'Be Tolerant' says the World!
What does being tolerant mean?
There are times we can and should be tolerant, like when there is drilling noise in our neighborhood or when our neighbour is having some festival which is a little noisy, or when our neighbour's baby is crying, or when we are travelling in the train beside someone who smells of perspiration after a hard day's work, or when we are about to sit on a seat in the bus after standing the whole day at work and suddenly someone rushes and sits on that seat, etc . All this is actually, patient endurance which in reality, is a virtue.
The word 'Tolerance' has a variety of meanings. These include:-
1. To be open/broad minded.
2. Willing to put up with beliefs opposed to one's convictions.
3. The allowance of something which although is not wholly/morally approved but is considered the right of the other person/party.
To be tolerant of non-sinful activities is totally alright. But to be tolerant of something which is against God, something which is sinful is actually 'Compromise' in disguise. In this case the world is telling us to "Shut Up & Be Silent," when so much sin is going on around us!
Let's see what sins, we as the nations of the world, have been tolerant of, thus far:-
1. Abortion (murder of innocent children in the womb) - in the guise of Family Planning or Feminine Rights.
2. Divorces - saying it is the individual's right to be happy and leave the person who makes them feel miserable instead of learning how to love and live peacefully.
3. Questionable practices in Business:- If it works for them who are you to say no? Live and let live!
4. Cohabitation /Sex before marriage - It's their prerogative to see if their partner is the right one. Just don't interfere.
5. Marriage with a robot/hologram - It gives him/her happiness and satisfaction. It is his/her right to be happy with whatever he/she chooses to marry.
5. Immodest Dressing - People have the right to wear (or not wear 😉) anything, they wish. It is none of your business.
6. LGBTQ - Anyone can be what they want to be according to what and how they feel. A woman can be a man or a man can be a woman or a grown man can even claim to be an infant or a goat or even a kitten. It is their right. Don't hurt their feelings.
The above is only a sample of all that we tolerate in this world. Although many do not agree, we watch them do what they are doing with disbelief and amusement and most of the time with a 'Cannot Be Bothered' attitude.
When we encounter them, we are told to be tolerant of them. We are told to accommodate them; not to offend them; to include them in all our programs, activities and religious celebrations without ostracizing them or without making them feel uncomfortable or unwelcome; because they are 'Individuals With Equal Rights'!
Many states in US and some parts of the world, have even allowed them (LGBTQ'S) to influence little innocent children, in schools, through syllabuses, through story books and drag queen storytelling times and through the media.
It is heartbreaking to see many churches accommodating many of them and allowing them to practice what they are practising, in the name of 'God's love'. These churches are afraid to tell them the biblical truth because they are afraid of losing them ( as if they are already not lost). Telling them the Truth will only save them from hell fire. There is no Truth apart from the Bible! Yes Jesus ate with sinners but He did not sin. He called every one of those sinners to repentance.
So much has been said about Tolerance by this World!
Now let us see what Jesus says about this?
Jesus gives a message to the Christians in the church of Thyatira in - Revelation 2:19-20
“I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.”
And again Jesus says in - Matthew 18:6 NIV
“If anyone causes one of these little ones---those who believe in me---to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
My dear fellow Christians! There is an urgent and crucial need to 'Speak the Truth in Love', to bring about Repentance, Reconciliation & Forgiveness within the Christian community today. First the body of Christ has to be cleansed!
Please Do Not Be Silent! We must speak up and speak out against sin. Especially when we encounter a Christian brother or sister living in sin. But before that we must ensure that we ourselves are not doing any of it.
We as Christians, the body of Christ, Cannot be silent and Must Not be silent! We need to speak out against SIN! We Cannot and Must Not be Tolerant of SIN! If we do, we will be judged severely! By being silent we Christians cannot escape God's judgement!
Only when the Church of Christ Jesus stands united in Truth and in His Love, can we shine the Light of Christ to all around us and lead others to Him.
Let us pray for the boldness of the Holy Spirit to come upon the Church, its Pastors and its members to boldly proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and Speak Out The Truth with Boldness of Heart and bring back the lost sheep to Jesus!
Thank You Father God!
In Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Mary Augustine
June 30th 2021
