No Room for Compromise
by Glen Young
There are things happening in the world today that are alarming. Not the least of these is the increase in Moslem jihad. With the ability to obtain powerful weaponry, the proponents of a ‘holy war’ believe their goal is attainable.
The attitude behind jihad is a real and present danger to the existence of free and democratic societies. This is true because the war against terror is a religious war. Religious wars, by their nature, do not allow for compromise. How else can we explain parents encouraging their children to strap on bombs and blow themselves up while hoping to kill as many infidels as possible?
Personal freedom is at risk because those in authority think they can achieve peace through compromise. Any true believer of any religion will tell you that to be faithful and to remain faithful, one must not compromise the commands given by those they recognize as prophets. This is just as true for Christianity as it is for the Moslem religion. Does this mean that Christians should kowtow to false religions and compromise the teachings of Jesus the Christ? Or, should Christians adopt the Moslem philosophy of jihad?
Jesus proclaimed that Christians would face conflict with non-Christians by saying He did not come to bring peace but a sword (Matthew 10:34). Paul often found himself in the midst of religious conflict. Note his words written to the Christians at Galatia. “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you” (Galatians 2:4-5). Paul would not and did not compromise the truth about fleshly circumcision or any other truth given by God. He withstood boldly any and all who would pervert the true gospel. The same must be said of Christians today.
Was Paul a leader in fighting a jihad? Again, we will let Paul answer in his own words. “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Paul said this because he understood what Jesus meant when He said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world” (John 18:36).
The Christian does not strap a bomb to himself and detonate it in a crowd to kill infidels. He does not shoot off rockets killing innocent children to terrorize others into believing their way.
The Christian takes the gospel in hand and speaks the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). His fight is for the hearts and minds of men. He will not kill or practice terror but rather will suffer persecution for his faith. He will humbly accept death without retaliation when necessary.
We should not expect anyone to compromise their religious convictions. However, we demand that all contend in an honorable, moral way without terrorism.
