Love without Compromise

Introduction

Illustration: Movie where a young teenager wins a math competition. However, what He hides is the fact that he cheated.

Text

Romans 12:9 ESV

9 Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

Main Idea

The believer is called to love with kindness and compassion WITHOUT compromising the truth and righteousness of God.

Point 1

Look to Jesus as Judge

Keeping our eyes on Jesus is the common refrain in this passage (Rev 2-3).

Revelation 2:18 ESV

18 “And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: ‘The words of the Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, and whose feet are like burnished bronze.

This is the one place where it occurs in Revelation (Leon Morris - Revelation Commentary)

The description emphasizes the majesty of his Person.

Jesus will certainly and swiftly pursue all that is evil

Jesus is the Righteous Judge!

Revelation 19:11–16 ESV

11 Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Look to Jesus!

Point 2

Spiritual Defects can Nullify Virtuous Qualities

Big lie: If you have more “good” qualities than “bad” qualities—you are going to heaven. You can only have eternal life by God’s Grace (unmerited favor) received through your faith (believing and trusting).

The church in Thyatira had many good, virtuous qualities:

Revelation 2:19 ESV

19 “ ‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first.

Love

Faith

Service

Patient Endurance

Good—improving works

But Jesus has something serious against this church:

Revelation 2:20 ESV

20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.

The church tolerated a false prophet, false teaching, and bankrupting practices.

Jezebel - Old Testament queen and wife of King Ahab - king of the Northern Kingdom of Israel.

She was an enemy of God - a lover of the false gods, and a persecutor of Old Testament believers.

The church tolerated—and accepted a false prophet and her false teaching - which was leading many astray.

Thyatira was a community that encompassed many trade guilds.

To have a job and a live, one needed to belong to or deal with these guilds.

Each of these guilds had their own particular god. And there was a requirement to worship these god.

The church yielded to the pressure of the guild’s demands—which ment that the church allowed compromise.

The compromise discredited the message of the church.

Key Point: Compromise destroys your witness. A compromised believer and a compromised church is ineffective in reaching the world for Christ.

Point 3

There is a Cost to Compromise

There are consequences when we choose to compromise the righteous way of God.

Revelation 2:21–23 ESV

21 I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. 22 Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, 23 and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.

The Lord’s judgments are not hasty. He gives time for repentance (Morris).

However, the false teacher refused to repent and persisted in wrongdoing.

Those (children—followers) who continue to follow such false teachers will face their own demise.

However, there were those who chose not to follow what was false and unrighteous!

Point 4

Stay true to Work of God

Revelation 2:24–25 ESV

24 But to the rest of you in Thyatira, who do not hold this teaching, who have not learned what some call the deep things of Satan, to you I say, I do not lay on you any other burden. 25 Only hold fast what you have until I come.

To the believer: remain faithful. God has given His Word—there are no other burdens to bear.

False teachers either misinterpret God’s Word, add to God’s Word, or take away from God’s Word.

We are to “hold fast” God’s truth (His Word) to the end.

Conclusion

Revelation 2:26–29 ESV

26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’

God has given the believer authority!

You have authority!

Exercising love as well as faithfulness to the righteousness of God validates, demonstrates, and empowers your God-given authority.

Compromise diminishes your authority and discredits your presentation of the Gospel.

“Morning Star”: the presence of Christ! (also speaks of triumph and a symbol of the Christian’s resurrection).

Altar Call

Questions for Personal Reflection and Group Discussion

How do you think sin can affect Christian virtues such as love, kindness, and compassion?

Why do you think holiness and righteousness is important to God? How would you define righteousness and holiness?

What if you have compromised to Gospel? What did Jesus say to do? What do you think it means?