Consequence Of Compromise

Pastor W. F.  Kumuyi
TEXT: JEREMIAH 29:20-32
 
Key verse: “Therefore thus saith the LORD; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah the Nehelamite, and his seed: he shall not have a man to dwell among this people; neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people, saith the LORD; because he hath taught rebellion against the LORD” (Jeremiah 29:32). 

 
One day, a pastor of a local church, in a message, touched on a doctrinal issue of marriage – one man, one wife. The polygamists among his members threatened to leave the church, if the pastor did not recant the message. To please them, the pastor swallowed his vomit, telling his congregation that heaven would not shut its doors against the polygamists. The next day, a journalist in an evening newspaper accosted him with the issue. With some incoherent words, the pastor explained that he had to renounce his earlier position, which was the real scriptural stand on marriage, because of his efforts to please the elders and stop them from leaving the church. He was only interested in large congregation and not keen in taking them to heaven.

 
This, exactly, was the situation with Shemaiah, the false prophet in our text. The Lord had made a pronouncement concerning prophets who prophesied lies to the people, including Ahab and Zedekiah. Shemaiah, in his unholy desire to please the people and gain vain popularity, tried to discredit Jeremiah and branded him a false prophet. Already, the people did not like Jeremiah because he told them the bitter truth of God's word.

 
Christ warns every true believer of the existence of false prophets and teachers even in the household of truth. They are subtle and manipulative. But they will suffer here and hereafter. “Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, I will punish Shemaiah, the Nehelamite, and his seed… neither shall he behold the good that I will do for my people.” Truly, he never lived to see the end of the captivity and the return of God's people to Jerusalem.

 
Those who compromise God's word will court God's wrath if they fail to repent. If you are among those propagating false doctrine because you want to please men or have large congregations, please repent and make your ways right with God.

 
Thought for the day: Anyone who distorts God's word has a curse upon his life.