Good morning. Tolerance is an interesting word and idea in today’s world. Tolerance has been elevated to a place of supreme importance, especially when we are considering the thoughts and actions of people. There is a great degree of truth and righteous purpose in the need for tolerance of one another. However, we must also ask ourselves about the point where tolerance becomes destructive. When does tolerance shift from being a loving and kind Christian attitude to being an attitude that enables, even encourages, sin?
We know that God loves us all. His heart is for all mankind for we are all created in His image for the purpose of eternal communion with Him. God loves us, no matter what. But make no mistake about this: God will always love the sinner but will always hate the sin. This is because God knows that all sin carries with it a heavy price, a terrible burden. There is the immediate price of an injured conscience and disabling shame. There is also the possibility of eternal separation from God when that sin remains unforgiven. God hates sin because it divides us from His righteousness and His presence. God does not exist in the presence of sin. For that reason, God does not tolerate sin. He hates it to such a degree that He willingly paid the incredible price of the blood of Jesus, the Son of God, who died on the cross to pay the price for our sins.
It is the voice of God in Hebrews 1:8-9, speaking of Jesus the Son who is equally God:
But of the Son He says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
God loves righteousness and hates wickedness. God embraces what is righteous and refuses to tolerate that which is evil. The Word of God is absolutely consistent when speaking of the heart of God in this matter.
For God, the key to tolerance is to never allow the stench of sin to keep Him from those He loves. The point is that God does not tolerate sin, He hates it. But God tolerates the sinner because His love for us demands it.
I would ask that we give some thought today to what this means for us and our dealings with one another. Does tolerance mean that we turn a blind eye to sin and pretend that it is OK, or even that it is righteous? No, not at all. Tolerance means that we love the sinner no matter what, just as God loves them. But a loving tolerance for the sinner incudes warnings and the proper instruction for forgiveness and freedom from that sin.
Be tolerant enough to love each other no matter what, but never forget that true love leads to remedy not a tolerance that ignores reality.
Vern