What Jesus says about tolerance

It’s the UN’s international day for tolerance.

Cue grumpy Christian blog about the “intolerance of tolerance”, right? About how everyone’s beliefs and opinions are only really tolerated if they’re the same as everyone else’s—as soon as they go against the grain of culture (as the Bible often does), then they’re not tolerated by the advocates of tolerance at all…

Well, this is not that blog.

I was reminded of a book I worked on last year with Juan Sanchez called Seven Dangers Facing Your Church and in particular the chapter entitled “The Danger of Tolerance”. In it, Juan makes the point that in our discussion about tolerance, the first place we should be pointing the finger is not outwards at the culture but inwards at the church.   

Because Jesus did talk about tolerance. Not in the Gospels… but in Revelation 2, in his message to the Christians in Thyatira:

“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.” (v 19-20)

Juan reflects:

“Regularly, [churches] speak out against cultural degradation, stand up against secular sins, and pass judgment on worldly morality. But when it comes to speaking the hard truths of the Bible to those we love—namely, ourselves, our family, or our friends—we are far too often willing to tolerate sin. For whatever reason—whether it’s loyalty, deception, or fear of man—we are reluctant to confront the people we love and expose their error. You know, “judge not, lest ye be judged,” and all that. But the danger is that to avoid conflict or to maintain a relationship, we tolerate unrepentant sin in the church.

Admitted, in our wider culture “tolerance” is heralded as a virtue. The mark of a modern society is to live and let live—to accept and affirm everyone’s beliefs and behaviors. For Christians, the word often has more negative connotations. It feels as if “tolerance” is used as a trump card against those who don’t embrace the progressive ideas and morals of secular culture. Today, you’re “intolerant” if you suggest sex should be reserved for marriage, if you refuse to acknowledge the man who now identifies as a woman, or if you believe that Jesus is the only way to God.

But the focus of [Jesus’ message to Thyatira] in Revelation … is not on tolerating people who are “out there,” but people who are “in here”—people who claim to belong to the body of Christ, but who act otherwise. Within the church, we’re not to tolerate sin. Jesus wants us to take sin seriously. He speaks about “cutting off” our hands and feet and “tearing out” our eyes if they cause us to sin (Matthew 18 v 7-9). Jesus is purposely using shocking language, but he makes his point. Do not tolerate sin: in ourselves, in our brothers and sisters, in the church. Instead, we must speak the truth in love to our unrepentant brothers and sisters. We must not leave them in their sin or expect others to leave us in ours.”

He makes another interesting point later in the chapter:

“Are you prepared to address and, when required, confront “Jezebels” in your church who are leading others into sin? After all, it’s the Christians who tolerate the Jezebels whom Jesus calls out first (Revelation 2 v 20). We must overcome a fear of hurt feelings or lost relationships. We must overcome a fear of rejection or public ridicule. And pastors, we must overcome a fear of losing members and contributions. How do we overcome such fears? By believing—really believing—that it is better for our unrepentant brothers and sisters to fall under our rebuke and discipline than to fall under the judgment of the risen King.”

That’s food for thought enough for the International Day for Tolerance. Although Juan goes on to say loads more great stuff including, crucially, the need to (and the how-to) of speaking the truth in love, with the aim to bring about repentance, reconciliation and forgiveness. (But for that, you’ll have to get the book!).

Seven Dangers Facing your Church is available to buy here.