The truth of God’s word has been severely compromised down through the ages by man. Man continues to compromise it today. There are those, "who exchange the truth of God for a lie" (Romans 1:25). And "there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ" (Galatians 1:7).
One of the reasons man compromises God’s word is he is ashamed of it. But Jesus says, "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels" (Mark 8:38). If Jesus is ashamed of us we will be lost. Paul says, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes" (Romans 1:16). The word of God contains the instructions on how we are to be eternally saved.
We compromise the truth when we hold back and fail to teach and preach all of God’s word. Paul tells the Ephesian elders, "Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God" (Acts 20:26-27). We will be held accountable when we fail to teach the whole counsel of God. We are warned by God, "When I say to the wicked, 'You shall surely die', and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at your hand" (Ezekiel 3:18). Today there are certain things in God’s word that people will not teach because they are afraid they might offend someone. They are more afraid of offending people than offending God. If we fail to speak up and teach and preach the whole counsel of God, God will hold us responsible and we will most likely be lost.
Those with whom we have fellowship can also influence us to compromise God’s truth. We are warned, "Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14). "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them" (Ephesians 5:11). Instead of going along with error, we are to expose it. But if we have fellowship with those in error and encourage them then we also become partakers of their sin. "If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that bids him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds" (2 John 10-11). We must never encourage those who are teaching error if we have any regard for the eternal destiny of our own souls.
