Expect the Word of God to Cut Compromise out of the Chruch

Compromise can be good. It can mean to reach an agreement or settle of a dispute by each side making concessions that are the best stand for everyone.

Compromise can also have a negative result. It can mean one party accepts a lower than desirable standard to appease another party.

Anytime we attempt to compromise, we must ask who has the authority to set the standard for which the negotiations hope to achieve.

The standard for life here on earth is God’s Word. The world was created by His spoken Word, creation and creature exist by His Word, and creation is being renewed by God’s Word.

Four Expectations, When Coming to Weekly Worship Service

Expect Jesus to Send You a Message of Truth

Hebrews 4:12 NASB95

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

Expect Jesus to Honestly Evaluate Your Faith

Jesus compliments the Pergamum Christians for their active faith. Their Faith is so praise worthy that Jesus restates His pleasure with them. Their faith meets the expectations Jesus gives the Smyrna and the Ephesian Christians. They didn’t grow weary, but held fast to Jesus’ name. The did flench in the face of fear, but were faithful until death.

Pergamum was the capital of the Asian Providence. Although Ephesus and Smyrna also claimed the title, Pergamum was the first city to have a temple erected for a living emperor—Caesar Augustus. The other well know gods of Zeus (Savior god) and Asclepius (god of healing) were also located in Pergamum. Their influence can still be seen today, in our snake and staff icon in the medical field. Not to be confuses with the god Hermes.

Explain-illustrate: When we first meet someone, for the first time, we introduce ourselves by identifying with our occupation.

To hold fast to the name of Jesus means we are identified by what Jesus has done rather than what we do.

This does not mean you must shout Hello, I am a Blood-brought, Bible-believing, Baptist-behaving brother in Christ. But you can say I am Wesley, I live in Sanford, we attend HSBC. Where do you go to Church? Then you have just Identified yourself, as being in a community of believers, in a City.

Jesus’ evaluation causes Him to file a compliant against the Pergamum Church.

Jesus says they had compromised their faith to get along with the pressures of culture. The Ephesian church fought for truth and lost their love for the giver of truth. Meanwhile, the church two towns north kept their love, by compromising the truth of God’s Word.

Numbers 25:1–2 NASB95

While Israel remained at Shittim, the people began to play the harlot with the daughters of Moab. For they invited the people to the sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down to their gods.

Numbers 31:16 NASB95

“Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the Lord.

Nominalism exists in religious circles. Nominal Christians are church-goers or otherwise religious people whose “faith” does not go beyond being identified with a church, Christian group, or denomination. They are Christians in name only; Christ has no bearing in their lives. Nominal Christians may attend church and Christian functions, and they self-identify as “Christians,” but it is just a label. They view religion primarily as a social construct, and they do not allow it to require much of them in terms of morality or responsibility. Nominalists take a minimalist approach to their faith. (https://www.gotquestions.org/nominalism.html)

Nominal Christianity can also be called Easy-Believism. “Someone who was reared in a Christian family, attended church all his life, was baptized, lives in the Bible Belt, etc., often claims allegiance to the Christian faith, in spite of evidence in life to the contrary” (Got Questions).

A nominal Christian is a Christian in name only. Author Mike McKinley offers these signs of nominal Christianity:

· They assume they're a Christian or claim to be a Christian.

· They have a Christian family.

· They go to church.

· But there's no desire to know God better.

· But they don't find joy in reading the Bible.

· But they don't delight in God.

· But they're focused on other pleasures.

· But they don't go to God asking for forgiveness.

(https://www.crossway.org/articles/video-what-is-a-nominal-christian/, Mike McKinley)

The Word of God does not determine Moral absolutes for nominal Christians.

Today’s compromises are as easy as Bundling. Memberships to purchase items will often merge with other companies that we would have ever considered supporting.

Freedom to influence of Culture does not give us license to participate in the sins of Culture

As a result of an honest evaluation of your faith, you can

Expect Jesus to Give You Corrective Plan of Action

Jesus’s plan for correcting easy-believism comes with an action step and a warning.

Repent of else I will fight against nominal Christians with the judgment of my word.

Repentance sometimes calls for radical amputation. Stop the physical act, and seek spiritual nourishment.

Matthew 5:27–30 NASB95

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery’; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. “If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. “If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.

Marriage of covenant relationship lost it’s Christian emphasis in the 1960’s and 70’s. What we experience now is a result of compromised faith in the last four generations.

Jesus warns nominal Christians that He will fight against them with the Sword of His mouth. The word of God, the Logos, the inerrant, infallible, inspired word of God judges deep and cuts between the soul and mind of Believers, so that they can be brought to repentance. The Word of God cuts compromise out of the church.

Conviction during the service: The word of God is the catalyst for conviction. A catalyst will increase the rate of chemical reaction, without undergoing any change in itself. Scripture, the word of truth, is the catalyst for increasing the rate of conviction on compromising Christians.

Sinning believers like easy-believers, People who you are not sure if they are saved should be prayed for and invited to Weekly worship so that Jesus can fight their compromises with truth.

Jesus, with the sword of His mouth will make sinning saints and non-believers miserable during worship. Lovingly the truth of scripture will make them squirm.

Close bible and pack-up so as not to hear invitation. Get up and go to the bathroom. Stand with white knuckles on the pew. God is working and we should be praying. God is working we should be leading.

Chuck Swindoll gives us 4 characteristics of compromise:

Compromise slowly influences us to conform to culture.

Compromise always insists on a standard lower than ordained by God’s Word.

Compromise usually is not offensive.

Compromise is the gateway to disobedience.

Expect Jesus to Promise Positive Eternal Results

Jesus promises to positive results:

He will give you Spiritual nurishment

He will give you a stone of acceptance, with a new name written on it.

Stone of acquittal, or a stone of admittance , with a new name given to each believer.

Marriage supper of the Lamb