Righteousness, not Compromise

"Only a little sin won't matter."

We have all heard this statement before and most of us believe it. This is so similar to the words that came from the serpent in the garden long ago.

Satan whispered out, "You shall not eat from any tree of the garden?" The goal was to have them compromise on the standard that God had set for the Garden of Eden. The evil one toyed with God's standards in such a way that God was holding back something good and sweet from them.

The belief that 'a little' will not hurt was blown apart when judgment came upon Adam and Eve upon eating the forbidden fruit.

A little compromise seems like a trivial matter until we think of God's righteous nature. In the above instance, we see that God's person and preference is embedded in His law or rule that He had set forth.

A compromise implies a taking from both sides. We seem to pride ourselves that we have given in to God's desires on so many aspects of our lives. We pay less attention to the details that we have not fully conformed to in order to obtain our own personal goals.

In numeric form, it might be that we have done 95% of what God has done and reserved 5% for our desires. The small amount seems of little significance because we focus on our commitment of 95% and seem pleased in this. Our pride of partial obedience covers up the guilt of the missing obedience. Righteous living is 100% obedience.

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When these thoughts begin to seep into our conscience, there seems that an instant excuse pops up provided by your daily temptation courier. "No one can be perfect." For some illogical reason they put such confidence in this lame line.

This statement merely twists a certain truth so that they can conveniently excuse themselves from responsibility to facing the needed changes of full obedience.

When we hear this, we should say, "Oh, I believe that! We all are sinners." We could continue with our biblical evidence. 1 John 1:8-10 (for more details) gives us four strong teachings that we are not perfect - we all are sinners.

"If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." (1 John 1:8-10).

1. We dare say we have no sin.
   (8) If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
   
   
2. Confession implies the presence of sin.
   (9) If we confess our sinss
   
   
3. Forgiveness implies the presence of sin.
   (9) righteous to forgive us our sins
   
   
4. We dare not say that we have no sin nature.
   (10) If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar

Right after we state this, we mention the other complementary truth that John mentions.

"Do you know why John teaches us these things?
Elder John in the very next verse states these things "... to you that you may not sin."

Those that defend themselves with this excuse are trying to legitimize their little portion of sins and stay in them.

John's purpose of writing these things was to get them not to sin at all. We need to be careful of excuses. Excuses might seem right but be deadly wrong.

Instead of demanding that we be quiet with the thought, "No one can be perfect." They ought to more carefully reason, "No one can be perfect, but God does ask me not to sin." The last 5% is the hardest to give up.

Haven't you found this out to be true?