Results of Religious Compromise

“Jehu the son of Hanani the seer went out to meet him and said to King Jehoshaphat, Should you help the wicked and love those who hate the Lord and so bring wrath on yourself from the Lord.” 
2 Chronicles 19:2

Jehoshaphat was a godly king of Judah who faithfully served the Lord, but he made the tragic mistake of forming an alliance with ungodly king Ahab of Israel in fighting against their common enemy Syria. After all, he reasoned, they were “brothers” both descended from Abraham, so they could join together in battling the Syrians.

As a result, although God continues to bless Jehoshaphat during his lifetime, this compromise eventually resulted in great tragedy in his family when his son and successor, Jehoram, married Ahab’s wicked daughter, Athaliah. He then slew all his own brothers, and soon he himself died in great pain (2 Chronicles 21:4, 6, 19).
   
The road of compromise eventually ends in peril, especially in matters regarding the integrity of God’s Word and His saving gospel. The timeless principle for Christians today is given in 2 Corinthians 6:14-15: “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?...or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever.”

This warning and command is at least as greatly needed today as it was in Paul’s day. Spiritual, moral, and religious compromise seem to be endemic in the Christian realm today, in both doctrine and practice, and God would warn us that tragedy is imminent in the generation of our children if not before.

“Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate, says the Lord. And do not touch what is unclean.” 
2 Corinthians 6:17