Tolerance

On Sunday I talked briefly about the idea of tolerance as being a part of God’s grace.  The definition of tolerance is, “putting up with error.”  As you read through the Bible you see God’s amazing tolerance (patience) toward his sinful people, yet we know that ultimately all sin will be accounted for.  That’s why tolerance is part of grace but isn’t the definition of grace.  Tolerance sees the error, and puts up with it, but it doesn’t offer a solution for the misdeed.  Fortunately God is far more than tolerant, he’s gracious and offers to forgive our errors if we will believe in His Son.

Our culture has high-jacked this word to mean that “everything is permissible.”  That is not at all the meaning.  Tolerant people understand that some behaviors are simply wrong.  They just choose to put up with the wrong of others in an understanding way.  Christians should typically be very tolerant people, because we know that if God is patient with people so should we.  Yet, putting up with error, means that we still call our sins what they are – “error” or “rebellion” or “missing the mark,” as the Apostle Paul would put it.  If you may see your kids or your friends or your spouse doing wrong things, go ahead and graciously love them anyway, but never say that their inappropriate or irresponsible behavior is OK, because it’s not – Jesus had to die for those errors.