Is it time for intolerance?
I know that is cultural heresy, but really, maybe it is time.
Tolerating People. I’ve never understood the idea of “tolerance” as applied to people. The dictionary defines “tolerance” as 1)” to allow the existence, presence, practice, or act of without prohibition or hindrance, permit”; or 2)” to endure without repugnance, put up with”.
Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t want to be “permitted” to exist, or “put up with” by anyone, and I don’t think I’m in a position to “permit” anyone to exist or “put up with” them. So could it be time for us to find a different word when referring to people than “tolerate” or “tolerance”? I’m not suggesting we be “intolerant” of people. But perhaps instead of tolerating others we could “accept” or “respect” one another? Just a thought.
Tolerating Behavior. I have noticed an amazing and frightening trend in the church over the last few decades, again clearly influenced by our culture. We are told we need to be “tolerant”, that “tolerance” is an expression of true Christianity, that “tolerance” is love. If we don’t tolerate people’s behavior, we “make them feel guilty” or “judged” or “not accepted”. Really?
Apparently Jesus disagrees. In his letter to the church in Ephesus (Revelation 2:2) he praises them for *not* tolerating wicked men. In his letter to the church in Thyatira he condemns them *for tolerating* the teachings of Jezebel who misleads his servants into immorality. Paul goes so far as to mandate that we not associate at all with any Christians who practice sin (living a lifestyle of sin as opposed to those who sin out of weakness and repent).
I just read an article criticizing the American church because people who are practicing sin don’t’ feel comfortable in the church. They feel guilty. They feel judged. Is it possible that they feel this because they *are* guilty? And is that really a bad thing?
Before you hit the respond button and slam me, understand this. With Paul, I believe we have no right to judge those outside the church. Instead we need to welcome and love them—even into our gatherings (as long as they aren’t practicing sin at that moment). Every Sunday as I preach I look out on people who are practicing homosexuality, theft, fraud, fornication, violence, drunkenness, adultery, gossip…just to name some of the sins represented. We make it clear we believe these are sins, and we call people to repent. We don’t “tolerate” the behavior in the sense of accepting it, or trying to make people practicing the behavior feel good. Yet they are here, and apparently don’t think we hate them. In fact, many have expressed to me personally a clear understanding that we love them. But these are people who have not claimed Jesus as Lord and Savior.
What if they have? Then, out of love, we talk with them about their behavior and call them to repentance. If they refuse, we do what we can to influence them toward repentance. If they continue to refuse, we have to let them know we cannot accept them in our fellowship as people who claim Jesus as Lord but practice sin.
Do we have the right to do this? Aren’t we supposed to love them? I submit that, as Christians, we have no right *not* to do this, because holding them accountable *is* loving them, while enabling their sin is not.
So, maybe it’s time we stopped throwing trite phrases around. Perhaps we should stop “tolerating” and start really loving people.
