Stop Tolerating
Judge not, that you not be judged.
Matthew 7:1
Tolerance…. It sounds like a good concept, doesn’t it? After all who I am to say anything? Live and let live right? Wrong! That attitude is what is causing great pain, sin and sickness in this world. God does not call us to tolerance. He calls us to love and sometimes love means exposing sin. This verse from Matthew gets twisted and tangled, used and abused. “Don’t judge, it says so right in the Bible.” “You call yourself a Christian? Then why are you judging me? ‘Judge not!’” Oh help!
It does say, “judge not” that much is true. It does not say ignore bad behavior or don’t say anything about that blatant sin nor does it say tolerate anything. The cousin of tolerance is acceptance. We have to accept people for who they are. True, but in good conscience, do we allow them to stay there? No! That is hateful. That is not love. That is allowing them to experience the sickness, the emptiness that is a byproduct of living in sin. We are called to love our enemies and our neighbors. If we love someone we should want the best for them and living a life steeped in sin is not best for anyone. We all sin and we all feel the sting of that but to live day after day embracing sinful behavior is a different story.
On the other hand, we cannot go around passing judgement and that is what this verse, this section of Scripture (Matthew 1-6) is talking about. In judging we pronounce a sentence. “If you keep living like that then [something bad] is going to happen.” I have no idea how God is going to deal with that woman I know who cheats on her taxes and neglects her kids. I have no idea what God is doing, has done or will do with the homosexual couple across the street or the terrorist in Iraq. What I do know is that I am called to do what God tells me to do and that is, when given the opportunity, speak the truth as gracefully and lovingly as possible. To literally hate the sin but love the sinner.
It is an incredibly fine line and one that is very hard to walk. The very best way I can do that is to live as God directs me regardless of my audience or situation. In all circumstances I need to be the child God created me to be. He did not create me to pat someone on the back for his/her sin. Neither did he create me to judge that sin. That is his job.
To refuse to tolerate sin can be quite simple. It means to say no to certain invitations, to stand up for what I believe is right and to defend the Gospel when I see it being challenged.
Judge not but be aware. It is an incredibly fine line that runs between tolerance and judgement but we are called to walk that tightrope with a grace that beckons others to Christ. Walk in integrity and love, not judgement or tolerance.
Matthew 7:1
Tolerance…. It sounds like a good concept, doesn’t it? After all who I am to say anything? Live and let live right? Wrong! That attitude is what is causing great pain, sin and sickness in this world. God does not call us to tolerance. He calls us to love and sometimes love means exposing sin. This verse from Matthew gets twisted and tangled, used and abused. “Don’t judge, it says so right in the Bible.” “You call yourself a Christian? Then why are you judging me? ‘Judge not!’” Oh help!
It does say, “judge not” that much is true. It does not say ignore bad behavior or don’t say anything about that blatant sin nor does it say tolerate anything. The cousin of tolerance is acceptance. We have to accept people for who they are. True, but in good conscience, do we allow them to stay there? No! That is hateful. That is not love. That is allowing them to experience the sickness, the emptiness that is a byproduct of living in sin. We are called to love our enemies and our neighbors. If we love someone we should want the best for them and living a life steeped in sin is not best for anyone. We all sin and we all feel the sting of that but to live day after day embracing sinful behavior is a different story.
On the other hand, we cannot go around passing judgement and that is what this verse, this section of Scripture (Matthew 1-6) is talking about. In judging we pronounce a sentence. “If you keep living like that then [something bad] is going to happen.” I have no idea how God is going to deal with that woman I know who cheats on her taxes and neglects her kids. I have no idea what God is doing, has done or will do with the homosexual couple across the street or the terrorist in Iraq. What I do know is that I am called to do what God tells me to do and that is, when given the opportunity, speak the truth as gracefully and lovingly as possible. To literally hate the sin but love the sinner.
It is an incredibly fine line and one that is very hard to walk. The very best way I can do that is to live as God directs me regardless of my audience or situation. In all circumstances I need to be the child God created me to be. He did not create me to pat someone on the back for his/her sin. Neither did he create me to judge that sin. That is his job.
To refuse to tolerate sin can be quite simple. It means to say no to certain invitations, to stand up for what I believe is right and to defend the Gospel when I see it being challenged.
Judge not but be aware. It is an incredibly fine line that runs between tolerance and judgement but we are called to walk that tightrope with a grace that beckons others to Christ. Walk in integrity and love, not judgement or tolerance.
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