Compromising With Evil

Introduction:
A. The thought most have today is that we should be tolerant of
   whatever anyone else might think or believe.  It seems that 
   the watch-word today is compromise. We look about us in the 
   world and we see compromise on every hand. People compromise
   in order to live together in the same area.  We compromise 
   with our fellow workers so as to have harmony in the work 
   place, etc.  Compromise, it seems, is necessary in order to 
   get along on a daily basis with those that live around us. 
   It is therefore accepted that we should also be willing to 
   compromise in our religion.  
B. In the religious world we might call this compromise unity-
   in-diversity, the "You believe what you want to and I'll 
   believe what I want to believe and we'll all get along 
   together" syndrome.  The dictionary defines compromise as,
   "a settlement of differences by mutual adjustment or 
   modification of opposing claims, principles, demands; 
   agreement by mutual concession…to make a shameful 
   concession: to compromise one's principles."  We hear it 
   stated a little differently most of the time, but it still 
   means the same thing.  

I. Church At Thyatira
   A. Doing some things right
      1. Love source of true activities - Gal 5:6; 1 Cor 13
      2. Faith essential - Heb 11:6; Jas 2:14-16
      3. Service - Both religious and moral
      4. Patience - 1 Cor 15:58; Gal 6:9
      5. Last is more than first (Growth) - 1 Pet 2:2; 2 Cor 
         4:16
   B. Doing others that compromised truth
      1. Allow that woman Jezebal - 1 Kings 18ff
         a. Calls herself prophetess
         b. Taught worship of Baal
         c. Lead people into immoral lifestyle
      2. Given time to repent
         a. Did not discipline her
         b. Allowed her to continue as if nothing wrong - 
            1 Cor 5

II. Compromise Among Lord's People
   A. Moses In Egypt
      1. Sacrifice at home - Ex 8:25-27
         a. Stay in devil's kingdom
         b. Abomination
      2. Don't go very far - Ex 8:28-29
         a. 3 days journey
         b. Limit distance
      3. Only grown men go - Ex 10:8-9
         a. Limit people
         b. All must go
   B. Christ's Temptation - Matt 4:1-11
   C. Today
      1. Don't get involved
         a. Brother in need - 1 Cor 16:1-2
         b. Responsible for what we have - 2 Cor 8:12; Matt 25
         c. Must work while it's day - Jn 9:4
      2. Makes no difference how you worship - Jas 1:21-27
         a. The church of your choice
         b. US Ministerial Alliance
      3. Change Bible message to fit culture
         a. Jas 4:4
         b. Matt 19:3-10	
         c. Jn 2:15-17

III. Cure
   A. Let God say something to us everyday
      1. Has many things to say - Psa 119:105
      2. Should delight in His word - Psa 1-2
      3. Search Scriptures - Acts 17:11; Jn 5:39; 2 Tim 2:15
   B. Say Something To God Everyday
      1. God will hear us if we hear Him - Isa 59:1-2
      2. If iniquity in heart, He will not hear - Psa 66:18
      3. There is power in prayer - Jas 5:16-18
      4. Prayer will stop sin or sin will stop prayer
   C. Say something for God every day
      1. Some of those turned aside can be turned back - 
         Jas 5:19-20
      2. Right kind of speech does much - Col 4:6; Eph 4:29
   D. Do something for God everyday
      1. We need to look for opportunities - Gal 6:10
      2. We need to let out light shine - Matt 5:16

Conclusion:
A. Compromise has always been a problem for God's people.  But
   if we are to be what He would have us to be, we must stand 
   firmly in His word.  We must not allow those who would 
   pervert God's word to influence our thinking.
B. How are you doing when it comes to standing for God's word?