Are Christians called to be Tolerant?by Melissa J | More from this Blogger 29 Nov 2006 01:28 AM What do you think? When I read about Jesus I see a man that accepted those who wanted Him. Though He did accept them where they were, He did not condone their sin. Take for example John 8:1-11. The scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman who was engaging in adultery. Jesus told them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." Of course the accusers left. None of us are without sin. Jesus followed up saying to the woman, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." Jesus acknowledged that her offence wasn't for man to judge or condemn. In chapter 8:15-18 of John, Jesus says to the Pharisees, "You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am One who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me." (Please refer to John 12: 44-50 as well) In John 14:7 Jesus says to Thomas that he has seen the Father because he's seen Him (Jesus). In other words, it sounds to me like Jesus is explaining two facets of Himself. One is the flesh which He states He judges no one, as He is our example, and the other is the Father who dwells in Him (which is the Spirit of God) who has all authority to judge. Any judgment that Christ has to give comes from the Father (which is the Spirit in Christ) and not by the flesh. With this said, we know that Jesus calls sin a sin. We know that He accepted the adulteress prostitute where she was but instructed her to sin no more. We know that it is the Lord's place to judge. We do not need to tolerate injustice and sin. Jesus didn't. Consider when the merchants defiled the temple. Jesus did not just "tolerate" it. John 2:15 says, "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." We do not have to tolerate anything that defiles God or His instruction. In our world, it's not always easy to stand up for what's right. I can't even walk down the mall without Victoria's Secret store display of nearly nude models in an orgy like setting staring everyone in the face. Is this freedom of expression that we're expected to tolerate? My point is, since "intolerance" became a bad word, it just seems like much of society has gone rampant with "tolerance" and political correctness, taking what is dear to those of us with more conservative views, and imposing its liberal agendas on us. I can't help but wonder what Jesus would do? How would Christ respond to the gradual acceptance of perverseness in our society? I believe He would still call sin a sin even if He was ridiculed being called a bigot, narrow-minded, intolerant or conservative. Let me leave you with the words of Jesus from John 15:18-21: "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me." There is an ongoing discussion in the Families.com Christian Evangelical forum that I invite you to share your thoughts in: What's the Big Deal About Tolerance? Scripture reference was quoted from the NKJV. Relevantchristian tags User Comments  Laura S (663) 29 Nov 2006 06:05 AMExcellent post! Today the difference between tolerance of an individual and acceptance of an action has become blurred.  QueenAngie Central Illinois, USA |
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