The Vice and Virtue of Tolerance

Introduction

Tolerance is the chief virtue of our day.

But tolerance with no foundations cannot be consistent or sustained.

Everyone draws a line somewhere and if that is not defined by God then it will be drawn by the ever shifting standards of men.

It will also be based on the worst impulses of men that leads not to a more and more accepting society but rather to a more and more intolerant one.

Defining Tolerance

In some places it means “bearable or endurable” (Matt. 10:15).

Another word means to “hold back” something (Rom. 2:4; 3:25).

Sometimes it means to “be patient with or to accept” (Eph. 4:2; Col. 3:13; 2 Cor. 11:1, 4, 19-20).

Yet another word means to “carry something” or even to “give it some degree of honor” (Rev. 2:2; 17:7; Acts 9:15; Rom. 11:18; 15:1).

Finally, there is a word that means “to release or let go” and “to forgive” (Mark 14:6; Lk. 7:47-49).

Degrees of Tolerance

Tolerance could just mean that you do nothing about (Matt. 15:14).

It could be something that you have some patience with for a time (Matt. 17:17; cf. Acts. 17:30).

Then there is a more full and lasting acceptance (Eph. 4:2).

Of course in any of this, the opposite may be what is required (Rev. 2:20; Matt. 6:12-15).

Getting it right in one place doesn’t mean you have it right in another (Rev. 2:2-4, 19-20).

Locating Tolerance

We can exercise a great deal of tolerance to those outside of the Kingdom (1 Cor. 5:9-10; Matt. 13:30).

This is mostly the sort of tolerance that simple leaves alone.

This certainly doesn’t imply we ought to fully embrace much less celebrate.

We also should be incredibly broad as to what we tolerate from those who repent (Lk. 17:3-4).

There are attitudes that should promote appropriate tolerance among brethren (Eph. 4:1-3; Col. 3:12-13).

Make distinctions between things that are sin and things that are not.

Make distinctions between things that we are certain of and things that we are not.

Make distinctions between things that we can know and things we cannot.

There will be an element that we endure those things we can do nothing about.

Intolerance is particularly focused inside the kingdom (1 Cor. 5:1-2).

But there is also room for a degree of intolerance outside of the kingdom (Amos 1:1-2:3; Rom. 1:18-32; 13:1-7; 1 Tim. 2:1-2).

We need particular balance here.

We are not trying to establish an earthly kingdom.

But we can see what God expected of and what standard God judged pagan nations by.

Conclusion

Like God, we need to have a bent toward forbearance, patience, forgiveness.

But also like God, we can never let that mean that we think little of wickedness and we cannot simply look the other way.

It requires a great deal of balance.

The worst sort of person is the one who tolerates evil in themselves but is intolerant everywhere else.

But even if you tolerate it everywhere, you will not be safe.

There is no safe path but to look to Him.