. Just like seeker sensitive… just a little bit of the world… and it will get you… more of the world! There is nothing good that can come from compromise. The only things that compromise will buy you… are what the devil wants to sell you! It may buy you some ease and appeasement of fleshly appetites (fortune, fame, power, gratification of the fleshly lusts), but it will cost you in God’s kingdom. The devil has sold the church a false handbook. It seduces the church into the idea that a little compromise with the world is somehow a good thing, when it is just the opposite. When a church becomes more worldly, or a person, they may indeed draw more people. But so what? And then what? Draw them to what??? More of the world? The public has come to a church that looks just like… the world. A church that feeds the goats instead of God’s sheep. They have not brought the world into the church for salvation, they have brought the church into the world for damnation! There is no light shining, no witness that points to Jesus, it’s all bells, neon lights, and gimmicks at best, demonic at worst, all the glamour of sin and the pomp of the fallen world is inside the church walls. How is that going to point the way to Jesus? And when no Gospel is preached? All it does is lead the church as well as the world into the devil’s arms. They are not bringing anyone to salvation, be not deceived! They are leading the lost into being more lost. Instead of the lost getting saved, the saved are getting lost. Take a person who follows this approach of all the worldly trappings. Then they go witness to someone. They have the ‘see? I’m just like you’ attitude. The ‘lost’ soul says to the ‘saved’ soul, “I need to get saved, so that I can be… just like you?! What is it that you have that I don’t?” (Or vice versa when it comes to sin.) Where is the witness of the power of the Gospel of salvation through Christ in that?! Nowhere. Exactly. But that was the devil’s plan all along. Listen, don’t let anyone fool you. If a church is doing what it is supposed to, the type Jesus would approve of, living in holiness, saintliness, love, and truth, letting the light so shine and all that, and if a lost soul enters it and is turned off by all of this, trust me, they won’t be drawn to the real Jesus either! That is no reason for the whole church to lose its soul! And if they are drawn by that, then they will be drawn to Christ in sincerity. But not if a true seeker who would be drawn to the real Jesus walks into one of these dens of sin called a church these days!

    Compromise is like sliding down the grease pole. The more you slip, the more you will slip. It is a daily struggle. The Spirit alone allows us to overcome the battle and rise. It is a true test of loyalty and submission to God. And giving in to compromise will gain you much loot in the sense of the fool’s gold of the world, and cost you much in heaven. But not giving in to compromise, although it will cost you all of that in this world, will gain you much reward in the Kingdom of Heaven. The choice is ours. And we will answer for that choice someday soon.

    Make no mistake. Jesus is not going to reward the sinners. He is going to reward the saints. Anyone doubtful of that needs to brush the dust off their Bibles and open them, starting with the letters to the churches in Revelation! We will stand before the judgment throne of Christ. Now is the time to make a full surrender to the Lord so that you can live as He wills, not as we will. But that is when many feel the heart inside of them lurch back and respond ‘no!’ What is holding YOU back from making a full surrender to Jesus Christ? Don’t think that a simple sinner’s prayer is it and then you can just toss it all over your shoulder. And no, I’m not ‘preaching works salvation,’ I’m repeating what the Bible says.

    We are called to give Jesus our lives, our heart, our soul, our mind, our strength, our very bodies, our full commitment and surrender, to submit fully and not half heartedly. We are called into discipleship (it is for everyone as a Christian is a disciple and vice versa) and told to carry our cross daily. We are told if we deny Jesus publicly then He will deny us before the Father. We are to obey the ways of God. We will be sorry if we don’t. This is not a game. Nor is it a dress rehearsal. It is not a practice drill. We are being tested like Job, and some of us feel that every day. But through the Lord we prevail!

    As Jesus says, “Come, follow Me!”

  5. Bryan

    Dear Heavenly Father….Lord Jesus wake your church & your people. Let us flee from all sin and wickedness.. Let us be a people SET APART by our father in heaven… Sojurners on this earth passing by on our way to everlasting peace w/our Lord! In this world and set apart through Jesus love/sacrifice/mercy/grace. AMEN

  6. Tom and Katie Muench

    How about saying NO FELLOWSHIP with a compromiser and those who believe false doctrine not just those who are leaders so-called Jesus Christ is our shepherd NO ONE ELSE

  7. Linda

    Another sobering wake up call.

    A few years ago (okay, about 5), I had no clue. My life was calm and peaceful and I was uninformed about many situations. One by one, the Lord revealed them to me via various popcorn trails and even dreams. Laying under the shade of a palm tree at the beach on a sunny day, without a cloud on the horizon, it was hard to picture what I have begun to dub ‘holocaust weather’ on the horizon. That was the stark contrast that my backdrop provided, but I knew that God is always right. He also wanted me to warn that the storm was coming. And, I did. Faithfully. I felt like Noah. Things were already underway but I did not discover that until later too.

    Fast forward until now. Sometimes at work I have a little down time and peruse books laying around. I have always been drawn to the history of the Holocaust, which is something God wanted me to know about for reasons I was not aware of at the time. But now I know. Anyway, I picked up one that was about this topic as well. Many offer the timeline of how the persecution begun…
    1. Jews were slowly disdained in society. 2. They were openly insulted. 3. They were denied jobs such as public school teachers, lawyers, doctors, government workers, military, etc. 4. Their businesses were vandalized in the ‘night of broken glass.’ 5. Violent mobs attacked them. 6. They were harassed by the police and basically open season was declared on them. Businesses had signs outside that read they did not serve Jews. Jews were made to wear the famous yellow stars on their coats. 7. They were rounded up and sent to concentration camps. 8. They were tortured and murdered.

    It did not begin overnight. It started slowly. The media, the newspapers, whatever public means available to demean and dehumanize them were used. People felt at liberty to spit and beat and cast stones at them just passing by on the sidewalk. We all know where it lead.

    As I have been watching (as Jesus said, to watch and pray), I have seen the same trend coming to pass against Christians. All of the items above list have already been implemented in one form or another IN OUR COUNTRY, albeit the last few, which are coming. Christianity is attacked publicly from all sides. Christian businesses are attacked and closed down. Conservative websites are censored. Conservatives are forced to leave restaurants by angry mobs. Angry mobs are violently attacking Christians with pro life signs. They are coming from the left, from muslim migrants, from other areas of society as well. Every hint of Christianity is practically being banned from society for one excuse or another. In Canada and the US, Christians have already been imprisoned for their faith and living by it, as we are called to do. Many are losing their jobs over not complying with the lgbt’s agenda of sin or other sinful agendas. They don’t outright outlaw being a Christian, or fire you for bearing the name Christian. They fire you for LIVING the way God calls a Christian to live. THAT is what this is based on, you will lose your business, your job, your livelihood, or whatever based on LIVING out your Christian faith. Not a Christian who claims to be one only, but one who also lives it. That is where the pivotal and consequential line is drawn. We know it is NOT okay to deny your faith to escape suffering. Sadly, this is something that will be totally missed by most Christians, they will not even see a problem with it or the danger involved. They have been groomed to compromise with lgbt or whatever other sin just to survive, being told that ‘it all falls under grace,’ but that’s not the message of the Bible. They won’t even know they crossed that line into compromise and the danger zone and that it’s not okay with the Lord. They won’t even bat an eyelash. They have become so calloused by compromise already that their consciences can’t even sense the conviction of the Holy Spirit. They strut along quoting verses out of context to console themselves. This will continue right down to taking the mark of the beast.

    I look at the news everyday. It is like looking at the weather report. What do I see lately? Teachers losing their jobs for living the Christian faith. And I don’t mean offensively but defensively. Refusing to comply with sin. And business owners. And so many others. Now it’s Meals on Wheels and lgbt. It’s violence against pro lifers. It’s teachers fired for warning that a boy is in the girl’s shower. It’s firing people for what they believe, exercising free speech on facebook or elsewhere. If you don’t fall into line with their gestapo politically correct agenda, if your tongue slips on just one word, whack! You are axed, no trial, no jury. Guilty until proven innocent, or not even that, just guilty because we said so, based on our interpretation of crime and justice. And it’s all the agenda of sin in one form or another. One small compromise leads to another, and then to a bigger one and it becomes a slippery slope down to hell.

    Well the latest on FP Media is that in NYC they have posted signs up that read ‘trash free zones.’ Then there is a picture of a red circle with a diagonal line (such as with no smoking). Inside that part is a WHITE female wearing a Trump hat and HOLDING A BIBLE. Folks, we are at the point of ‘No Jews allowed.’ It is at least that bad. The city allowed them to post these signs. I’m not being overly dramatic here.

    It’s getting worse all the time. I know a lot of people keep saying something about how ‘the rapture must be soon.’ I won’t get into that debate now. But at each turn it gets worse. Some think we won’t be here for those final stages. I ask them; “Why not? Give me one good reason why not.” There is none. None in the Bible. None in any other part of the world where Christians have been tortured and martyred from the beginning of church history all over the world until now. We are no more special than they, if anything, they are more esteemed than we are. There is absolutely no reason why we won’t be here for that, in fact, we will be. All I can do is try to prepare the church.

    How does one prepare? First, know that you are not exempt from suffering for Jesus. Second, know that He does expect you to confess Him publicly and not deny Him under pressure. Third, He does expect you to live according to His ways and not compromise for anything. Fourth, you need to pick up your cross and follow Him… all the way. Fifth, be prepared for what lay ahead. I don’t mean a bunker full of canned food. I mean spiritually, emotionally, psychologically, etc. What if it happened tomorrow? Make a list of everything you would do if you only had a few days. What would be on it? Repent. Let go and surrender to God fully. Hopefully you have some songs memorized and the Bible hidden in your heart. Pray. Tell your family you love them and give them a hug. Share the gospel with everyone, don’t wait for those where it has been nagging at you to do so. The list will vary with each person, but you get the idea. The time to prepare is not when you are ‘hauled off’ and land in prison or something like that. The time is now, everyday, so that you too may be counted worthy to suffer for His Namesake.

    “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.” Acts 5; 41

    Philippians 1; 29 says that we are to partake of the fellowship of His sufferings.

    • Chris

      Thank you Linda! All you said is so true…we need to stay alert and in God’s Word.

  8. Nancy

    Ken, thank you for your response. Question: What do you mean by the following… “The Pauline route is a good route to take for awhile, Nancy. I was there for about a year myself ( Paul is still my favorite apostle). Yes, he was given the job of teaching the “mystery” to the gentiles, by Jesus himself.

    Why is that a good route to take for awhile? All Scripture is profitable as it is ALL written to us, but it is NOT all for us. Romans through Philemon is written to the body of Christ. That is where we find our doctrine. Hebrews through Revelation is written to those who will have to endure the coming Tribulation (aka Jacobs Trouble). Until I learned to rightly divide the word of truth, I saw contradictions throughout Scripture – am I secure in my salvation based on GRACE (once saved always saved) or can I lose my salvation based on the law? Ken, it is my understanding that Paul was never one of the twelve apostles; and that it was Mathias who replaced Judas as the twelvth. And there can only be twelve and not thirteen given that there are only twelve tribes of Israel. Again, two different programs: the ‘prophecy’ program with twelve apostles and the ‘mystery’ program with one apostle. Can’t mix law and grace!!! What did you embrace after you moved away from the Pauline doctrines? Would very much like to know and understand where you are coming from. God Bless!

    • Linda

      Hi Nancy,

      I know you are talking to Ken but I have some insight on these matters.
      I don’t know but I think he means it is a good starting point, we don’t leave it we just expand using all the Scriptures. Now about the Scriptures, it was all written for us, and I know you said that too. Some parts are addressed in particular ways but are there as examples for us. I think that is what you mean too. Yet we do find doctrine all over the Bible. For instance in Leviticus 18; 22 it states that homosexuality is a sin, as one of many examples. That area of the Bible deals with many things that do apply to the church, such as a ban on the occult, incest, etc. even though these items may not have been specifically addressed in the New Testament. Hebrews is written to the church as well, (most believe by Paul for various reasons) to the church at Jerusalem who were beginning go backslide back into temple sacrifices, etc. (all fulfilled in Christ). All of the New Testament in fact was written to all of the church, from Matthew through Revelation. There are other epistles after Philemon. Revelation includes doctrine and prophecy that we need to know about as well so as not to be deceived. Pre trib is not taught in Scripture and the church as a whole believed in the rapture at the end of the tribulation, right before the final wrath falls, so that applies to us anyway. This changed when Darby came on the scene, he is the one who introduced that pre trib interpretation as well as other items that are not really Biblical. Anyway, I don’t intend to dispute the rapture timing, either way all of those books are for the whole church. Now about once saved always saved, the Bible does not teach that either. Nor is anyone saved by the law. Even in the Old Testament, salvation was by grace. Why? Because you would have to keep the law perfectly to be saved, something which no one can do anyway. They were saved by faith, just like Paul explains in Hebrews, and so are we. But that does not mean we can’t lose our salvation if we stray too far. That is not about ‘law versus grace.’ That is more about falling from grace. One of many examples is when the guy in 1 Corinthians 5 sleeps with his father’s wife (his step mother) and Paul prays for his soul so that ‘we will be saved on the last day.’ The implication is that one may go too far. If not, then why would Paul need to pray? Why would anyone need to be on guard? But the Bible is full of warnings about straying too far. Now as for the twelve apostles, the understanding is that Paul replaced Judas. The disciples at the time chose two men, and told God to pick from one of the two they had narrowed it down to. They cast lots, which must land somewhere. But you never hear of Mathias again. I’m not assuming he did not serve the Lord well, but just that Paul was chosen by God to replace Judas, a sort of swap as grace had opened a slot.
      I don’t know what that is about with the prophecy and mystery programs, other than both are true and they all taught both and were of one accord, that is not mixing law and grace. Now just because we are saved by grace does not mean we can cast the law over our shoulders. Once we are saved, we get the power to live according to God’s ways, such as don’t commit adultery, etc.

      I have been a Christian for over 30 years and am just sharing from many years of insight and such, please don’t take any of this the wrong way, I just want to share the knowledge in a humble and loving way. My sincere apologies if it did not come across that way.

      ( :
      God bless you sister!

  9. Laurie L

    Food for thought: Have Bible believing Christians compromised by celebrating pagan holidays which the world runs headlong into, by “christianizing” them?
    We look no different than the world and it saddens me that hedonism trumps obedience to Christ and His word.

  10. Pam

    There are still people who are looking for truth in this upside down world. We need to be spirit-filled believers like the disciples after Pentecost They preached to a hostile crowd & the gospel was spread. Our mission is still missions. Pray. Pray.

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