An Open Letter from Walter Martin to Richard Mouw:<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />
 
 
Daniel 1:8
But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
 
 
Let's consider for a moment: a powerful King's world government; a group of young Jews taken into it and given every opportunity.  They had wisdom, stature, poise, and learning.  They were going to be trained for three years in "graduate studies" in the Babylonian language and culture.  In other words, they were getting the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Stanford University of their day.
In order to encourage them and give them stature in the community, the King's own table was made available to them.  King Nebuchadnezzar was the world's greatest reigning monarch at the time, and when he invited them to his dining table it meant honor, position and recognition throughout his entire kingdom.  These young men were given everything they wanted: privilege, class, power.
What is the reaction of Daniel?  "Golly, gee, I've got this great opportunity.  I've been selected over hundreds of thousands of potential students.  Here I am, given a chance to eat the King's food, drink the King's wine, and live in the King's palace.  I have nothing but a good future ahead of me."  In the ancient world, Daniel had it made.  The world was his oyster.  Is this what he thought?  Was he a company man?  Did he want to go along and get along with everyone and everything, as the world today would see it?
No, Daniel had different ideas.  He thought, "I am selected by God.  I'm one of God's children.  I'm supposed to live as God wants me to live.  Does God want me to sit at the table of a pagan King and eat food sacrificed to demons?  No.  Does God want me to defile myself for any purpose whatsoever?  No."
Can you hear the people of the time giving Daniel advice-some of the Jews, perhaps?  "Daniel, you've never had it so good.  Think of the power you can be in the palace.  Think of the authority you can wield to help your people.  Whatever you do, be sure you get this kind of power because it will protect us."  Now that's good political advice.  But Daniel turns 180 degrees away from that and says, "I can't do this.  I belong to God.  I've got to do that which will glorify God.  I will not defile myself."
You see, Daniel saw it in its proper perspective: what looked like good politics, what looked like common sense, what looked like conventional wisdom-was a trap.  It would really defile.
That's something we have to learn.  There are all kinds of opportunities offered to us.  There are all kinds of things that the kingdoms of this world proffer to the Church and to Christians.  There are all kinds of philosophies just like this running loose today all around us.  We have to see them for what they really are: they are a means of entrapping us to make us "company" men and women, so that we get along by going along.
Am I saying you shouldn't grab opportunities or that you shouldn't advance?  No, of course not.  We should all advance as God gives us the opportunity.  But what price do you pay for advancement?  If you pay the price of defilement, if you pay the price of compromise, if you pay the price of giving in on your principles and what you know God wants from you in your life-the price is too great.  Daniel was a non-compromising believer-a believer who took personal purity and holiness to heart.