Would you rather be loved or tolerated? Our secular culture has replaced “love your neighbor” with tolerance. The traditional practice of tolerance recognized and respected other’s beliefs and lifestyles without necessarily agreeing with them. Today’s definition demands endorsement.

In theory, tolerance goes both ways. In practice, respectful and permissive attitudes are reserved for people whose opinions align with the current narrative. Those who support this form of tolerance shame and censor anyone who expresses opinions that oppose their own.

“We must obey God rather than any human authority.”

This isn’t new. In Acts 5:27-32, the Jewish leaders were furious with the disciples and commanded them to stop talking about Jesus. The disciples refused to be silenced, not because their rights were infringed upon, but because Jesus had given His life to save people from their sins and bring them eternal life.

Censoring biblical truth robs people of knowing Jesus, the Prince of Peace and author and sustainer of life.

Our cultural tolerance harms the groups it claims to protect. It uses these people to justify censorship of biblical morality, justice, and truth leaving whole generations to build their lives on sand (Matthew 7:24-27).

Jesus said the truth will set you free. Suppressing Judeo-Christian values destroys a culture.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10 NASB).

• States that forbid counselors from offering biblical help to someone with gender dysphoria are legislating cruelty.
  .
• Forbidding teachers from telling parents their children struggle with this is wicked, not only to the parents but to the children. (Using the biblical, not popular meaning of wicked!)
  .
• Encouraging youth to go on drugs that permanently sterilize them is heinous. Punishing those who warn against this is diabolical.

A Warning for Us

“But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3 NIV).

We resist being shoved off track, but we may unknowingly allow ourselves to be nudged off. Do you remember Abraham’s nephew Lot? Lot chose to raise his family in prosperous but wicked Sodom. Peter describes Lot as a righteous man, tormented by what he saw and heard day after day.

“Later, God condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah and turned them into heaps of ashes. He made them an example of what will happen to ungodly people. But God also rescued Lot out of Sodom because he was a righteous man who was sick of the shameful immorality of the wicked people around him. Yes, Lot was a righteous man who was tormented in his soul by the wickedness he saw and heard day after day” (2 Peter 2:6-8 NLT).

Yet, in Genesis 19 Lot, playing the protective host, offered his two virgin daughters to a band of thugs to “do what you like with them.” We haven’t slipped that far, have we?

Beware of Clever Phrases

The godless masterfully entrap the young and unsuspecting with catchy phrases (2 Corinthians 11:13-14). Under the guise of inclusion, they promote immorality in cartoons and classrooms. A current buzzword among young adults is “reproductive rights.” I’m sure you know they’re talking about the right to kill a baby up to the time of birth. Do they know the meaning of reproductive?

A professing Christian posted that she’s personally against abortion but supports a woman’s right to choose. I wonder, are people who say this also personally against arson, robbing banks, and mugging people but believe people should have the legal right to choose violence? The elected leaders who supported the looting and burning of private and public property by special interest groups showed they do.

What is the role of government? According to scripture, it is to protect us from evil, not protect evil.

“For it [government] is a servant of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a servant of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil” (Romans 13:4 NASB).

Like Lot, we Christians haven’t done the best job of shining our lights or sharing Christ’s love in our dark world. Let’s protect ourselves and our loved ones from our culture’s cunning by abiding in and sharing God’s love. His love beats worldly tolerance any day.

Strength Finder

Scriptures to ponder:.

• “Even the compassion of the wicked is cruel.” ~ Proverbs 12:10 (NASB)
  .
• “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!” ~ Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

Click here to comment.

Resources

Little Strength, Big God covers the lives of the men and women listed in Hebrews 11 that became strong in battle.

Blessings,

Sometimes I link with these great sites:

#InstaEncouragements, #TellHisStory, #Let’sHaveCoffee, #Grace&Truth