Tolerance

Tolerance is a ‘hot topic’ word thrown around a lot. There are plenty of people who think that Christians are ‘intolerant.’  We are often portrayed as being hateful and mean-spirited, simply because we hold to and speak the truths found in the Word of God. But what, really, do these people mean? What does it mean to be tolerant of others? Does the Bible give any direction as to what we should, and shouldn’t, tolerate?

Tolerance by definition means ‘a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, beliefs, practices, racial or ethnic origins, etc., differ from one’s own; freedom from bigotry.’ Because the Word of God sometimes contradicts the thoughts, opinions or beliefs of those in the world, the people of the world consider us to be too dogmatic, too literal. They think we are intolerant. They point toward those who profess Christ and the Word of God, and the sometimes contentious way they state their views, as how ‘intolerant’ Christians are. Are these observations and experiences intolerance? It seems that there is a fine line between being willing to hear the truth from God’s Word and the desire to rebel – regardless of that Word.

A great example of this is found in how many people (including some Christians) regard homosexual ‘unions.’ The Word of God is explicit in showing what God thinks of human sexuality and the proper way we are to express that design in our lives. Most (but sadly not all) Christians would agree with that Word. We (those of us who believe and know the Truth) understand that a real, God-ordained marriage can only be achieved from the union of one man and one woman, not through people of the same gender. This godly union can’t be achieved through polygamy, either. However, there are people who equate these unions with traditional marriage and claim it as a form of marriage equality. They claim that to discriminate against someone because of their sexual orientation is to be intolerant. Is this claim true? Hardly.

Gen 2:21-24
And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. Then the rib which the Lord God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man.

And Adam said:

“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.”

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.

God designed men and women differently, to perform different functions and to act in different ways. One of the main functions of these differences is used in how a husband and wife become the nucleus of a family. Husbands and fathers act the way they do by design. Wives and mothers act the way they do by design. There are certain strengths (and limitations) placed in each of us, to complement and enhance the other. By a man and woman forming a union, they complete each other, and provided the framework of strength, compassion, caring, nurturing and authority necessary to raise well-adjusted and responsible children. If you remove one of the components, or substitutes one or the other with a member of the same sex, you make the design faulty and incomplete. It goes against the design. This can be seen in a very practical way in the workplace.

Would you agree there is a difference between an office run by men versus one run by women? Of course you would! Men understand the difference. Women understand the difference. It isn’t that one way is better than the other, but there are distinct differences.  These difference come from the basic strengths (and weaknesses) found between men and women! The same holds true for a marriage.

There are those who have tried to redefine what the word ‘marriage’ means. They reduce it to a simply legal contract, but a marriage is so much more than that. When people of faith object to the redefinition we are labeled as not being tolerant. They go on and on about personal ‘rights’ and how nobody should be denied a legal status because of some mean, animosity-driven Christians.

One the other end of the debate are those Christians who, out of frustration or for other reasons, think it is necessary to start a verbal assault against those who don’t understand the truth. I have seen and heard some pretty vile things coming from those who supposedly think they are ‘doing the right thing’ by aggressively pointing out other people’s error – all ‘in the name of the Lord.’ What they say may be true, but the way they say it negates that truth in those who have the opportunity to hear it!

Where do we draw the line, then? Are we to passively sit back and just let things happen? Are we supposed to do or say something in response? Is tolerance mere acceptance of what the Word of God states is unacceptable?

People think and act in direct response to what they believe about God. For those who believe and know the truth of God’s Word, there are certain things which are immutable. For others, truth can be an elusive, shifting concept. The responsibility, however, is not on the unbeliever, but on the one who claims to follow Christ. By understanding the truth we have insight into the mind and heart of God, and conform our lives accordingly. For those who don’t have this knowledge they conform their lives to whatever might seem appropriate to them at the time.

It should not come as a surprise to Christians that sinners commit sins. We were all there at one point or another, so we know from first-hand experience! The difference is that we have received two very important gifts from God, which are Mercy and Grace. We depend upon God’s mercy to overlook our failings, but equally important is that we should also depend upon God’s grace to empower us to live a life worthy of the One Who has called us. We do what we do because we know better; sinners do what they do because they have no idea what is going on (spiritually speaking).

By ranting, raving and getting caustic with those who don’t know the truth, we offer up opportunities for them to harden their hearts. By submitting ourselves to the Word and Spirit of God we can offer them the same mercy and grace we ourselves received. Christian tolerance is not the absence of action, it is the measured response of mercy, grace and truth that we yield to when dealing with the lost;

2 Tim 2:24-26
And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will.

Should we actively oppose those things that run contrary to God’s Word? Of course we should. It is our duty, and privilege, to speak the truth in Christ. If the world wants to continue to mislabel the truth as intolerance, then so be it. However, if we are operating through the Holy Spirit as we interact with others then we allow that same Spirit to work in the hearts and minds of the lost.

Tolerance – true tolerance – is a walk of faith in the life of the believer as we follow Christ.