“If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
Daniel 3:17-18
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego didn’t just feed the fire they walked in it. Their lives were marked by no compromise. Even though their Hebrew names were changed to Babylonian ones to assimilate them to the culture, they remained true to God alone. They rejected defiling food and wine from the king’s table for vegetables and water, and even when given a second chance to bow to the image of gold, they chose to be bound and thrown into a blazing furnace.
The church in Pergamum, one of the seven churches in the book of Revelation, knew the pressure to compromise. Their sophisticated city was center to four idolatrous cults: Zeus, Dionysius, Asclepius, and Athene. John called the city where they lived “where Satan has his throne” (Revelation 2:13).
Although Antipas, one of the faithful from their church who was martyred, did not compromise, there were those in the church who were and Jesus held it against them. You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolatians. Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth (Revelation 2:14-16).
When Anne Graham Lotz visited the ruins of the old city she said the ancient church was attached to a pagan temple! She wrote, “Instead of making an impact on the world, the world made an impact on the church. [The church of Pergamum] became irrelevant, powerless, and, in the end, nonexistent.”
The Encarta World English Dictionary defines compromise as “a settlement of a dispute in which two or more sides agree to accept less than they originally wanted.” When living as aliens and strangers in this world (1 Peter 2:11), disputes will arise. God’s Word tells us if it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone (Romans 12:18).
But peace must not trump godly living! Being tolerant and opened minded must not trump radical, wholehearted love and obedience to God alone.
The church of Pergamum chose compromise and their church’s building addition was a pagan temple. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego chose no compromise and when they were thrown in the fire, the Most High God walked with them” (Daniel 3:25).
PASSION Step: Identify places in your life that you’ve chosen to compromise. Repent and return to God.
If all church members were like you, would the church be more like the world?
Or, would the church be more powerful in its witness – making an impact on
our generation for the kingdom of God?
Anne Graham Lotz
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