Tag Archives: tolerance

What Happened to Your Anchor

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Granddaddy loved to fish and he was good at it. I grew up about a mile from his house and had a permanent fishing buddy. He had a small john boat with an electric trolling motor mounted on the stern. It was a small lake and gasoline engines were prohibited. He kept two homemade anchors in the boat. He’d crafted them from paint cans filled with cement. A metal hook protruded from the top which was attached to a nylon rope. We would ease up to a known bed of bream, gently lower the two anchors and fill the stringer with all the fish we could handle. Those were great days.

But some days the wind was too strong and despite the paint-can-anchors we would be dragged away from our fishing spot. Even sadder, culture is being dragged along because we have weak cultural anchors.

The results are obvious. Sin is no longer an issue. Every possible desire is to be accepted regardless of the impact on self or on others. You cannot say someone is wrong. People are more self-centered and demanding than ever before. What I want is more important than what someone else needs. Jesus is lost among the reality stars, ballplayers, and politicians.

What happened?

No Anchors

About a third of respondents report attending church serves weekly, a third report monthly or yearly attendance and a third report seldom or no church attendance (Pew Research). These numbers are pretty consistent across the past 10 years and accurately reflect my surveys among college students. Attendance is a piece of religious life and is not the total package. But it is probably the single best measurement of the value of the Bible in forming individual values or core beliefs.

Some people have no anchor at all. They are carried along with every wind of doctrine (Ephesians 4:14) and are tossed about like a wind-driven wave (James 1:6). They often do good, very good things to help others but they have no single core against which they check and analyze their ideas and motives. Their morality is subject to change with the culture. Their morality is an opinion. What they believe to be wrong today is possible right tomorrow.

Lightweight Anchors

Many people have a foundation but it is not sufficient to steel them against the challenges of the world. Peer pressure is an incredible wind that can do either good or ill. A person who is not well grounded will drift. Jesus calls on us to be unmoveable.

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Cornthians 15:58).

We labor to remain sound in a world where we are encouraged to be tolerant and accepting. Instead, let us be loving enough to challenge the errors of modern thinking. What does it say about us when we watch another person slide into sin?

Broken Ropes

Some folks had an anchor that was strong and unmoveable but somehow allowed their connection to that faith break. It’s sad because you remember that anchor and truly miss it. You feel lost as you slip further and further into a worldly culture. What can you do?

I run across people who sometimes remark that they used to be members of the Body of Christ. They were active and involved but not so much anymore. “What happened?” we ask. “I don’t know. I guess life happened. Marriage, kids, work demands, all took their toll. Before we knew it, we were out.” That is probably an honest statement. Our faith must be cared for, repaired when damaged, and always checked for weakness. Once the rope breaks it can be hard to repair.

Sometimes, a boat with a big anchor can help secure one that is drifting, If you have a strong faith, watch for those who struggle. Paul said to “bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). Even people you do not like, need your help. Peak at the Old Testament command in Exodus 23:5. Paul said the people with bog anchors have a responsibility to people whose anchors are weak (Romans 15:1).

The only way to stop our societal drift is with big anchors. It’s time to stop complaining and get to work. The wind is blowing hard!

Confusing Love and Tolerance

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Reading Glasses Resting On Open BookJesus is the greatest example of love ever known. “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).  But Jesus went beyond that. He died for his enemies too. “For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—  but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6-8). The Golden Text of the Bible, John 3:16, says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son…” Truly, Jesus shows his love in undeniable ways.

What is the purpose of his love? What is it that Jesus is trying to accomplish through his love? Is it not our salvation? Does the Lord not weep at the consequences of sin? Does Jesus, despite his love, tolerate or condone any sin? No!

It is Jesus’ understanding of sin that makes him intolerant of transgressions. Sin cannot be ignored.  [bctt tweet=”It is Jesus’ understanding of sin that makes him intolerant of transgressions. “]

“Tolerant” is the current buzz word of western culture. Each of us is to accept, without question, any action or lifestyle no matter how sinful it may be. That tolerance now has the imprimatur of law. I can no longer expect to practice my faith apart from some federally backed demand for tolerance.

Worse yet is the idea that I must tolerate sin because Jesus taught love. In truth, I must oppose sin because Jesus taught love. You see, I can know the ultimate outcome of sin (Romans 6:23), I can know that sin brings eternal punishment. Jesus’ own words ring clear. The sinner will be cast out, “depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matthew 25:41).

The Jesus of love never accepted sin because he knew the everlasting consequences of sin. [bctt tweet=”The Jesus of love never accepted sin because he knew the everlasting consequences of sin.”]

The woman caught in adultery is instructive. There is nothing in the text (John 8:1-11) to suggest she was innocent. She was not. She was caught. She was guilty. Jesus showed his love to her by defending her against the angry mob. Yet, he did not accept her sin. His final words to her? “…go, and from now on sin no more (vs. 11). There can be no question that Jesus loved the woman and had compassion on her. But he did not accept her sin. She was told to stop. We all have friends and family caught up in sin. We love them and would do anything to help them. Yet we reject their sin. To tolerate sin is to usher a man swiftly down the broad way of destruction.

The Christian must stand with Jesus against all sin while showing great love to all men. Nothing cheapens love more than our tolerance of sin. [bctt tweet=”Nothing cheapens love more than our tolerance of sin.”]

To those caught in any sin we plead for your repentance and for your submission to our Lord. While we are often imperfect ourselves, we still love you deeply and pray for your redemption. There is freedom from sin in Jesus (1 Corinthians 6:9-11). But to the one who ignores the gospel call there is only heartache and eternal damnation. Please understand, we will always accept the seeker of truth but we cannot, must not, will not, accept any sin or lifestyle that conflicts with Jesus’ words. He calls you to a changed life. Will you reject his love?

 

Toleration Run Amok

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We are still being assaulted by the tolerance police. You know them. They are the ones that think we should be squishy tolerant and accepting of anything and everything. Of course the TP are not tolerant of our beliefs, thoughts and ways.

My Good friend Scott McCown reflects on A New Tolerance Policy at the Morning Drive. Please read it. Scott writes a fine blog.

I wrote an article too a couple of months ago. I called it Has Tolerance Gone too Far? I hope you will read it also and leave a comment.

Tolerance

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Tolerance is an important buzz-word in American culture. We are taught, encouraged and cajoled into being tolerant of every odd idea that appears. There is no greater complement among some than to be thought a tolerant person. Tolerance has become the holy grail of our godless society.

The idea of “live and let live” has been corrupted into a an unholy mantra which demands acceptance and even support of immorality and unrighteousness. We must be tolerant of those who choose to take the lives of unborn children; we must tolerate and support the alternate lifestyles of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups; we must happily accept the those who practice serial marriages and even those who engage in open cheating on their spouses. In some quarters, voices were raised to tell us we must understand the anger of those who attacked innocents on 9/11.

As with so many discussions, proponents of various kinds of sin gently and quietly change the meanings of the words they use. Tolerance is an excellent example. The meaning of tolerance has shifted. To many, it now means “acceptance.” Trends within our own locale suggest that soon tolerance will mean “support.”

An example will help. If my neighbor practices witchcraft I will not burn his house down. I will not attack him as he works in his yard. I will not stand on the property line and shout insults at him. I will tolerate his presence. However I will never encourage him in his sin. When confronted by his own comments and practices I will oppose him. I will teach my children against his ways and will give air to my thoughts freely. It’s not an acceptable lifestyle.  While I may tolerate it I will not accept or support it.

Tolerance has gone too far.

I need to pause for a moment and make something clear. I do not advocate, nor have I ever, assaults upon anyone who practices unrighteousness. I have both spoken and written about the sin of hatred. That is wrong. Nevertheless, I must not stand by sheepishly while every sin is cast into the Christian’s face while a chorus of the wicked tells us we must not complain. I am told that I must be tolerant of their views while they remain intolerant of mine.

Would Jesus tolerate sin?

Jesus was not tolerant of those who perverted the sanctity of the Temple grounds and sought to profit God’s worship. (Matthew 21:12; John 2:14-15). Other wickedness was not dealt with physically but this assault upon the dwelling place of the Father was too much.

Jesus was not tolerant of ignorant religious leadership. He rebuked Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, because he did not understand basic teachings about the Christ (John 3:1-15). He was hard, even harsh, on the Pharisees and scribes who were leading Israel astray (Matthew 23).

   Jesus was not tolerant of sexual immorality. When was woman was used to try and trap Jesus into a clash between his ways and the Law of Moses he did not tolerate or accept her sin. He told her to “go and sin no more” (John 8:1-11).

Jesus’ inspired apostles were likewise solidly in opposition to sin. Peter was neither tolerant nor understanding of those who watched as Jesus was crucified. He spoke plainly and demanded their repentance (Acts 2:36-38). Paul was not silent concerning homosexuality. He uses some of his strongest language anywhere to condemn that immoral lifestyle (Romans 1:18-32).

We are blessed to live in a place where free speech still reigns. Despite ongoing attempts to label opposition to some sins as “hate speech,” and thus make it illegal, the pulpit remains free as are those who serve the risen King. Let us raise our voice loudly and push back against those who serve the god of their own lusts. Stand for what is right. Speak a word loudly for the Lord!