Tolerance for Truth

Fall is officially here and leaves are falling faster than gas prices, but thankfully they’re both coming down. Definitely my favorite season as my closet will attest, but I had one of those unwelcome realizations this morning.

I reorganize my closet when the days seem hottest every year, pulling sleeveless dresses and tops to the front and adding shorts to the drawer. It never fails that the week after I’m satisfied with my system, the temperatures drop below sixty at night and the mornings are cool. Every year! And every year I remind myself not to repeat what happened last year, thinking I’ll learn from experience, to no avail.

I laugh at myself and pull a sweater out just in case, but I’m reminded of another lesson we, as Christians, need to internalize when we’d rather laugh it off.

“If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first,” Jesus taught.

“The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world.

I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you.

Do you remember what I told you?

‘A slave is not greater than the master.’

Since they persecuted me, naturally they will persecute you.

And if they had listened to me, they would listen to you.

They will do all this to you because of me, for they have rejected the one who sent me.

This fulfills what is written in their Scriptures: ‘They hated me without cause.’”

John 15:18-21, 25 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.15.20.NLT

Live and let live theology which says I’ll do what I want and you do what you want quickly turns to affirming every choice or belief system except Christianity, but why are we surprised? When I hold to the tenets of the Christian faith that Jesus came to model, I must accept His absolute Truth as presented in His Holy Word, the Bible, and I must share this Truth with everyone. I am commissioned by my Creator. (Matthew 28:18-20, Mark 16:15-16)

This culture of tolerance is comprised of a most intolerant bunch. The verb tolerate shares the Latin root with endure, in the sense of putting up with ideas or beliefs that you do not agree with or espouse. To tolerate something or someone, however, moves beyond simply enduring the presence of to accepting, approving, and supporting the idea or lifestyle. One cannot espouse Christianity and anything else.

“You must worship no other gods, for the Lord, whose very name is Jealous, is a God who is jealous about his relationship with you.”

Exodus 34:14 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/exo.34.14.NLT

“Since we are receiving a Kingdom that is unshakable, let us be thankful and please God by worshiping him with holy fear and awe.

For our God is a devouring fire.”

Hebrews 12:28-29 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/heb.12.28-29.NLT

“But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you.

They will cleverly teach destructive heresies and even deny the Master who bought them.

In this way, they will bring sudden destruction on themselves.

Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality.

And because of these teachers, the way of truth will be slandered.”

2 Peter 2:1-2 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/2pe.2.1-2.NLT

“But stop using this phrase, ‘prophecy from the Lord.’ For people are using it to give authority to their own ideas, turning upside down the words of our God, the living God, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”

Jeremiah 23:36 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/jer.23.36.NLT

When was the last time you sat silently while someone told you what to think? We are all guilty of being led one thought to the next by a computer generated equation that adds fuel to the fire we start when we press like, love, or even laugh. Social media algorithms based on what you like or interact with only provide you with more of the same so you may truly believe you’re being open-minded and inclusive but you’re only fooling yourself. Christians cannot accept and condone all things because our Savior did not, but we cannot simply ignore them either. If I am not actively pursuing Christ, then I am drifting into the mainstream. Pursuing Him means obeying Him.

“And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.”

God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.

Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away.

These desires give birth to sinful actions.

And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.

So don’t be misled, my dear brothers and sisters.

But don’t just listen to God’s word.

You must do what it says.

Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.

If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.

Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.”

James 1:13-16, 22, 26-27 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/jas.1.13-27.NLT

This is not a new or recent trend.

“Many people did believe in him, however, including some of the Jewish leaders.

But they wouldn’t admit it for fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue.

For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.

Jesus shouted to the crowds, “If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me.

For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me.

I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.”

John 12:42-46 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/jhn.12.42-46.NLT

“Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks.

And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like.

As a result, their minds became dark and confused.

They traded the truth about God for a lie.

So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise!

Amen.”

Romans 1:21, 25 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/rom.1.21-25.NLT

When we are greeted with coldness or indifference because of our faith in Jesus, remember God‘s word to the prophet Samuel when the leaders of God’s chosen people rejected his family.

““Look,” they told him, “you are now old, and your sons are not like you. Give us a king to judge us like all the other nations have.”

Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance.

“Do everything they say to you,” the Lord replied, “for they are rejecting Me, not you.

They don’t want Me to be their king any longer.

Ever since I brought them from Egypt they have continually abandoned Me and followed other gods.

And now they are giving you the same treatment.”

1 Samuel 8:5-8 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/1sa.8.5-8.NLT

The world has always openly rejected God as King of kings and Lord of lords; before, during, and after Bible times. Are we capable of learning from the mistakes of others or will we insist on learning the hard way?

“In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.”

Judges 21:25 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/jdg.21.25.NLT

This nation was founded on freedom of religion, not freedom from religion as it has lately been rebranded. Men who strongly believed that government could not legislate morality nor dictate religion staked their lives to find a place where they would be free to worship God. They fled persecution and intolerance, effectively taking the gospel to new lands like many before them.

We have enjoyed freedom in this country for decades because our forefathers paved a way for peace but will my grandchildren inherit freedom? If I sit silently and do not speak the name of Jesus or share the Truth of God’s Word and the Good News of salvation in Jesus’s name no matter the cost, how will they know true freedom and abundant life? If we accept every new thought that comes along, not standing on the Truth of the holy scriptures, what are we teaching our children and grandchildren?

“We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders.

For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel.

He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children.

So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.

Then they will not be like their ancestors— stubborn, rebellious, and unfaithful, refusing to give their hearts to God.”

Psalms 78:4-8 NLT

https://bible.com/bible/116/psa.78.4-8.NLT

Jesus-

You are Truth. (John 14:6)

Your Word is Truth. (John 17:17)

You are the Living Word. (John 1:14)

You are God. (John 1:1)

I put my trust in You alone. (John 3:16)

I am Your child. (John 1:12)

My heart is Yours.

Amen.