Proverbs 28:4
They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.
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The best way to oppose the wicked philosophies and lifestyles of this generation is a righteous life. You can make a strong statement and powerful illustration for truth and wisdom by your actions. You need not even open your mouth to argue for godliness.
If you compromise God’s commandments in your life, you commend and endorse the wicked by agreeing with them against God. Instead of commending the wicked by folly yourself, exalt righteousness and condemn sinners by showing the virtues of godliness.
It is easy to criticize the profane opinions and conduct of a God-hating society. The folly of sinners is visible everywhere. But words are cheap, and words are also very hollow, if you compromise truth in your own life. Can you identify this partiality as hypocrisy?
Many sinners justify their disregard for God, religion, or righteousness by the hypocrisy of others. While this excuse will be rejected by Jesus Christ in the great Day of Judgment, nonetheless it points out the damage and danger of believers living carnal lives.
If wicked persons see compromise or inconsistency in your life, they will be strengthened in their folly and rebellion. They will be comforted that you are not much different from them, so they will continue on in their evil course without any check of conscience.
True Christians are a very small minority, so Jesus called them the salt of the earth and light of the world (Mat 5:13-16). If you compromise, you lose your saltiness and are good for nothing. If your light does not shine brightly, you contribute to the world’s darkness.
Sin is sin. Breaking one command is to be guilty of all (Jas 2:10). If you ridicule sodomy, but fantasize about adultery or defraud your spouse of frequent sex, you are as wicked as the sodomite, and you are a hypocrite (Jas 2:11-13). God will judge such hypocrisy.
Keeping the law contends with the wicked – it fights and opposes them. But forsaking the law praises the wicked. If you cheat and compromise God’s holy standard of righteousness, you praise sinners by your choice to break God’s law just like they do.
Rather than picketing an abortion clinic, love and train your children by God’s Word. A loving family with godly and obedient children in public will say more against abortion than any discussion with the mindless murderers entering the baby-killing facility.
Upset about the high divorce rate in America? Then keep a perfect marriage. Divorce is just one aspect of a dysfunctional marriage; there are many more. Where are you compromising in your marriage? Have you examined it by the light of Holy Scripture?
Angry about the rebellious youth today? Make sure you drive the speed limit to respect civil authority, outwork your colleagues to respect business authority, submit to your husband to respect marital authority, and obey your pastor to respect religious authority.
Sick of hearing about evolution? Live like you know the Creator! Live like you were made for His glory, and He has the right to dictate the terms of your life. Glorify Him in all you do, and speak of Him as your Maker. You can condemn evolution this easy way.
Carnal Christianity is the norm today. It is loving pleasure more than God and having a form of godliness without any authority. Condemn these compromisers by loving God more than pleasure and exalting His authority in your life more than church services.
Christian reader, godly living in every part of your life beautifies the gospel (Tit 2:1,10; Phil 1:27) and protects it from the accusations of the wicked (I Tim 5:14; 6:1; I Pet 2:12). Your goal is to be a blameless and harmless son of God in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation and to be a light in the world for the glory of God (Phil 2:15; Matt 5:16).