Is it unloving to rebuke compromise?
When we stand against Christian leaders who compromise, I sometimes get accused of being unloving and have people tell me that I should be going to these leaders personally as per Matthew 18. But it’s not a personal matter. It is not a Matthew 18 situation. When Christian leaders make public statements and teach compromising positions on God’s Word beginning in Genesis publicly, then we need to judge what they teach against God’s Word publicly. We need to warn people. It’s not a personal conflict situation.
Now I’m not saying all those who compromise God’s Word are not Christians. But those who are compromising God’s Word are not only undermining its authority but unlocking a door for a stumbling block to be placed in people’s way in regard to trusting God’s Word. I believe many in the younger generations have been led astray by Christian leaders who have compromised God’s Word.
I have often been reminded of the watchman in Ezekiel:
“Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul” (Ezekiel 33:7–9).
When we have the opportunity to do so, we must stand lovingly, graciously, with gentleness, but boldly against compromise to warn people, knowing such compromise can put people on a slippery slide of unbelief.
When we stand against Christian leaders who compromise, I sometimes get accused of being unloving and have people tell me that I should be going to these leaders personally as per Matthew 18. But it’s not a personal matter. It is not a Matthew 18 situation. When Christian leaders make public statements and teach compromising positions on God’s Word beginning in Genesis publicly, then we need to judge what they teach against God’s Word publicly. We need to warn people. It’s not a personal conflict situation.
Now I’m not saying all those who compromise God’s Word are not Christians. But those who are compromising God’s Word are not only undermining its authority but unlocking a door for a stumbling block to be placed in people’s way in regard to trusting God’s Word. I believe many in the younger generations have been led astray by Christian leaders who have compromised God’s Word.
I have often been reminded of the watchman in Ezekiel:
“Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. If I say to the wicked, O wicked one, you shall surely die, and you do not speak to warn the wicked to turn from his way, that wicked person shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. But if you warn the wicked to turn from his way, and he does not turn from his way, that person shall die in his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul” (Ezekiel 33:7–9).
When we have the opportunity to do so, we must stand lovingly, graciously, with gentleness, but boldly against compromise to warn people, knowing such compromise can put people on a slippery slide of unbelief.