Tolerance
There was a little boy named Jack who had a little 2 year old sister. One day as they were playing together, his mother heard him scream. She ran into the bedroom and found his little sister pulling his hair. She gently released the little girl's grip and said comfortingly to Jack, "There, there. She didn't mean it. She doesn't know that pulling hair hurts." His mom was barely out of the room when the little girl screamed. Rushing back in, she said, "What happened?" Jack said, "She knows now."
Kids don't cut each other much slack, do they? I think most kids live according to the philosophy of a man I once knew. He told me one time everybody knows you are supposed to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. So he said that meant if they kicked his shins, that must be how they wanted to be treated, so he kicked their shins back.
I told him I didn't think that is how it was supposed to work, but he said it had always worked for him. (That line of thinking is not scriptural!)
We have all been young at one time in our lives. Most kids are pretty much the same. We, young and old, as a general rule want to fit in, to belong like everyone else. But there are always those who are different, and most of the time kids don't cut them much slack. Then we grow up and are the same as adults. Our youth today face a big push for tolerance. People for the most part are not very tolerant of others being different.
SPS: That's what I would like to talk about today. Tolerance. I want to look at what it means and how it applies to those of us in this room.
So, what exactly is tolerance? According to the Merriam-Webster Online dictionary:
Definition:
a : sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own
b : the act of allowing something c : the allowable deviation from a standard
I have told you all about Jodi (my wife) and my toothpaste war right after we got married. She squeezed the toothpaste from the middle instead of from the bottom-up like I always had. It drove me crazy! She didn't see it as a big deal, so I had to get to the point where I either chose her or the proper way to squeeze toothpaste. I finally chose her and learned to tolerate some of the little things she did that got on my nerves. You can't change every little thing you dislike about other people. You either learn to tolerate some of them or you are going to be a lonely person.
But, let's ponder a question for a moment. Is toleration always a good thing?
Let's consider a recent study.
In the 1950's, television characters couldn't say the word "pregnant".
This modern study examined ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, WB and UPN, and found that during the so-called family hour from 8-9 p.m., foul language increased by 94.8 percent between 1998 and 2002. It also rose by 109 percent during the 9-10 p.m. hour.
Foul language on television has drastically increased to an average of 75 "naughty" words on network TV every night, according to the research.
So, we go from not tolerating the word "pregnant" in the 50's to tolerating 75 "naughty" words on tv every night.
Again, is toleration always a good thing? We have already seen the answer is no. There is a difference in tolerating different ways to do things and tolerating evil. Let's consider the toleration of sin in our lives for a moment. Every one of us knows that is not a good thing.
It is human nature to tolerate sin in our own lives. We like to make excuses because we don't want to change.
QUOTE:
Everybody looks for different things in the Ten Commandments. Some look for Divine guidance, some look for a code to live by, but most of us are looking for loopholes.
When considering religion, a common question I hear is, "How far do I take it?" That can be answered by asking, "How far do you want to go?"
People say, "Does God expect me to try to be perfect or something?" Actually, yes, He does. We all know it won't happen over night. But that is what we are supposed to be striving diligently towards. If we are not actually trying to perfectly live according to the scriptures, we are not pleasing God and will not be in the first resurrection! It is that important.
Let's take a look at this in:
Matthew 7:21-24
21. "Not everyone who says to Me, `Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22. "Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?'
23. "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
If we are tolerating sin in our lives in any form and not removing it, we are practicing lawlessness.
How does God feel about the sin in our lives? Is it worth taking the time to remove it?
Romans 1:20-32
20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21. Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23. And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things. 24. Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25. Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27. And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompense of their error which was meet. 28. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29. Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
30. Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31. Without understanding, covenant breakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32. Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
How important is the intolerance of sin in our lives? It's the difference in life and death. Fairly important, huh?
Let's consider the example of Solomon for a moment. He had 1000 women in his life. Besides driving him crazy, why was this a problem? Solomon tolerated their pagan gods. Not only did he tolerate their pagan gods, be built altars for them. But, he had an excuse didn't he? Well, God wouldn't want his marriages to fail would he? The answer is yes. He shouldn't have been married to them in the first place. If it takes sin, any amount of sin, to make something work, it is not worth offending God over. Look how Solomon ended up. He went backwards in his relationship with God as he got older. That's what tolerating sin of any kind does to us. If Christ had of gotten married, would he have ever considered allowing his wife to worship a pagan God? No way. He loved His Father too much. Solomon allowed his love or lust for his wives to turn into idolatry. Anything, anything we allow to come between us and God is nothing short of a golden calf or any other idol. We have just broken the very first commandment.
Christ is our example. How did he handle sin among those who knew better?
John 2:13-15
13. Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
14. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the moneychangers doing business.
15. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables.
Was that being tolerant? Was that merciful? Is that the Jesus most people claim to know? Jesus was merciful, but there is a big difference between being merciful and tolerating sin.
You might be thinking, I only have a few little problems. After all, I can't get rid of them all. Wrong answer.
Why is that attitude a problem in our church today? Let's learn from history. Paul encountered this in the church at Corinth during his time. How did he handle it?
1 Corinthians 5:1-13
1. It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife.
2. And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned (no repentance), that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you.
3. For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed,
4. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ,
5. To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6. Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7. Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
9. I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:
10. Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.
11. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12. For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13. But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
People want us to think intolerance of sin is about hate.
Quoted from ReligiousTolerance.org:
"A consistent theme of the Bible is one of religious exclusivity and intolerance:
In the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) God is recorded as punishing ancient Israelite individuals and members of other tribes for following the wrong religion, or deviating from "proper" religious practices. In some cases, the victims are viewed as having no right to continue living. In the book of Joshua and elsewhere, God instructed the ancient Israelites to commit what would be termed genocides and "mass crimes against humanity" in today's world. The victims were tribes who followed Pagan religions. In the Christian Scriptures, (New Testament) particularly in the Gospel of John, "the Jews" are vilified and called the sons of Satan. They and their descendents were held responsible for Jesus' execution. 1The following is not a complete list of passages containing religious intolerance in the Bible. It is intended to give a general impression of the degree and types of hatred found there."
The world would have you believe that intolerance is hate. That is not true. The only kind of hate crime we should ever be guilty of is hating sin. God hates our sin and will always hate our sin.
Let me ask you a question: How do we feel about freedom of religion? Is it a good thing in this country? What does God think? What is the very first of the Ten Commandments? Thou shalt have NO OTHER GODS BEFORE ME! Now, how important do you think it is?
Let's take it even farther.
Deuteronomy 12:2-3
1. These are the statutes and judgments, which ye shall observe to do in the land, which the Lord God of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it, all the days that ye live upon the earth.
2. Ye shall utterly destroy all the places, wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods, upon the high mountains, and upon the hills, and under every green tree:
- And ye shall overthrow their altars, and break their pillars, and burn their groves with fire; and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods, and destroy the names of them out of that place.
Let's learn from history. If you don't learn from history you are doomed to make the same mistakes. This is history of the church:
Revelation 2:12-17
12. And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; 13. I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. 14. But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.
16. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.
The church here began to relax, to be tolerant.1. They began to tolerate idolatry.2. They began to tolerate immorality.3. They began to tolerate infidelity.What does God do about it? HE CALLS THEM TO REPENTANCE.
David did not tolerate them talking about his Father
1 Samuel 17:21-26 (Living Bible)
21. Soon the Israeli and Philistine forces stood facing each other, army against army.
22. David left his luggage with a baggage officer and hurried out to the ranks to find his brothers.
23. As he was talking with them, he saw Goliath the giant step out from the Philistine troops and shout his challenge to the army of Israel.
24. As soon as they saw him the Israeli army began to run away in fright.
25. ``Have you seen the giant?'' the soldiers were asking. ``He has insulted the entire army of Israel. And have you heard about the huge reward the king has offered to anyone who kills him? And the king will give him one of his daughters for a wife, and his whole family will be exempted from paying taxes!''
26. David talked to some others standing there to verify the report. ``What will a man get for killing this Philistine and ending his insults to Israel?'' he asked them. ``Who is this heathen Philistine, anyway, that he is allowed to defy the armies of the living God?''
What about the sins of others? Does God expect anything of us even if it isn't our sin?
1 Samuel 3:10-13
10. And the Lord came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. (Something we all should be saying.)
11. And the Lord said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle.
12. In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end.
- For I have told him that I will judge his house forever for the iniquity which he knows; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not.
If you know of a sin, and you don't speak out against it, God will hold you responsible. When anyone gets behind the lectern to teach, they are bound by God to say what is in His word. God holds us responsible. We have to teach what is right, no matter the circumstance. As Christians we are not to tolerate evil. If we do, we are no longer Christians. Not only should we not tolerate evil in our lives, we should speak out against evil everywhere. God has given us that responsibility. How many sins are you tolerating in your life?
Have you ever heard of the term "watchman"? God uses it in several places in the Bible. Do you know who the watchmen are? You. Every one of you sitting here who know what the truth is. Let's go see what job God has given us in:
Ezekiel 3:17-19
17. Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.
- When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
19. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.
We are watchmen over wherever our sphere of influence is.
The head of household is absolutely responsible for everything that happens within.
Leaders of the church are absolutely responsible for making sure the church is clean.
Speaking through Moses, God ordered the Canaanites destroyed because they were tolerant of human sacrifice (abortion), immorality, and false religion (Deuteronomy 20). A few centuries later, the wrath of God was poured out on the children of Benjamin because they tolerated wicked behavior by the men of Gibeah (Judges 19 and 20). Speaking through the Apostle Paul, God rebuked the congregation at Corinth because it tolerated fornication, and directed a curse at the Galatians because they tolerated a false gospel. Does it sound like God thinks toleration is a good thing? Not even close.
Many people confuse toleration with mercy. People talk about mercy and don't have a clue what it really is. They want to live in sin and then when it is discovered, they say "have mercy". Have mercy on me rather than telling me to change. God is quick to give us mercy when we repent. But, He doesn't like us making excuses. We need to stop justifying sin and start repenting for it. If you sin against God, no matter how much I try to tell you it is ok, just love the Lord, that won't stop God's judgment. Think back to Acts chapter 5, When Ananias and Sapphira lied about the price of the place they sold, Peter could have said, "that's ok, money is more important than honesty." But would that have stopped God from striking them dead? Peter did not kill them. God did. When we are executing punishment, we are to be merciful or we won't get mercy. How often is that? When we read from these words, we are just messengers. We are just reading what God has already said He will do. You had better beg God for mercy because of your sins rather than want me to change what He has already said. I must tell you of his judgments.
Let's go take a look at what I am talking about.
2 Samuel 12:1-18
1. And the Lord sent Nathan unto David. And he came unto him, and said unto him, There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor.
2. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds:
3. But the poor man had nothing, save one little ewe lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cup, and lay in his bosom, and was unto him as a daughter.
4. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he spared to take of his own flock and of his own herd, to dress for the wayfaring man that was come unto him; but took the poor man's lamb, and dressed it for the man that was come to him.
5. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man; and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall surely die:
6. And he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.
7. And Nathan said to David, Thou art the man. Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, I anointed thee king over Israel, and I delivered thee out of the hand of Saul;
8. And I gave thee thy master's house, and thy master's wives into thy bosom, and gave thee the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would moreover have given unto thee such and such things.
9. Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in his sight? thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.
10. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from thine house; because thou hast despised me, and hast taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be thy wife.
11. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will raise up evil against thee out of thine own house, and I will take thy wives before thine eyes, and give them unto thy neighbour, and he shall lie with thy wives in the sight of this sun.
12. For thou didst it secretly: but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.
- And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the Lord. And Nathan said unto David, The Lord also hath put away thy sin; thou shalt not die.
14. Howbeit, because by this deed thou hast given great occasion to the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme, the child also that is born unto thee shall surely die.
15. And Nathan departed unto his house. And the Lord struck the child that Uriah's wife bare unto David, and it was very sick.
16. David therefore besought God for the child; and David fasted, and went in, and lay all night upon the earth.
17. And the elders of his house arose, and went to him, to raise him up from the earth: but he would not, neither did he eat bread with them.
18. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that the child died.
Why was David a man after God's own heart? Because when he was shown his sin, he proclaimed, "I have sinned against the Lord". He was the king. He did not try to make excuses, or justify it, or blame it on someone else. He repented. There were still consequences, though. When we tolerate sin in our lives, there will be consequences, no matter what any man tells you. Will you believe the Bible, or will you believe your human nature and that deception satan is trying to deceive you with? It really is your choice.
As Christians we are to love all that is good and hate all that is evil.
(Refer) Amos 5:14-15
14. Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live: and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. 15. Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate.
We are also to detest all that is evil.
Romans 12:9
Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Abhor means more than a dislike. We need to feel strongly about it!
We have seen how important it is to not tolerate sin in our lives. But, how do we view sin of others?
2 John 1:10-11
"If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, NEITHER BID HIM GOD SPEED: For he that biddeth him God speed is PARTAKER of his EVIL DEEDS."
People can go ahead and tolerate "Charmed" and other trash on their tv. They can tolerate breaking the Sabbath just to keep their job or to not offend their family. They can tolerate pagan symbols in their homes. They can tolerate false doctrine in their churches. They can tolerate continual sin in their lives and in their churches. People can live in sin and then scream mercy when it is found out and never repent and change. If we do tolerate these things, then we will also have to tolerate God not being a part of our lives. We will also have to tolerate not being in the first resurrection. Tolerance of sin in any form is bad. Freedom of religion is bad. We should only be worshipping the one true God.
In conclusion:
Modern society would have you believe that intolerance is always about hate. Society would portray those who are intolerant of the sins and evil of others as being guilty of hate crimes. Satan has deceived society into thinking that you cannot separate sin from the sinner. It is possible. Christ did it. So should we. Again, I ask you the questions I asked earlier, Is all tolerance a good thing? How far do we take intolerance of sin? Well, the answer is still the same. How far do you want to go?
