THE DANGER OF COMPROMISE
THE DANGER OF COMPROMISE
Judges 13:1 through 16:31
MEMORY VERSE: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4:23
CENTRAL TRUTH: Doctrinal and Moral Compromise undermines Spiritual Leadership.
INTRODUCTION
God has called Christian leaders to help guide and direct other believers around them and to help prepare other Christians to minister the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. Leaders must take their responsibilities seriously and look to God for the wisdom they need to fulfill their tasks.
Because of their role in helping other Christians in the work of the ministry, leaders are a target for Satan to tempt them away from biblical truth and morals. Leaders must therefore remain vigilant and trust God for victory over every temptation. Only when a leader is victorious in his or her personal spiritual life can he or she be fully effective in leading God’s people.
In every local body of believers, there are individuals whom God has called to serve as leaders. Each believer must make himself or herself available to God to be used in leadership. Remaining pure in doctrine and morals is vital for the ministry of leadership. This lesson is prepared for leaders only, but is treated this way because it is a character study. God’s standard for leaders is the same for heir followers, they are going to the same heaven.
I. EMPOWERED FOR LEADERSHIP - Judge 13:l-3
Judges 13:1 records the beginning of one of the cycles of backsliding in Israel “... Did evil in the sight of the Lord”. The price of straying from the ways of God is judgement . In this case, God handed the Israelite over to the Philistines, people of war who had settled along the coastal plain of Palestine.
Every believer is called by God to perform some service to Christ. Using one’s talent and abilities in that service is one way a believer can be set apart for God. Sampson’s experience as a Nazarite was to go beyond the prescription of the law in two ways (a) he was set apart not by his personal choice, but by God’s choice (b) Rather than ending the period of separation at the time of his own choice, Sampson was to remain set apart for his entire life.
2. CALLING COMPROMISED -Judges 16:4 6, 16 21 The above few verses show two things (1) Sampson’s foolish choice and (2) His stunning defeat. Sampson’s life was marked with acts of physical strength. Unfortunately, he did not rely on God for the spiritual strength needed to fight moral battles. Delilah’s first attempt to learn the secret of Sampson’s strength came as a direct assault. The enemy’s strategies against God’s people are sometimes subtle, but at other times very clear. Sampson’s poor choices compromised his calling as the deliverer of Israel. He had foolishly and perhaps arrogantly placed himself in a place where his enemies could overcome him.
Sampson told Delilah the secret of his physical strength. His special relationship to God and how he could be overcome. Tragically, Sampson was both testifying to the power of God at work in his life and revealing how God’s work through him can be stopped.
Believers who are careless with their commitment to God especially in areas of doctrine and morality risk suffering the loss of their ministries today as surely as Sampson did. The strength of the Christian to do an enduring work lies in his or her relationship with God.
3. RESTORED TO SERVICE - Judges 16:22 & 23
READ ALSO
TRUE AND COUNTERFEIT WISDOM
To celebrate their “victory" over their rival, Sampson, the Philistines gathered to offer sacrifices to their god, Dagon. The vow for Sampson to keep included not cutting his hair. His hair started growing again, this would be typical of a Christian renewing his commitment.
Sampson prayed that God would remember him and help him again as he did in the past. This prayer signaled his renewed faith in God as the source of his strength. When a leader has failed, the only hope for true restoration is to return to the God who called and empowered the leader in the first place. Only God can bring a leader or any Christian who backslides, back to the experience of true effectiveness, Christian living and leadership. God answered Sampson’s prayer by restoring his strength Judges 16:29-31 .
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1 . What is the price of straying away from the ways of God?
2. What are some of the ways a believer can set himself apart for God?
3. How did Delilah begin her betrayal of Sampson?
4. How can a believer resist temptations to compromise his doctrinal and moral standards?
5. How can compromising one’s commitment to the Lord affect one’s ability to fulfill the Lord's call on one’s life?
Judges 13:1 through 16:31
MEMORY VERSE: “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life Prov. 4:23
CENTRAL TRUTH: Doctrinal and Moral Compromise undermines Spiritual Leadership.
INTRODUCTION
God has called Christian leaders to help guide and direct other believers around them and to help prepare other Christians to minister the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world. Leaders must take their responsibilities seriously and look to God for the wisdom they need to fulfill their tasks.
Because of their role in helping other Christians in the work of the ministry, leaders are a target for Satan to tempt them away from biblical truth and morals. Leaders must therefore remain vigilant and trust God for victory over every temptation. Only when a leader is victorious in his or her personal spiritual life can he or she be fully effective in leading God’s people.
In every local body of believers, there are individuals whom God has called to serve as leaders. Each believer must make himself or herself available to God to be used in leadership. Remaining pure in doctrine and morals is vital for the ministry of leadership. This lesson is prepared for leaders only, but is treated this way because it is a character study. God’s standard for leaders is the same for heir followers, they are going to the same heaven.
I. EMPOWERED FOR LEADERSHIP - Judge 13:l-3
Judges 13:1 records the beginning of one of the cycles of backsliding in Israel “... Did evil in the sight of the Lord”. The price of straying from the ways of God is judgement . In this case, God handed the Israelite over to the Philistines, people of war who had settled along the coastal plain of Palestine.
Every believer is called by God to perform some service to Christ. Using one’s talent and abilities in that service is one way a believer can be set apart for God. Sampson’s experience as a Nazarite was to go beyond the prescription of the law in two ways (a) he was set apart not by his personal choice, but by God’s choice (b) Rather than ending the period of separation at the time of his own choice, Sampson was to remain set apart for his entire life.
2. CALLING COMPROMISED -Judges 16:4 6, 16 21 The above few verses show two things (1) Sampson’s foolish choice and (2) His stunning defeat. Sampson’s life was marked with acts of physical strength. Unfortunately, he did not rely on God for the spiritual strength needed to fight moral battles. Delilah’s first attempt to learn the secret of Sampson’s strength came as a direct assault. The enemy’s strategies against God’s people are sometimes subtle, but at other times very clear. Sampson’s poor choices compromised his calling as the deliverer of Israel. He had foolishly and perhaps arrogantly placed himself in a place where his enemies could overcome him.
Sampson told Delilah the secret of his physical strength. His special relationship to God and how he could be overcome. Tragically, Sampson was both testifying to the power of God at work in his life and revealing how God’s work through him can be stopped.
Believers who are careless with their commitment to God especially in areas of doctrine and morality risk suffering the loss of their ministries today as surely as Sampson did. The strength of the Christian to do an enduring work lies in his or her relationship with God.
3. RESTORED TO SERVICE - Judges 16:22 & 23
READ ALSO
TRUE AND COUNTERFEIT WISDOM
To celebrate their “victory" over their rival, Sampson, the Philistines gathered to offer sacrifices to their god, Dagon. The vow for Sampson to keep included not cutting his hair. His hair started growing again, this would be typical of a Christian renewing his commitment.
Sampson prayed that God would remember him and help him again as he did in the past. This prayer signaled his renewed faith in God as the source of his strength. When a leader has failed, the only hope for true restoration is to return to the God who called and empowered the leader in the first place. Only God can bring a leader or any Christian who backslides, back to the experience of true effectiveness, Christian living and leadership. God answered Sampson’s prayer by restoring his strength Judges 16:29-31 .
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION
1 . What is the price of straying away from the ways of God?
2. What are some of the ways a believer can set himself apart for God?
3. How did Delilah begin her betrayal of Sampson?
4. How can a believer resist temptations to compromise his doctrinal and moral standards?
5. How can compromising one’s commitment to the Lord affect one’s ability to fulfill the Lord's call on one’s life?
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