21 Jun “Leaving Country Club Christianity” (Learning to do anything to reach the lost…except compromise) PART 5
The Bible tells us in I Corinthians 9:19-23: “For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might win the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.”
The Greek word “gain” here in this verse is “kerdaino” and it means “to win or acquire.” If I could summarize this verse I would simply say that Paul was willing to do anything to win the lost…except compromise!
Last month we began with “Three Leaving Lessons”:
- We have to be able to leave our preferences.
Now in order to understand this better, please allow me to share “6 Preference Principles”:
- Never compromise on principle. Frequently compromise on preference.
- Never compromise on conviction. Always extend compassion.
Please allow me to give you 4 Compassion Concepts:
- Sympathy reveals how you feel. Compassion reveals what you do.
- Sympathy is emotional. Compassion is intentional.
- Sympathy will move you to tears. Compassion will move you to action.
- Compassion always flows from another man’s shoes.
3. Never change the message. Frequently change the methods.
This week let’s continue….
4. Resist the system with courage. Reach the souls with compassion.
The Bible gives us two verses that at face value they almost appear to contradict one another. When in reality, they very much complement one another:
James 4:4 “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”
Luke 7:34 “The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!”
In James 4:4, the word translated “world” is the Greek word “kosmos” and it means “world system” or culture. In Luke 7:34, it was clear that Jesus befriended sinners. Both these verses complement one another so beautifully! These verses are where I get my aforementioned biblical balance…Resist the system with courage, but reach the souls with compassion.
Let me explain further. There are times when we as Christians must stand strongly against certain cultural agendas when they collide with the Bible and our religious freedoms. When Jesus defined marriage very clearly as between one man and one woman before God in marriage (see Matthew 19:1-6)…this pastor and our church will always stand strong for the objective truth, no matter what the subjective culture is doing!
However, we must balance resisting the system with courage…with reaching souls within that system with compassion!
Join us next week as we continue in our series…