"The New Tolerance and The Christ Follower"

The word "tolerance" is being redefined to mean that all views, values, beliefs, all truth claims are equally valid and all lifestyles equally appropriate. Anyone who denies these things are looked at as narrow-minded, bigoted, worthy of contempt, hateful, mean-spirited, and intolerant! As Christ followers, we're living in an age of tolerance, where anything goes. We're living in an age that believes there's no such thing as absolute truth. So where does this leave Christ followers? A world system that believes and practices tolerance invariably stands in opposition to the teachings of Christ, because the absolutes of Christianity are in opposition to relative truth! The world system does not tolerate Christ followers who are saying, "Issues like abortion and the LGBT agenda are wrong because the God of the Bible says so." Tolerance teaches that anything can and should be done based on one's own opinion of what truth is. This is a dangerous place to be. Not only is tolerance in the world system, it has crept inside the church. This is seen when many congregations discuss issues like abortion, the LGBT agenda, and the role of women in the church! Too many times, Christ followers are only expressing their own opinion of what truth is! As Christ followers, we are to base our lives on the inerrant Word of God, as opposed to opinion or what culture says. What God says is to govern our thinking and conduct. As Christ followers, we are not given any room for the compromise of our beliefs, which is what tolerance is about. So what does love have to do with this? Josh McDowell reminds us, "Few recognize how incompatible love is with the new tolerance. Tolerance says, You must approve of what I do. Love responds, I must do something harder; I will love you, even when your behavior offends me. Tolerance says, You must agree with me. Love responds, I must do something harder; I will tell you the truth, because I'm convinced the truth will set you free. Tolerance says, You must allow me to have my way. Love responds, I must do something harder; I will plead with you to follow the right way, because I believe you are worth the risk. Tolerance seeks to be inoffensive, love takes risks. Tolerance glorifies division; love seeks unity. Tolerance costs nothing; love costs everything." Josh McDowell, (Focus on the Family magazine, Colorado Springs, CO: 1999). Your move. Be encouraged!