The Anatomy of Compromise

If the godly compromise with the wicked, it is like polluting a fountain or muddying a spring. —Proverbs 25:26

Compromise starts with a series of steps down. I have known people who have walked with the Lord for some years and then fell to the most blatant, obvious sins. It was because they lowered their guard and said, "It won't happen to me." When Peter denied Jesus on the night of His arrest, his denial was not merely a spontaneous response to unexpected danger or embarrassment. He already had laid the groundwork for desertion. He already had taken clear steps toward denying Christ before he entered the courtyard of the high priest and warned himself at the enemy's fire. Peter was a man who had walked with God. But he fell.

In the same way, no one suddenly backslides. We see someone who falls away from the Lord and we say, "How could that be? He seemed to be doing so well." Know this: The steps may have been taken in secret, but clearly they were being taken. Every moment of every day, you are either building up your spiritual character or weakening it. You must always watch out.

Today, take the necessary steps to build up your spiritual character in order to prevent a fall like Peter's.

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