Warnings about compromise

The church is dying.  Didn't you hear?

That's what article after article raves, all with lively statistics about the growing number of disillusioned former members leaving the church.  There are calls to be more culturally acceptable and less judgmental.  Some bloggers call for the church to adapt and accept the new cultural norms, like gay marriage and alternative lifestyles and co-habitation and even recreational drug and alcohol use.

Yet, at the heart of God's word, scripture warns us of the cost of blending in with the world and of accepting sin instead of holiness.

In Malachi 1:7-2:9, the prophet warns the post-exile Jewish people, and in particular the priests, that he is tired of their accepting of substandard sacrifices.  You see, the priests had begun taking lame and imperfect animals in sacrifice instead of unblemished healthy animals.  God had some very specific requirements for sacrifices, and the priests ignored those.

The priests, like some in the church today, feared that by holding to God's standard, the people would stop coming.  The priests relied upon the sacrificial meat to feed their families.  Once meat was offered to God, they could take it home to eat as part of their payment as a priest.  God designed it that way so the priests could focus on ministering to the people instead of having to plant crops and raise livestock or develop another trade.

So they grew lax on the requirements.  Anything would do. They would rather have some people and some food and some sacrifices than none at all.  They relied on people instead of God to provide for them and in doing so began to teach the Jewish people poor theology.  This angered God and through Malachi, he let them have it.

He told them that if the practice continued, they would be removed as priests.  Not only that, he would take away their blessings.  He would undo all the good he had done.  God would not take second class treatment.

And so we must consider our current predicament.  Do we cave in on God's word and principles and standards in order to keep members and offerings?  Or do we stand firm on scripture and trust God to provide for us?

I know my answer to that question.  I hope you know yours.


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