Written by Paul J Bucknell on May, 29, 2019

Pursuing an Uncompromising Life

Purpose

To show the benefits for a Christian believer to live an uncompromising life and how the evil one’s strategies change and are advanced once a compromise has set in.

To ward off the evil one’s attacks, we need to maintain a clear distinction between his two kinds of attacks. They might look similar, but the two situations require different handling. Although we have the victory over the evil one, if we are not wary of the devil’s devices, then we will fall as his prey. The Penetrate diagram describes how the evil one attacks uncompromising believers while the second, Disable, describes how he molests them.

Satan first focuses his strategies in penetrating the believer’s mind and heart to bring about disobedience. At this point, he has to break through the “forcefield” surrounding the uncompromised believer’s life. Believers who are walking in the Spirit are rather attentive and discerning, much more apt to notice and reject the evil one’s temptations.

Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour (1 Peter 5:8).

The evil one rarely comes with a direct attack to the uncompromising believer (though he can) but much more subtly uses what appears as convincing suggestions. “Try it. You will like it.” “A little bit won’t matter.” He toys with our minds as he did with Eve. Once his lie has penetrated the conscience of the believer and sin is chosen, the shield surrounding one’s life is broken down to some degree, leaving one with his or her unconfessed sin. Ideally, the Christian will notice his or her sin and confess it and reset his/her relationship with the Lord through Christ. However, suppose this aspect of confession is neglected. In that case, the evil one can move his “ground” forces with another kind of attack which is prolonged and meant to increasingly disable the believer.

Satan is a murderer and seeks everyone’s worst. He detests how people reflect God’s image, which testifies to God’s order, beauty, holiness, and goodness, and so the devil seeks to ruin people—all people—hurting their bodies and even assisting them to take their lives.

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit (1 Peter 3:18).

The drugs people are on delude them and take away their sense of discernment, judgment, hope, and sense of responsibility, leaving them easily controlled from the outside. While the enemy attacks us, our Good Shepherd seeks to draw us back to Himself. The evil one’s purpose is clear but faces obstacles that our Lord puts up along the way. Satan, first of all, uses pride, ignorance, and self-righteousness to keep us from confession where we will pop back to stage #1 where he needs to start over again. Remember those childhood boardgames like Candyland where you have to go back to start? Cleansing from the blood of Christ releases us from the confusion and guise he cleverly works under in this #2 attack.

But having gained his entrance, he begins to secure one area after another. Once he gains the victory, he doesn’t rest but obtains one foothold after another. This is the reason when a person is facing one serious personal problem, there are also other problem areas. The use of alcohol is often connected to anger and guilt. Each collapsed area weighs down upon a person, kicking out any hope of reprieve.

A Restatement

There are two kinds of attacks against God’s people, the later follows the first. Keep in mind the evil one’s ultimate purpose never purposes to satisfy even though he offers alluring promises but to grab a more secure hold on one’s heart. It is critical for the believer to realize, at any point, he can step out from his compromising state. God’s grace makes that possible.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

However, though easily said and done, the compromising Christian no longer easily accepts the power of this truth. I’ve seen it happen again and again, though—including with my own life. Even though fallen from a clean conscience, we should start telling the Lord about how we have disappointed and disobeyed Him. By stating aloud (or writing it down) one’s sin and neglect, the darkness begins to break up, giving His people enough light to see the cross where forgiveness and hope for living are faithfully discovered.

Summary

Maintaining an uncompromised life is, without any doubt, the best life for any believer. Live uprightly! Don’t think a little sin doesn’t matter. A compromise takes a believer from obedience to disobedient, from righteous to unrighteous. Satan cleverly tries to get us to reason with him to gain more influence over our lives. This “little sin doesn’t matter” is probably the lie that Satan uses most to instigate compromise among believers. This is because once he enters (Attack #1), he can go under cover and without notice grab other areas (Attack #2).

Return to an uncompromising life! Keep confessing every last sin and doubt until all is repented from. At that point, you will be restored to an uncompromising life where you will find a higher level of protection that makes the Christian life wonderfully rewarding and more easily protected from temptation. Pursue righteousness!

Pursue righteousness! Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart (2 Timothy 2:22).

Study Questions

Pursuing an Uncompromising Life

1. What is an uncompromising life?

2. Why is maintaining an uncompromising life so important?

3. What is the difference between the two kinds of attacks from the evil one?

4. Are you now living an uncompromising life?

5. List all your sins, one by one, group by group, and confess them before the Lord seeking forgiveness from the Lord through Christ’s work on the cross. (Careful: Some are hidden away behind a guise of pride or self-righteousness.)

6. Seek the Lord and ask Him to show you any other areas in which you have compromised.

7. Have you ever tried living a life where you leave no room for sin—none? Share your experience.