Compromise

Usually a combination of contrasting values, practices or persons incurring God's disapproval, but it can also be a positive way to achieve a greater good.

God forbids compromising associations

Israel was not to associate with paganism

Exodus 20:3 parallel Deuteronomy 5:7 See also Exodus 23:32–33, Exodus 34:12–16; Deuteronomy 7:2–4; 1 Kings 18:21

You shall have no other gods before Me.

Christians must not compromise their allegiance

James 4:4 See also Matthew 6:24 parallel Luke 16:13; Romans 13:14; 2 Corinthians 6:14–16; Galatians 1:6–9; James 4:8

You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God.

Israel's compromises with paganism

In worship

1 Kings 12:28–30 The LORD's action in bringing Israel up out of Egypt is here attributed to the golden calves representing Baal. See also Exodus 32:2–6; Judges 2:11–12, Judges 8:27; 2 Kings 1:2–3, 2 Kings 16:10–16, 2 Kings 17:32–33, 2 Kings 17:41; 2 Chronicles 28:22; Revelation 2:20–23

After seeking advice, the king made two golden calves and said to the people, “Going up to Jerusalem is too much for you. Here, O Israel, are your gods, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.” One calf he set up in Bethel, and the other in Dan. And this thing became a sin; the people walked as far as Dan to worship before one of the calves.

In foreign alliances

Isaiah 30:1–2 See also 2 Chronicles 19:2, 2 Chronicles 20:35–37, 2 Chronicles 28:16–21; Isaiah 31:1; Hosea 5:13, Hosea 7:8–9, Hosea 7:11

“Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out a plan that is not Mine, who form an alliance, but against My will, heaping up sin upon sin. They set out to go down to Egypt without asking My advice, to seek shelter under Pharaoh’s protection and take refuge in Egypt’s shade.

In marriage

1 Kings 11:1–11 See also 1 Kings 16:31; 2 Chronicles 18:1; Ezra 9:2; Nehemiah 13:23, Nehemiah 13:25–26

Motives for compromise

Fear

Genesis 26:7–9 See also Genesis 12:11–13, Genesis 12:18–19, Genesis 19:18–20, Genesis 20:2, Genesis 20:11; Galatians 2:12–13

But when the men of that place asked about his wife, he said, “She is my sister.” For he was afraid to say, “She is my wife,” since he thought to himself, “The men of this place will kill me on account of Rebekah, because she is so beautiful.” When Isaac had been there a long time, Abimelech king of the Philistines looked down from the window and was surprised to see Isaac caressing his wife Rebekah. Abimelech sent for Isaac and said, “So she is really your wife! How could you say, ‘She is my sister’?” Isaac replied, “Because I thought I might die on account of her.”

Lack of faith

Genesis 16:1–2 See also Genesis 15:2–3; 1 Kings 12:26–33

Now Abram’s wife Sarai had borne him no children, but she had an Egyptian maidservant named Hagar. So Sarai said to Abram, “Look now, the LORD has prevented me from bearing children. Please go to my maidservant; perhaps I can build a family by her.” And Abram listened to the voice of Sarai.

Desire for material things

Joshua 7:21 See also Haggai 1:2–4; Matthew 13:22 parallels Mark 4:18–19, Luke 8:14; Acts 5:1–4; 2 Timothy 4:10

When I saw among the spoils a beautiful cloak from Shinar, two hundred shekels of silver, and a bar of gold weighing fifty shekels, I coveted them and took them. They are hidden in the ground inside my tent, with the silver underneath.”

Examples of those who refused to compromise

Esther 3:4 See also Genesis 39:7–12; 1 Kings 22:13–14; Daniel 3:18, Daniel 6:7–10; 2 Corinthians 4:2

Day after day they warned him, but he would not comply. So they reported it to Haman to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, since he had told them he was a Jew.

Compromise as a mutually acceptable solution

For the sake of the gospel

1 Corinthians 9:19–23 See also Acts 15:19–20, Acts 15:28–29, Acts 21:20–26; Romans 14:19–22, Romans 15:1–2

Though I am free of obligation to anyone, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), to win those under the law. To those without the law I became like one without the law (though I am not outside the law of God but am under the law of Christ), to win those without the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.

As an act of wisdom

1 Kings 3:24–25, 1 Kings 12:6–7 parallel 2 Chronicles 10:6–7; Jeremiah 40:9–10

As a means to peace

Genesis 13:8–9, Genesis 26:19–22, Genesis 37:26–27; Proverbs 25:8; Matthew 5:25 parallel Luke 12:58