For a pilot, to stray just two degrees off course could delay a plane from reaching its intended destination. (For every degree off-course, the airplane will miss the target landing spot by 92 feet for every mile flown. Do your math. This formula is not a good thing.) [i]This could cause peril to the airplane passengers (by the plane possibly wrecking into another plane, building, or a mountain). [ii]

For global temperatures to be altered by two degrees could cause excessive weather conditions like drought, flooding, storms, and an ice-free Arctic.[iii] This could result in a rise in the sea level, changes in cloud cover, and a change in sun reflection to the Earth.[iv]

It only takes a small amount of compromise before one ends up completely deviating from the Heavenly Father’s best for our life.[v] The final result is disastrous (physically, emotionally, and spiritually)

“Compromise means to go just a little bit below what you know is right. It's just a little bit, but it's the little foxes that spoil the vine.” [vi]

“I can accept anything, except what seems to be the easiest for most people: the half-way, the almost, the just-about, the in-between.”[vii]

Let’s use Peter as an illustration for what the cycle of compromise looks like.[viii] (Does this never-ending sequence sound familiar to you?)

1. Obedience – In the beginning, Peter’s convictions were so strong that he made this declaration to Jesus. (Was this you at one time?)“…You’re the Christ, the Messiah, [and] the Son of the living God.” [ix]

2. Resistance – As Jesus was standing trial before Pilate, Peter was mentally in turmoil as he hoped both him (and his good Friend) were not to die soon.

While all this was going on, Peter was down in the courtyard. One of the Chief Priest’s servant girls came in and, seeing Peter warming himself there, looked at him, and said, “You were with the Nazarene Jesus.”[x] Often we give in (a little or a lot) out of the fear of standing alone on the rightness of a conviction.

“I will never compromise Truth for the sake of getting along with people who can only get along when we agree.” [xi]

“Oh, this was the great ploy of Satan in that kingdom of his: to display such blatant evil one could almost believe one's own secret sin didn't matter.” [xii]

3. Compliance – Peter finally gave in to what he never thought he’d do (in his lifetime). Just then, the Master turned and looked at Peter. Peter remembered what the Master had said to him. “Before the rooster crows you will deny me three times.” He went out and cried and cried and cried.

“A challenge only becomes an obstacle when you bow to it.” [xiii]

With compromise, God often allows us to have what we want the most. (Romans 1:24)[xiv] More problems will arise as you give into further temptation, and then you realize that what you wished for (so much) has turned out to be your worst nightmare.

To break the cycle of compromise, show sorrow (and repentance) for the error of one’s ways.[xv] Ask Jesus to take your life as a living sacrifice to His will (and way).[xvi]

“Too often, we say we are defeated by this or that sin. No, we are not defeated. We are simply disobedient. It might be good if we stop using the terms victory and defeat to describe our progress in holiness. Rather, we should use the terms obedience and disobedience.

When I say I am defeated by some sin, I am unconsciously slipping out from under my responsibility. I am saying something outside of me has defeated me. But when I say I am disobedient, that places the responsibility for my sin squarely on me. We may in fact be defeated, but the reason we are defeated is because we have chosen to disobey.

We need to brace ourselves up, and to realize that we are responsible for thoughts, attitudes, and actions. We need to reckon on the fact that we died to sin's reign that it no longer has any dominion over us…God has united us with the risen Christ in all His power, and has given us the Holy Spirit to work in us. Only as we accept our responsibility and appropriate God's provisions will we make any progress in our pursuit of holiness.” [xvii]

[i] Adapted from the article, “One Degree Off Course” by Tim Enochs.

[ii] Adapted from the blog, onedegreeministries.com

[iii] “To a degree” is a term that means little by little, gradually. (The American Heritage Dictionary, New College Edition).

[iv] Adapted from the article, “2 Degrees of Warming a Recipe for Disaster, NASA Scientist Says” by Wynne Parry

[v] Inspired by the sermon, “Breaking the Cycle: The Cycle of Compromise,” Installment One, Sunday, October 9, 2016, Pastor Dave Jansen, CenterPoint Church Gahanna, Gahanna, OH

[vi] Joyce Meyer quote (with Song of Solomon 2:15, NKJV, implied) “Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.” All verses given are taken from The Message (unless otherwise noted).

[vii] Ayn Rand quote.

[viii] The complete gospel account of Peter’s denial of Jesus can be found in Matthew 26:69-75, Mark 14:66-72, Luke 22:54-65, and John 18:25-27.

[ix] Matthew 16:16

[x] Mark 14:66-67

[xi] D.R. Silva quote

[xii] From The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom

[xiii] Ray A. Davis quote

[xiv] “So God said in effect, “If that’s what you want, that’s what you get.” It wasn’t long before they were living in a pigpen, smeared with filth, filthy inside and out.”

[xv] “If we claim we’re free of sin, we’re only fooling ourselves…we out-and-out contradict God – make a liar out of Him. A claim like that only shows off our ignorance of God.” (I John 1:8, 10)

[xvi] “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering.” (Romans 12:1)

[xvii] From The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges