We live in a world today that in many ways boasts of its tolerance. While some of the world continues to harbor an attitude of prejudice in matters of ethnicity, culture, color and religion, much of the world, especially that which is commonly called “the West,” prides itself on its tolerance of diversity. In the last few years, this tolerance has been extended to include an acceptance of different views on moral issues such as homosexuality and sexual promiscuity—views that a few years ago would have been termed unacceptable. Believers are being increasingly challenged in their Christian lives by widely differing views, especially on matters of morality, and it is becoming more and more difficult to maintain moral absolutes. In some cases, those who speak out against some of these “tolerant” views have been accused of so-called “hate speech.”
Intolerance
Paradoxically though, modern man has become increasingly intolerant of anything that interferes with his ambitions or lifestyle. This is evidenced by the rash of shootings, even mass shootings, in the last few years, as well as by incidents of road rage and other acts of violence that have definitely increased. This brings us to the question of tolerance in the light of God’s Word and how a believer should view the subject.
We might begin with a definition of the world “tolerance.” The word may be described as “the ability or willingness to endure something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with.” This may generally be thought of as a good thing, even for the believer, but we must first of all remember that there are two distinct kinds of tolerance.
Tolerance of Judgment and of Respect
There is first of all the tolerance of judgment, where we tolerate others’ attitudes, beliefs and behavior, but with a mental position of being more right in the choices and values that we have respectively made and adopted. We bear with what others think and do, but with the definite feeling that their way is at least less right than what we believe, or perhaps completely wrong. Then there is the tolerance of respect, where our attitude is one of appreciation toward the differences we see in others. In this situation, we do not see one position as being more right or more wrong (it not being a moral issue); rather, we support what may be called an equality of differences.
Respect
Let us first consider the tolerance of respect. During the earthly ministry of our Lord Jesus, He never judged men solely based on their culture, background, occupation, or on any other factors that had to do with the things of this life. All were welcome to come to Him, and He freely gave to all. It is true that those who came had to come with the right attitude; the Syrophenician woman could not make a claim on Him as the Son of David. She must come as a Gentile, admitting her position. But as soon as she admitted this, there was the fullest blessing for her. Likewise, the apostles and early believers did not exhibit any intolerance on the basis of culture, ethnicity or background. The gospel was free to all and preached to all. There is no evidence that they tried to change the culture and behavior of those to whom they preached. (We will speak more of this later, as to cultural practices that were morally wrong and contrary to God’s claims.)
Discrimination
In the same way, believers today should exercise the tolerance of respect and not discriminate where issues of morality and truth are not involved, for we read that “God ... hath made of one blood all nations of men ... that they should seek the Lord” (Acts 17:26-2726And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 27That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: (Acts 17:26‑27)). God is calling His church out of every nation, race and background, and differences of this kind are to be respected and accepted, not judged. We are all products of our own nationality and culture, and we naturally tend to think that our way of doing things is best. This attitude may even extend to our own language. Sad to say, these considerations have all too often caused believers to divide on racial, cultural or national lines, to the detriment of that unity of the Spirit which we are exhorted to keep “in the uniting bond of peace” (Eph. 4:33Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3) JND). For example, in at least two countries where I have visited, it is considered perfectly acceptable for anyone, of any age, to ask others of any age how old they are. It may well be the first question asked when you are introduced to someone. Such a question would be considered quite rude and a mark of bad manners in most Western countries. Of all people in this world, believers in the Lord Jesus ought to be known for their tolerance in these areas and for their respect and acceptance toward cultural, ethnic and national differences. Since we are heavenly citizens, we should think of ourselves first and foremost in this way. We should not identify ourselves primarily with the earthly culture or nation in which we find ourselves, but rather as part of the church and as those whose loyalties are heavenly, not earthly.
This tolerance likewise should extend to those of different personalities, qualities, gifts and skills, for Paul could say, “regarding not each his own [qualities], but each those of others also” (Phil. 2:44Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. (Philippians 2:4) JND). Many of the problems besetting the saints of God have their roots in personality clashes, differences between rich and poor, different aptitudes and degrees of education, and different lifestyles. But God brings widely differing people into His church, then gives us an object in Christ which transcends all these differences, and enables us to walk together with a common object and common desires. There is more in Christ to attract and bring us together than there is in all these differences to divide us.
God’s Tolerance
God also bears with the evil in the world, and in this sense exercises the tolerance of judgment. However, we hesitate to use the word “tolerant” with reference to God, lest a wrong impression be given. God does not take a liberal or permissive attitude toward evil, as some today would tell us. We read in Psalm 7:1111God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. (Psalm 7:11) (JND) that “God is a righteous judge, and a God who is indignant all the day.” His holy nature abhors sin, and while He may exercise patience and long-suffering toward this world, His judgment of sin remains the same. This world becomes accustomed to sin; God never does.
Judgment
If God is long-suffering toward this world, so should the believer be. There is a place for the tolerance of judgment in the Christian and also, at times, for direct intolerance. It is most important that the believer not fall into the casual attitude of the world when vital moral issues are at stake. It is important to note, however, that the believer’s tolerance or lack of it is based on God’s standards as revealed in His Word, not on his own ideas or preferences. Also, when the believer exercises the tolerance of judgment, he recognizes that if God endures evil for the moment, His patience with man’s evil will not go on indefinitely.
This is the tolerance of judgment—a judgment formed on the basis of divine absolutes and given to us by divine revelation. Today is the time of God’s grace, and God is reaching out to lost sinners in order to save them, but there will be a day of judgment. In keeping with this, the believer’s tolerance of evil today does not mean that he is indifferent to it or becomes less concerned about it. We are told in Ephesians 4:2626Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: (Ephesians 4:26), “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” (That is, do not allow constant exposure to evil to dull your moral sensitivity to it, according to God’s estimate of it.) Our estimate of sin should always parallel God’s estimate of it. This is very different from having a tolerance of respect with regard to evil, where some may not agree with it, but still consider it to be a variant to be at least recognized and accepted. And this is wrong. An attitude of respect towards evil essentially denies the existence of absolutes and makes good and evil to be relative ideas. (We have already considered this subject in an article in a previous issue of this magazine; see The Christian, June 2014.)
Culture
We have already remarked that in the early church, the apostles did not attempt to change culture. However, if the practices of a particular culture or ethnic group contradicted God’s claims, then all must be judged in the light of God’s standard. Thus Paul could repeat to Titus the remarks of a Cretian prophet concerning his own people, written more than 500 years before. The prophet had used very strong and negative language (Titus 1:1212One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, The Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies. (Titus 1:12)), and Paul asserts that these remarks were true. Accordingly, Titus was told to rebuke them sharply if such behavior occurred, “that they may be sound in the faith” (Titus 1:1313This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith; (Titus 1:13)). National character and culture could not be used to excuse a sinful lifestyle.
Thus, in a world of sin, there are two dangers. One is that we become hardened to it and cease to view it with the horror with which God views it; the other is that we forget that we are living in the day of God’s grace and thus rise up and seek to execute judgment against the evil. The believer must avoid both of these pitfalls.
The World and the Home
However, there will necessarily be a difference between what the believer endures in the world at large and what he allows in his own home or in the local Christian assembly. We read in Ps. 95:5, “Holiness becometh Thine house, O Lord, forever.” The Christian assembly is to be “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1 Tim. 3:1515But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. (1 Timothy 3:15)), as it is a place where the Lord Himself is in the midst (Matt. 18:2020For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. (Matthew 18:20)). Thus holiness is to be maintained where believers meet together, in keeping with the Lord’s presence and authority there.
Likewise, the Christian home is to be a place where the evil of the outside world is to be excluded. A father is to bring up his children “in the nurture [discipline] ... of the Lord” (Eph. 6:44And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. (Ephesians 6:4)). Also, John could exhort the elect lady not to receive into her house those who taught bad doctrine concerning the Person of Christ (2 John 1010If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: (2 John 10)). A believer and his house were closely connected, so that Paul and Silas could say to the Philippian jailor, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved, thou and thy house” (Acts 16:3131And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. (Acts 16:31) JND). What should characterize the believer individually should also characterize his house.
Holiness in the Home
As the world grows more and more wicked in these last days, it has an ever increasing effect on the Christian, and thus it becomes more and more difficult to maintain holiness in the Christian assembly and the Christian home. Likewise, the prevalence of entities like television as well as the Internet and other types of social media tend both to bring the world into our homes and to bring us out into the world. A great deal of care is needed if we are to be found “denying ungodliness and worldly lusts” and living “soberly and righteously and godly in this present world” (Titus 2:1212Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; (Titus 2:12)). But God gives the grace in whatever circumstances we find ourselves, if we ask Him. He will enable us to preserve our “whole spirit and soul and body ... blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,” for “faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it” (1 Thess. 5:23-2423And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. (1 Thessalonians 5:23‑24)).
W. J. Prost