Don't Compromise Your Godly Character
Would you prefer to stand on a strong foundation or a weak one?
The definition of Character is: The combination of qualities or features that makes one person, group, or thing different from another.
The definition of Compromise is: A settlement of an argument in which each side gives up some of what it wants.
As children of God, it is vital that we demonstrate a godly character before the world. There is a lot of falsehood and deception in the world, and because it is so ‘well-dressed’ (if you will), many are modifying and tailoring their way of life and standards to fit the mold, but guess what? The contents in the mold, due to its lack of purity, will not be able to hold itself together during the solidifying process, it will crack under pressure and all of its contents will fall out and scatter. Have you ever baked a cake and forgot to put one of the main ingredients in? When you turn the cake out, you find that it has broken apart, unfit to put the icing on it?
Praise be to God who knows just what we need and will fashion us into the position we must be in by taking us through the appropriate purifying process. God knows that in order to solidify or become whole all of the dross must be removed and He has a way of doing this which can be found in Isaiah 1:25 “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin.”
This is of benefit to us because it is during this process that we develop an understanding of who we are in Christ and the purpose(s) in which we were placed here on earth. We must make the admission that we “have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).” Praise God I feel that!
We must not compromise our godly character. We must remain firm and not “be no more children, tossed to and from, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive (Ephesians 4:14). We are to lead people to Christ and we can’t do this if we live an unstable life. Just because ‘they’ drink, smoke, and party doesn’t mean its ok for us to do the same, this time. What kind of signals are our actions sending? Instability indicates to the world that we just might not be as sold out as we proclaim to be. Don’t compromise your godly character. “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful (Hebrew 10:23).
Our foundation is strong and we must demonstrate this by upholding God’s word in our lives. It is our responsibility to demonstrate the value and necessity of this through our thoughts, behaviors, and actions so that those in the world will know that there is a better way. The world rests on a weak foundation but we can bring them over if we don’t compromise what we know to be correct. Let’s look at the effect of a strong foundation versus a weak foundation in Luke 7:46-49:
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”
How do we know when we have compromised our character? You will wonder why you said or did a particular thing in a certain setting, you will feel defeated, you will feel a need to explain your actions as to be validated or you will want to go and hid in shame.
How do you know when you are in a compromising position? You will know that whatever you are about to say or do will either discredit or validate your being a good representative of Christ.
What to do if you compromise? Ask for forgiveness and make a decision to stand firm on your beliefs. We cannot worry about what people say, the bible says that we are a peculiar people, to be more direct the bible says we “are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that yes should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” 1 Peter 2:9). Don’t compromise your godly character.
"Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness.'" (2 Timothy 2:19).
We must work to change the world, and not let it change us.
Believe, Love, Obey God
The definition of Character is: The combination of qualities or features that makes one person, group, or thing different from another.
The definition of Compromise is: A settlement of an argument in which each side gives up some of what it wants.
As children of God, it is vital that we demonstrate a godly character before the world. There is a lot of falsehood and deception in the world, and because it is so ‘well-dressed’ (if you will), many are modifying and tailoring their way of life and standards to fit the mold, but guess what? The contents in the mold, due to its lack of purity, will not be able to hold itself together during the solidifying process, it will crack under pressure and all of its contents will fall out and scatter. Have you ever baked a cake and forgot to put one of the main ingredients in? When you turn the cake out, you find that it has broken apart, unfit to put the icing on it?
Praise be to God who knows just what we need and will fashion us into the position we must be in by taking us through the appropriate purifying process. God knows that in order to solidify or become whole all of the dross must be removed and He has a way of doing this which can be found in Isaiah 1:25 “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin.”
This is of benefit to us because it is during this process that we develop an understanding of who we are in Christ and the purpose(s) in which we were placed here on earth. We must make the admission that we “have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20).” Praise God I feel that!
We must not compromise our godly character. We must remain firm and not “be no more children, tossed to and from, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive (Ephesians 4:14). We are to lead people to Christ and we can’t do this if we live an unstable life. Just because ‘they’ drink, smoke, and party doesn’t mean its ok for us to do the same, this time. What kind of signals are our actions sending? Instability indicates to the world that we just might not be as sold out as we proclaim to be. Don’t compromise your godly character. “Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful (Hebrew 10:23).
Our foundation is strong and we must demonstrate this by upholding God’s word in our lives. It is our responsibility to demonstrate the value and necessity of this through our thoughts, behaviors, and actions so that those in the world will know that there is a better way. The world rests on a weak foundation but we can bring them over if we don’t compromise what we know to be correct. Let’s look at the effect of a strong foundation versus a weak foundation in Luke 7:46-49:
“But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say? Whoever comes to Me, and hears My sayings and does them, I will show you whom he is like: He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on the rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great.”
How do we know when we have compromised our character? You will wonder why you said or did a particular thing in a certain setting, you will feel defeated, you will feel a need to explain your actions as to be validated or you will want to go and hid in shame.
How do you know when you are in a compromising position? You will know that whatever you are about to say or do will either discredit or validate your being a good representative of Christ.
What to do if you compromise? Ask for forgiveness and make a decision to stand firm on your beliefs. We cannot worry about what people say, the bible says that we are a peculiar people, to be more direct the bible says we “are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that yes should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” 1 Peter 2:9). Don’t compromise your godly character.
"Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, 'The Lord knows those who are His,' and, 'Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness.'" (2 Timothy 2:19).
We must work to change the world, and not let it change us.
Believe, Love, Obey God
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