One thing I always appreciate about R. C. Sproul is that he doesn't beat around the bush in making his points, and oftentimes he stimulates my thinking in the process. While reading his article in the January Tabletalk entitled "Principle vs. Pragmatism," he wrote, "Expediency is an obscene word. It is the word that is ever and always at war with principle." Those two sentences stopped me dead in my tracks. Obscene? Always? While I have frequently denounced pragmatism in various forms, I know I have been guilty of making decisions "for the sake of expediency." I can even hear those words flowing out of my mouth. It's easy to point the expedient finger at others, especially in the realm of politics...the recent bailout is a prime example. As R. C. stated, "No nation (or Christian institution, for that matter) can survive when its leaders are driven by a spirit of pragmatism or make their decisions according to political expediency." But R. C.'s statements should cause us as individuals to examine our decisions and behavior that compromise biblical principles. How well will we survive spiritually when we disregard biblical truth and allow the end to justify the means? Our lives will become increasingly characterized by unrighteousness. That's why it is so imperative that we renew our minds daily with God's Word, praying the Holy Spirit will continue to show us the good acceptable will of God (Romans 12:2)...dying to self and living for the sake of the gospel.
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