Is Compromise Excusable?
ONE of the characteristics of this twentieth century is the spirit of compromise. Selfishness, ever prone to follow the line of least resistance, has made personal integrity a rare commodity. The lure of easy money has corrupted politicians and caused business and professional men to throw their ethics to the winds. The popular trend has also swept along the great majority of professed Christians. In totalitarian states those professing to be Christ’s followers often have great pressure brought to bear upon them to make them compromise or apostatize.
Referring to this matter, one Dr. Chas. W. Ranson, prominent Presbyterian churchman, at a banquet given by the Washington-North Idaho Council of Churches, stated: “There is a Christian church in China although there is never a guarantee that the church may not be destroyed. There may well be apostasy in the church in China, but what right have we who’ve never known persecution to judge?”—Spokane Daily Chronicle, February 24, 1953.
First of all let us ask, How is it that Dr. Ranson and his listeners of the Washington–North Idaho Council of Churches have “never known persecution”? Did not Christ Jesus plainly state to his followers: “You will be hated by all people on account of my name”? Did he not warn that they would receive the same treatment he had received? that as the world hated him it would hate them? (Matt. 10:22-25; John 15:17-21, NW) And did not Paul assure Christians that it would be through many tribulations that they would enter God’s kingdom, and that “all those desiring to live with godly devotion in association with Christ Jesus will also be persecuted”? (Acts 14:22; 2 Tim. 3:12, NW) Something is wrong. Either Christ and Paul are mistaken as to what a Christian is to expect, or some are professing to be Christians without the identifying marks of true Christianity.
No question about it, the totalitarian monstrosity exerts a great pressure upon those who would stand by their Christian principles. But can they be truly said to be Christians if they do not follow Christ Jesus? He did not compromise. In spite of the severity of the test he was undergoing—and it must have been severe or he would not have prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from me”—he did not consider yielding but expressed his determination to remain faithful should his Father require that he drink that cup: “My Father, if it is not possible for this to pass away except I drink it, let your will take place.”—Matt. 26:39, 42, NW.
Instead of considering compromise, he appealed to his Father for help that he might keep his integrity: “In the days of his flesh Christ offered up supplications and also petitions to the one who was able to save him out of death, with strong outcries and tears, and he was favorably heard for his godly fear. Although he was a Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.” (Heb. 5:7, 8, NW) There is the pattern for Christians to follow!
And the apostles did follow that pattern. They likewise did not yield to pressures and apostatize. When officials demanded that they stop preaching, they plainly stated: “Whether it is righteous in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, make your decision. But as for us, we cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.” And again, “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.”—Acts 4:19, 20; 5:29, NW.
Compromise is compromise, whether done by ourselves or by others, and we may never view it with equanimity as though at times there were extenuating circumstances. For us to hold that it is excusable for others to compromise is to provide justification for our own vacillating and apostatizing in times of stress. We may leave no such vulnerable spot in our spiritual armor. Like the apostles we must be determined to obey Jehovah rather than men; and that we can do if we look to Jehovah for help and fear him and not man.
Christian integrity can be maintained in spite of totalitarian pressure, and is being maintained by Jehovah’s servants throughout the world. Look at Jehovah’s servants in Eastern Germany. Although constantly spied upon and threatened, although not being able to call upon one another without first making certain that they are not being followed, although being discovered with Watchtower literature in one’s possession means two or three years in prison for “distribution of instigation literature”, and although hundreds of the more mature brothers, those who had been taking the lead, are in prison, yet Jehovah’s servants in East Germany keep on preaching.
As a result the brothers there are in the greatest unity with one another, ever ready to go to the help of one in difficult circumstances; uncleanliness has been removed from them, and their preaching work has prospered. And has Jehovah blessed their efforts? He certainly has. The 1953 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses tells that in spite of all the obstacles, the number of ministers for Jehovah in Eastern Germany during 1952 increased 33 per cent over the previous year.
Nor is this the case only in Eastern Germany. The work in the Dominican Republic saw an increase in spite of such severe persecution that at one time more than a third of Jehovah’s servants were in prison during the past year. Also in Yugoslavia there has been an increase in spite of persecution, bans and imprisonments. And in iron-curtained Poland the past years saw a marvelous increase, even though no public activity is permitted and many witnesses are in prison. Funerals being permitted, these are used to give the witness, as many as 500 attending one funeral. More examples could be cited.
The great Judge, Christ Jesus, far from excusing compromisers, will ‘vomit them out of his mouth’. (Rev. 3:16, NW) Paul gives good counsel to all Christians desirous of maintaining integrity, at Hebrews 13:5, 6 (NW): “Let your manner of life be free of the love of money, while you are content with the present things. For he has said: ‘I will by no means leave you nor by any means forsake you.’ So that we may be of good courage and say: ‘Jehovah is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?’” Compromising is not excusable!