Toleration. It’s the primary gauge of societal perfection in our culture. We are supposed to tolerate everyone, regardless of what they do, what they think, or who they are. In fact, the only folks undeserving of tolerance are those deemed to be intolerant.
I agree that we should “put up with” those who see things differently than we do in superficial matters. Maybe you have different political leanings than I do. Fine—you vote your way and I’ll vote my way. Maybe you prefer a different sports team or type of restaurant. That’s ok, too.
The problem arises when we introduce tolerance into the church. Sure, there are some things we should tolerate. We might dislike the décor, the programs, or the color of the carpet. No big deal. It is an opportunity to exercise our maturity and deal with it.
However, there are some areas that we simply cannot tolerate.
When it comes to sin (real sin, not our beloved personal preferences), it’s time to draw the line.
Unfortunately, even in the church, intoleration translates into enemies. After all, who enjoys being called out for their sin? Therefore, we hesitate to do it. No one likes enemies.
The Christians in Thyatira found themselves in that situation. They had some good things going for them—they had strong faith and their devotion to God had improved over time. However, God was displeased because they tolerated the renegade actions of a woman known (probably symbolically) as Jezebel. Operating as a self-proclaimed prophetess, she led many into sexual immorality and idol worship. The worst part about it was that no one attempted to stop her.
Maybe they feared the fallout. She likely had assembled a large and powerful following, and to call her out would surely invite nasty repercussions.
Of course, that didn’t matter to Jesus, who portrayed Himself as one with penetrating, all-seeing eyes and feet purified by fire. In His omniscience, He could see all and required absolute purity. In a comical twist of fate, just as “Jezebel” encouraged people to get into a bed of immorality, so she will be thrown into a “sickbed.”
We may be tempted to overlook sin for any number of reasons: peace in the church, love for others, or simply fear of confrontation. God, however, doesn’t hold back. Sure, intoleration may drive off some friends. It might even cause influential people to leave the church. However, we should focus on pleasing God, not people.
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