How can Christians engage with culture without compromising?

from the old testament

• Daniel exemplifies how to engage a culture without compromising truth. During Judah's exile in Babylon, Daniel's God-given wisdom and respectful attitude impressed Kings Nebuchadnezzar and Darius so much that he was given governmental authority (Daniel 2:48, 6:3). But he never compromised on God's law when it conflicted with Babylonian law or culture, such as his refusal to eat what was ceremonially unclean (Daniel 1:8-16) and his continued public prayers despite being told to stop (Daniel 6:10-13).
• Joseph and Esther are other examples of godly people who lived in pagan societies, yet remained faithful and glorified God through their experiences (Genesis 39:7-9, 40:8, 41:15-16; Esther 2:10, 4:15-16, 7:3-4).

from the new testament

• In His high priestly prayer, Jesus says of His disciples "they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world" (John 17:14, cf. John 15:19). But after His resurrection, He commissioned His disciples to go out into the world and "make disciples of all nations" (Matthew 28:19). This provides a framework for understanding what it means to engage with the culture without compromising.
• Paul lived out that framework in his ministry. He wrote to the Corinthians, "To the Jews I became as a Jew . . . to the weak I became as weak . . . I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some" (1 Corinthians 9:20-22).  Paul tailored his approach to the audience, but didn't alter his message. In the next verse, he writes, "I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings" (1 Corinthians 9:23). We can compromise on methods, not message.
• Believers also engage with the culture every day as part of working, doing errands, dining out, etc. But we never stop being Christians. The apostle Paul wrote, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31). We don't separate ourselves physically from the world; we glorify God through our presence in the world (cf. Matthew 5:14-16).
• The apostle James said that "friendship with the world is enmity with God?" (James 4:4). The world is under Satan's influence (John 12:31, 13:40; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 1 John 5:19), and being "friends" of that world suggests ungodly compromises (cf. Romans 12:2). Believers should never compromise on truth.
• Peter and other apostles were imprisoned for preaching, warned against doing it, yet still continued. When the high priest asked them about this, they replied, "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). The apostles weren't disrespectful and were willing to take the punishment they ended up getting (imprisonment first and then beating), but they would not compromise on spreading the good news as Jesus had commanded them to.

implications for today

How much is too much? With buffets and holiday meals, you might only discover the answer when your pants feel uncomfortably tight. When it comes to cultural compromises, though, believers may find that question harder to answer. Christians should never deny the gospel or cede truth to cultural expectations. But some cultural issues might give us pause. A Christian pharmacist might hold back on dispensing a drug that enables abortion. A Christian photographer might not accept a job that involves "wedding" pictures for a same-sex couple. A teacher who follows Christ might refuse to call a student by his or her "preferred pronoun." In such cases, we're blessed to have the Wisest Counselor: God. We can seek His wisdom in His word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) and through prayer (James 1:5). We also have a body of believers, including church leaders, to advise us (Proverbs 11:14, 15:22). How much is too much when it comes to compromising with the culture? Ceding truth is always "too much."