“What does the Bible say about compromise?”……To compromise is to make concessions or accommodations for someone who does not agree with a prevalent set of standards or rules.

The Bible makes it clear that God does not condone compromising His standards: …Psalm 119:1-4…"Joyful are people of integrity, who follow the instructions of the LORD. Joyful are those who obey His laws and search for Him with all their hearts. They do not compromise with evil, and they walk only in His paths. You have charged us to keep Your commandments carefully"……The word "joyful" or "blessed" describes people of righteousness, those who are totally subservient to His will and wholeheartedly devoted in their relationship to Him. We do not compromise or deviate from His standards but "walk only in His path."1 Kings 18:21John 8:47John 10:27…We hear only God's voice and we do not yield to or permit any deviation from His Word…Deuteronomy 4:2…Do not add to or subtract from these commands I am giving you. Just obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you.…Psalm 119:128…Each of your commandments is right. That is why I hate every false way.…Revelation 22:18-19…And I solemnly declare to everyone who hears the words of prophecy written in this book: If anyone adds anything to what is written here, God will add to that person the plagues described in this book. And if anyone removes any of the words from this book of prophecy, God will remove that person's share in the tree of life and in the holy city that are described in this book.……Not compromising requires our unswerving submission to Him and to Him only, regardless of the world's concession to godlessness.…Joshua 24:15…But if you refuse to serve the Lord, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."…Psalm 119:10…I have tried hard to find you- don't let me wander from your commands.…Psalm 119:15…I will study your commandments and reflect on your ways.…As believers, we must…Colossians 2:8 (I will quote it again)…Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual powers of this world, rather than from Christ.…Hebrews 3:12…Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.…We are also commanded to be prepared: …1 Peter 3:15…To worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it.…In other words, we are commanded not only to remain faithful to the Word but defend it and correct those who are in opposition to it …2 Timothy 2:24-25…A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people's hearts, and they will learn the truth.…God is serious about our not compromising His Word with the values of the world-the reason being that those outside of Christ may then:…2 Timothy 2:26…Come to their senses and escape from the devil's trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.…Then there are those who profess to being Christians, yet live lives not in keeping with the precepts of the Scripture, i.e., compromising their biblical beliefs by living like the world.

For them, the things of the world and its sensual allurements take precedence over the Word of God

Acts 20:30

Even some men from your own group will rise up and distort the truth in order to draw a following.

1 John 2:16-19…For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever. Dear children, the last hour is here. You have heard that the Antichrist is coming, and already many such antichrists have appeared. From this we know that the last hour has come. These people left our churches, but they never really belonged with us; otherwise they would have stayed with us. When they left, it proved that they did not belong with us.

Jesus referred to these people as the seed that fell among the thorns in His parable

Mark 4:18-19

The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God's word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced.

These are the ones who, though professing to follow Christ, compromise their faith by proudly craving worldly success and accolades from their fellow man. Jesus chastised such people who rationalized their questionable behavior:

John 5:41-44… "Your approval means nothing to me, because I know you don't have God's love within you. For I have come to you in my Father's name, and you have rejected me. Yet if others come in their own name, you gladly welcome them. No wonder you can't believe! For you gladly honor each other, but you don't care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God (Some manuscripts read from the only One )

In other words, to compromise in one's total allegiance and devotion to God is to allow the allurements of this world, with its accompanying worries, to take precedence over Christ …Matthew 6:24…"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

How do we compromise the Word of God?…├ö├ç├│ When we fail to accept the Word:

2 Timothy 4:3-4

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

ÔÇó When we place our desires, and that of others, ahead of the Word of God:

Acts 5:4

The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren't lying to us but to God!"…As true believers in Christ, we must accept God's Word as absolute, inerrant truth

2 Timothy 3:16

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.

We must be fully obedient to His Word

John 14:15

"If you love me, obey my commandments.

1 John 5:3

Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome.

2 John 1:6…Love means doing what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

And we must recognize that His Word is not to be compromised for any reason or for any one

Deuteronomy 17:11

After they have interpreted the law and declared their verdict, the sentence they impose must be fully executed; do not modify it in any way.

Proverbs 24:7…Wisdom is too lofty for fools. Among leaders at the city gate, they have nothing to say.

Revelation 3:15

"I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other!

Results of Religious Compromise

2 Chronicles 19:2…Jehu son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him. "Why should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord?" he asked the king. "Because of what you have done, the Lord is very angry with you.…Jehoshaphat was a godly king of Judah who faithfully served the Lord, but he made the tragic mistake of forming an alliance with ungodly king Ahab of Israel in fighting against their common enemy Syria. After all, he reasoned, they were “brothers,” both descended from Abraham, so they could join together in battling the Syrians.

As a result, although God continued to bless Jehoshaphat during his lifetime, this compromise eventually resulted in great tragedy in his family when his son and successor, Jehoram, married Ahab’s wicked daughter, Athaliah, and then slew all his own brothers, and soon he himself died of a loathsome disease…2 Chronicles 21:4, 6, 19…But when Jehoram had become solidly established as king, he killed all his brothers and some of the other leaders of Judah├ö├ç┬¬├ö├ç┬¬├ö├ç┬¬But Jehoram followed the example of the kings of Israel and was as wicked as King Ahab, for he had married one of Ahab's daughters. So Jehoram did what was evil in the Lord's sight├ö├ç┬¬├ö├ç┬¬├ö├ç┬¬.The disease grew worse and worse, and at the end of two years it caused his bowels to come out, and he died in agony. His people did not build a great funeral fire to honor him as they had done for his ancestors.……The road of compromise eventually ends in a precipice, especially in matters regarding the integrity of God’s word and His saving gospel. The timeless principle for Christians today is given in:…

2 Corinthians 6:14-15…Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil (Greek Beliar; various other manuscripts render this proper name of the devil as Belian, Beliab, or Belial.)? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever?…This warning and command is at least as greatly needed today as it was in Paul’s day. Spiritual, moral, and religious compromise seem to be endemic in the Christian realm today, in both doctrine and practice, and God would warn us that tragedy is imminent in the generation of our children, if not before. …2 Corinthians 6:17…Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. (Isa 52:11; Ezek 20:34 (Greek version)