To do somethings someway

Compromise.

It is the word we shall address today. The attitude we would confront, and the response we would dissect.

When God made Adam, God designed and manifested a being made in his image. He was powerful, intelligent, and of great worth. So, in Genesis 1 God said to Adam: "…subdue the earth." And then in Genesis 2 he brought animals to Adam to see what he would name them (Genesis 2:19). And as Adam functioned in all his glory, the devil saw that God had good intentions for the human race and he (God) was committed to bringing out every treasure of potential he had put in them. In envy, he made his move against the human race and by feeding Eve with false knowledge, had her compromise on the earlier instruction received from God. He, the devil, basically said to her in Genesis 3: "you will not surely die. God is wrong. Instead, you shall gain a superior mind if you eat of this tree." Yet God had said: "you will surely die if you eat". And so, in the book of Genesis, was revealed a core tactic used by the enemy against us; a weapon that preys on our very desires in order to sear tragedy into our souls.

Compromise... Compromise works because it says, "you will gain this and that if you change what you abide by". Jesus was tempted to compromise when he was heavily rejected for preaching a message his audience had found hard to accept. Yet a few minutes earlier, they were begging him to be their king after he had performed a great miracle. In that moment, Compromise said, "Take back what you have said so that they would still make you king". Jesus disobeyed. (John 6:14-66)

Compromise works because we desire acceptance. It works because we were made one in Adam, and many cannot stand the idea of being stigmatized. Compromise works because we are insecure. It works because ever since Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he lost the great glory that surrounded him. Man became less intelligent and powerful. He was a shadow of his former self. Ever since then, man has sought to possess some sort of glory to compensate what was lost in Adam. Be it by wealth, looks, a favorable opinion, a specific accent, etc.

So just as Eve compromised because of her desire to possess a higher level of self, we compromise to possess same. Therefore, in death, man shall die over and over again. And in hell, punishment shall call unto punishment because the living man who is dead cannot die. Therefore, since the wages of sin is death, yet man is eternal, punishment too shall pour increase upon increase on fallen men. It was for this reason that Jesus Christ sacrificed himself for us, because he sought to see none suffer such a fate. And it is the reason his resurrection is such a powerful act of God, because an eternity of punishments for many was compressed within time in the body of one.

Therefore, there are better things for us who are born again. That despite our falls and mistakes, despite our tendency to continually fall into compromise, the forgiveness of God is abundant and his grace is able to help us walk in his righteousness. Today, embrace his forgiveness and look up to him as your mentor. Know that though you failed, he did not. He was continually able to resist the temptation to compromise. And he that succeeded and triumphed over every temptation is able to help you stand. It was never about trying on your own. For if you could do it alone, Jesus would not have died for your sins. Today, rejoice in the forgiveness of God for it says, “¹² For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins ^[a]and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” -Hebrews 8:12. And “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus," – Romans 8:1.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! – Philippians 4:4