# 106: I Understand

Compromise is a game of give and take. The world could not function without it. Almost everywhere we look, it takes wheeling and dealing in order to complete transactions. We see it in our own Congress, in order to get bills passed. Hardly a bill can get passed without some kind of concession/s by one side or the other. We see it as unions negotiate with all kinds of employers. A marriage would not work without it. That is the way the world works. Compromise is essential for the good of just about everyone.

But there is one area where compromise equals deception. Just about everyone hates to be told that they are being deceived, that is, in the spiritual realm of God. No one can compromise with the devil (evil) and end up a winner. Even a little compromise of what is right and holy, and the whole person will be corrupted. Here is the point: It takes just a little bit of poison to kill the whole person.

The New Testament is unequivocal as to what is right and wrong conduct in the lives of all who profess to be followers of Jesus Christ. But much of what is right and holy living has been compromised by being omitted or diluted for this simple reason: Those commands don’t blend well (belong) with many of our modern ways, are not adhered to, or are labeled as being old-fashioned, unnecessary, too difficult, or next to impossible to implement.

When a person wants something done correctly, he/she goes to a professional. If you need your motor vehicle repaired, you go to an authorized dealer. If you need an operation, you go to a reputable doctor. If you desire to have a custom house built, you get a contractor who has a good track record. Although there are many things a do-it-yourself person can do by him/herself, it is always best to go to one who is skilled in a specific profession. We must remember that most professionals spent big bucks going to college for many years. When they are done with school, they expect a return on their money. They may come to love what they are doing and love the people they will be working for, and their clientele may be happy and grateful for their services. But the reason for all this joyful exuberance is the bottom line (the money)—the more, the merrier.

Therefore, I truly understand why people go to established churches. They expect the people behind the pulpit to be professionals who will tell them the whole Gospel message. They went to seminary school to learn what Christianity/Jesus Christ is all about. Therefore, when religious learning is completed, the graduate has a choice between being an assistant in some church and starting one’s own church. How will these future religious leaders measure success? They will most likely measure it by preaching compelling sermons, week after week; by how much money is collected; by the number of new parishioners; and of course, by keeping the pews filled. No doubt, there may be other reasons, but the above three reasons will dictate if one is going to remain in the Christian ministry, go out and dig ditches, or wash clothes for a living.

It will be a TRICKY job to preach a good sermon, convince the laity of the right way, and still somehow avoid telling the laity what they don’t want to hear. Tell them what they don’t desire to be told, and many will say bye-bye. To be more explicit, there are many New Testament verses (the ones I bring to the surface in this blog) that do not set well with this modern culture we live in. If and when preachers do preach on these hard-nosed verses, they must be made softer (watered-down) and not as absolutes. “That is only a small compromise; that shouldn’t hurt anyone. It does make the Christian life more palatable with our present lifestyle.” But that form of “Christian life” is not genuine, Bible-based Christianity. In fact, all those hard-to-swallow verses could fit on several pages of the Bible. The question is this: Out of 700 pages in large print or as little as 160 pages in fine print of the New Testament, how can eliminating two or three pages do so much harm? As I said before, it only takes a little bit of poison to kill. Therefore, when the clergy does away with those few pages, hopefully not in a clever and sly way, the result is spiritual poison with the ability to kill multitudes. If anyone desires to know what some of these hard-nosed verses are—our active part of Christianity—these are the posts that bring them out into the open: #31, #92, #58, #59, #60, #76, #77, and #78.

Now the question remains: Are these church leaders aware of the harm they are doing? I sure hope not. I pray they are doing it inadvertently. Nevertheless, one way or another, it is the clergy that is responsible for the ill/uninformed church per se. I am sure the vast majority of the clergy are good, honest, loving and caring people. And I’ll bet you that most churchgoers love their pastors dearly and think the world of them. That, however, even compounds the danger. Here is why: When someone is loved dearly, people often see the very best (by painting them pretty) in that person. To put it another way: Many would say, “Oh, our church leader would never intentionally do that; he/she is so loving, just like part of the family.”

The reason I am so bold and controversial is because I don’t desire, covet, or need anyone’s money, love, esteem, or anything else of value, be it material or spiritual. I do it because I hopefully love those people (that are being misled) in the same way that Jesus Christ loves them. How do I know I love them? Because it hurts me deeply when I put myself in their place (empathy) as they give their money and devotion to something/someone that may lead them to an undesirable place. That is strong language, but it is the truth. Then, some might ask, “What type of love does Jesus have for those that are being misled?” Answer: "He desires that all men/women be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of the truth." 1st Timothy 2:4, paraphrased. That is the type of love that desires the very best for all people. But that love of Christ will do no one any eternal good if they don’t believe and live as directed in the New Testament.

I very well know that what I write will never come into vogue. Most likely, Religion's Crime against God is (or could become) the most disliked and hated blog on the web. I understand. Still, I am inspired to just keep on writing the truth and trust that God will take care of the rest. I can just hear some of you thinking, “That is your opinion of the truth.” To those who are thinking that way, I challenge you to prove me in error according to the New Testament. Everyone, including myself, needs a good challenge once in a while.

To go even further, I dare anyone to bring up any topic in this blog to your know-it-all Christian friends or even—if you have the audacity—to your church pastor. See what type of response you get, and then throw it at me. I am that confident that what I write is Biblical truth. WARNING: If you do not want to know what the Bible expects of Christians, please do not read the rest of this blog.