Several students approached their teacher following his lecture on the dangers of tradition. “Do you realize you offended a group of leaders in the class for condemning their traditions?” “Just leave them alone, they are blind to the truth,” the instructor replied. That sounds a bit intolerant. Yes, this modern para-phrase of Matthew 15:13, 14, points out one of the times Jesus’ shows His lack of tolerance. The Christian apologist Rich Deem said, The “intolerance” of Christians is a direct result of the teachings of its founder Jesus Christ, who, today, would be described as one of the most “intolerant” people who ever lived.
Tolerance has become a buzz word in society today. Earlier dictionaries defined tolerance as the endurance of the presence or actions of objectionable persons, or of the expression of offensive opinions. Today’s dictionaries define it as the willingness to accept feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from your own. The meaning has evolved from ‘endurance’ to ‘acceptance’. As believers in Christ and the Bible, we endure the non-Christian’s beliefs, but we do not and cannot accept false teaching by embracing it as equal among all belief systems. Not every belief systems can be true. A truth cannot be both true and untrue at the same time. Non-Christians accuse Christians of intolerance for denying and not accepting their untrue teachings as equal to the Bible’s teachings. I find it interesting that people who demand tolerance for all beliefs always oppose Christianity. By their own definition, this labels them as intolerant.
As Christians, we love all people and treat them as God does who causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous (Mat 5:45). However, this does not mean we agree with beliefs contradictory to the truth of the Bible. Jesus condemned the Church at Thyatira for its tolerance of Jezebel and her sinful teaching. But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel (Rev 2:20, 21). Jesus declares He will be less tolerant with the cities of Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum for rejecting Him and His miracles than He will be toward Sodom. “Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you” (Mat 11:24).
Tolerance and intolerance grow out of the attitude that Christians should not offend anyone. However, Jesus offended people. When He taught in his hometown, they took offense at Him (Mar 6:3). The Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement about their traditions (Mat 15:12). He also said, blessed is he who does not take offense at Me (Mat 11:6). Jesus offended people when he cleared the temple in Jerusalem of the moneychangers. John the Baptist offended King Herod when he spoke out against him for marrying his brother’s wife. Intolerance by the early church disciples probably brought about their beheadings and crucifixions. None of these references suggests they traveled about deliberately offending people, rather they spoke the truth, and the truth offended. Today’s definition of tolerance brings bondage, but the truth sets you free.
God is intolerant that is intolerant of sin. Yet, He remains a loving, long-suffering, and merciful heavenly Father who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1Tim 2:4). On the other hand, despite His longsuffering, a time will arrive when He executes His justice and judgment on those who continually violate His truth.
Late one night my car broke down. An acquaintance, both in our teens, stopped and gave me a ride. The first words out of his mouth after I sat down, “Are you a Christian? If you aren’t, you’re going to hell.” I almost asked him to pull over and let me out because that offended me to the core of my being. I stayed, it was too far to walk, and he continued sharing the Gospel until we reached my house. About five years later, I surrendered my life to Christ. That offensive question nagged me during all those years because I knew it was true. It made a great impact toward my salvation. Thank the Lord that this bold young Christian offended me that night with the Gospel.
I’ve brought a few raised eyebrows over the years telling people, “OK, all roads might lead to the top of the mountain,” and then take a long pause before adding, “but there is only one door at the summit and Jesus declared, I am the door. The most intolerant statement Jesus ever made was, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me” (John 14:6).
Sustaining Word for the Week: You can love and treat the non-Christian as a person created in the image of God without embracing their untrue beliefs and sinful lifestyles. But always speak the Truth and live the Truth before them—it will offend them, but it may nag them until that receive Christ as their Savior.