The Sin of Tolerance  10/18/22

“No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.” Matthew 6:24 

Our little town is known across the state for our great athletic teams who often go to the state tournaments – and often return the victors. The town follows the teams packing out the bleachers as they passionately root for the home team.  No one is cheering for both sides. Though respectful to the other team, we cheer only for our team.  The above title is taken from an old Billy Graham devotional where he addresses what he saw building then as a mounting concern in America stemming from the call to be “open-minded” or “broad-minded” in accepting or tolerating other beliefs or “lifestyles”.

Yesterday we spoke of unity and although unity is essential for a strong fellowship, unity at any cost is destructive. Every church will have those who place unity or peace above all else. Their desire is to maintain peace as they “cheer” for both sides of an issue. In this upside-down era in which we live, those who want to hold firm to long-held scriptural truth are deemed to be the intolerant and unloving ones. The church's call is to be unapologetically intolerant, not out of stubbornness adherence to traditional beliefs but from a deep understanding of scriptural truth.

It seems the fad of wearing jewelry asking the question “What would Jesus do” is passing on but the question was asked with no answers given. Bill Graham gives the illustration of one person asking another directions to a certain place and the response was “Take whatever road you wish. They all lead there.” The fact is, Jesus was the most intolerant person to ever walk the earth. He said He was the only way, the only truth, and the only way to eternal life (Jn 14:6). He said those not with Him are against Him (Mt 12:30). He said there are only two roads to take in life and only one leads to eternal glory while the other to eternal damnation (Mt 7:13). On and on are the examples declaring Christ as totally intolerant and uncompromising. Paul was so bold as to list those sins that will keep people out of heaven if they do not repent but persist in living in them (I Cor. 6:9-10).

This leads us to you and me. Just how intolerant are we of sin? Is your church fellowship (or denomination) being challenged to compromise with sin? If they are and the leadership is giving in, understand that it isn’t peace at all costs but truth at all costs. My advice is to find somewhere else to fellowship – and soon.

COPIED