Loving Tolerance

Love...tolerance...two words that have swept the nation, the church, right wing, left wing, churched, and unchurched. Over the last few weeks, these words have been plastered over Facebook and social media. But my heart's desire is not to take what others say as truth but what Scripture says as truth. If we believe the Bible is relevant to today, that it is inerrant, that is is useful for teaching rebuking correcting and living in truth, then what does it say about love and tolerance? What does it teach us? 

Beginning in Genesis and ending in Revelation, there is the call to love. First we must "Love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind" and second we must "Love our neighbor as ourselves." We are called to love everyone. We are called to live lives that show Christ's love in our actions, words, and deeds. We follow the example of our Creator, or Redeemer, our Lover. Christ loved unconditionally, Christ loved passionately, Christ loved us so much He gave His life as a ransomed for sin. Christ called the sinner, Christ met people right where they were. Christ was not ashamed to call the common and the despised. Christ loved but Christ was not tolerant.

We are called not only to love but to live like the One Who created us. Throughout Scripture it is clear that while Christ loved, He did not tolerate evil and sin. From Genesis to Revelation, there is a demand to live in the Spirit, to live in truth, to turn and sin no more. Christ does not tolerate sin, and neither should we. The Lord told his people as they entered into the promise land to destroy the nations they found, why? Because the nations were worshiping false gods, because they were living in sin. The Lord told Lot to take his family and leave the city, why? Because the city was filled with immorality and was going to be destroyed. As we look to the New Testament, we see story after story of Christ meeting people where they were. He met the woman at the well, He already knew the sin she was living in and He commanded her to leave the life of sin and sin no more. When He called the disciples, He called tax collectors and some of the "lowest of society" and He loved them, but He did not tolerate their sin, He commanded them to live in the Spirit, to abide in the Spirit. When Christ entered the temple to see it being defiled, He in loving anger began to knock over tables declaring the temple had become a den of robbers. The Lord loved the sinner but did not tolerate the sin, and that is how we should live. 

We should live as intolerant people. We should not tolerate sin, we should not tolerate false idols, we should not tolerate false truth, we should not tolerate the things that go against the Word. We are not called to be tolerant, we are not called to coexist. We are called to obey the law of the land, to respect those in position of government authority, but we are not called to obey when the laws are directly against what Scripture teaches. We are called to be set apart, we are called to be intolerant of anything that goes directly against the Word of God.

Unfortunately, what the world sees is a church full of hypocrisy, a church that points out the sins of others, a church that instead of loving the world, pushes the world farther away. However, at the same time, what the world can not and will not understand, unless we show them in love, is that we are sinners, chosen by God, and saved by grace. What the world can not and will not understand is that we all are born into sin, we all are totally depraved apart from the Saviour and that we will make mistakes. But the Lord called us in our mistakes, in our sins, and He, and He ALONE, redeemed us, and poured His Spirit on us and that we can only live in freedom from sin by His grace and mercy daily working in our lives. We, as believers, must love the world around us, we must shine a light that no one else shines, we must be an aroma of Christ that lingers when we are no longer present. We must first confess our sins, repent of our sins, and realize our need of a Saviour. We must not judge others or place sins on a hierarchical system. We must love all but not love sin. 

The Lord calls us to be holy as He is holy, He calls us to love as He loves, He calls us to serve as He serves. He calls us to live in the Spirit, not in the flesh. He calls us to abide in Him. He calls us to be either hot or cold, not lukewarm. He calls us to love and love passionately, but we should not tolerate sin.

‎"Our struggle is never that we are too angry; but that we are never angry enough. Our anger is always pitifully small when it is focused against a person or object; it is meant to be turned against all evil and all sin -- beginning first with our own failure of love."~quote taken from a Joni E. Tada devotional

Inerrancy and Truth of Scripture?

Over the last couple of days, I have been burdened with an unfortunate situation I see developing throughout the modern day church. We have put aside the truth of Scriptures, we have watered them down, and we are preaching false doctrines. At the heart of the issue is this: is the Word of God inerrant, infallible, truth for all generations? or is it stories, fables, and mere suggestions on how we should live? If we as believers, as the body of Christ, do not believe that the entire Holy Bible, that every word is inerrant, infallible, and not a mere suggestion, and grouping of stories, then we are ripping the heart right out of our faith. If the words on the pages are not truth, then where does it stop? If we do not believe the Lord has taught us to love our neighbors but we are to be intolerant to false teaching, what do we believe? If we do not believe that sin is sin and that we were all born into sin, what do we believe? If we do not believe the Lord created the heavens and the earth and did so in six days and rested on the seventh day, then what do we believe? If we do not believe that there is a hell, then what do we believe? If we do not believe that we are to follow the laws of the land until they go against the Word of God, then what do we believe? If we do not believe that the history in the Old Testament is a true account and has been placed there for us to learn from but also for us to see the redemptive work of the Saviour through time and to see where we have come from as a people, then what do we believe? If we believe that we can add to and take away from Scripture, then what else are we going to add to and take away from? If we do not believe that the Word of God is active and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, examine, exhorting, and encouraging in Christ, then what do we believe? If we are parents teaching our children that sexual immorality is all right, you are young and you can not control your hormones and it will be easier when you are married if you have already had sex, then what else will we teach them is right and not a sin? If we are teaching our children that it is all right to cheat and "cut corners" to get ahead, then what else will we teach them is not a sin? If we are gossiping or lying or placing ourselves in situations that we should not, then what else are we going to show them? Where will it stop? Because if we continue to pick and choose the Scriptures we believe to be truth, then we are picking and choosing away our salvation. How can we determine which are truth and which are not? How can we say this is not truth? If that is not truth, then someone else can say that the Lord did not come as a baby born to a virgin, He did not live a perfect sinless life, He did not heal the lame and sick, He was not beaten for our transgression, He was not hung upon a cross to die, He did not die, He was not raised from the dead, and He does not sit in heaven at the right hand of the Father. If we continue to pick a part the Scriptures then why do we even believe what we believe? Why do we not just throw our faith out the door and find another fad faith to follow? If the Scriptures are not inerrant, infallible, truth, laws to govern our land, our lives, our beings, if they are mere parables for us to follow, then Mother Goose, Aesop's Fables, and other religions can teach us the same principals. They can all teach us to "be good." But at the heart of Christianity is the Word of God, given to us from the only living God, it is what sets us a part. The fact is that the ONLY true God of this world gave us His Holy Word to use as a road map for our lives, the fact is that our God is the ONLY God Who is living and alive and active in the lives of His people. It is a sad day in our world when people are punished for burning other "holy" documents, but Christians each day "burn" their holy document by their actions and their words. When we will learn from other religions and stop being ashamed of our own faith? When will we rise up in love and truth and proclaim the Gospel as truth? When will we stop putting our Bibles on the shelves and start reading them and believing them? When will we stop worrying about what other people may say and start worrying about what the Lord will say when we stand before Him? He has given us His Word, his inerrant, infallible, unchangeable Word. Let's start believing...

"I warn if everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues detailed in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book." Revelation 22:18-19
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"And how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:15-17

Community...Ephesians 2:11-22

Community...most think of it as a noun that indicates where they live, their neighborhood, their church, their sports club, their schools. But what is biblical community...is it where we live or is it who we engage with? If we search the scriptures, what do they show us about community?

Two weekends ago, I had the awesome privilege of spending an extended weekend in the mountains with 3 wonderful sisters in Christ, dear friends, and their children. The house was chaotic at times, children running around, dodging items tossed through the air, laughter, tears. Two of us were single, but we picked up toys, changed children's clothes, wiped runny noses, alongside the mothers, and by the end of each day we were sitting with our coffee in hand thinking "how do they do this all day?!?"....but in that weekend I was able to catch a glimpse of true community, a picture of biblical community. 

In true biblical community, there is no difference between single and married, we are all believers living with the common goal of worshipping and glorifying the Lord. We laugh, we cry, we share, we are transparent and vulnerable. We watch, we listen, we observe, we learn from each other, because true biblical community is Christ centered, Word centered, focused on the Gospel, and can not and will not exist outside the Body, the Bride of Christ.  Living in true community and being able to experience it to the fullest, can not happen, can not exist, without the common belief in Christ and without the common abiding and being in Christ.

As emotional personal beings, it is hard to distinguish ourselves as set apart, as different. But there are times where we can not share with others, there are times we can not be vulnerable and transparent. There are times where what we need to say can only be said to family, not to guests. I love this analogy from my pastor...we are the Body, we are a family, and there are rights and privileges that come with being a part of a family. When you have someone over to eat, you don't open the junk drawer, you don't show them what's behind closet doors or under the bed, they are guests. You treat them with hospitality, welcome them, care for them, but you do not share the intimate details of your family with them. But when you have your family over, doors are flung wide, drawers are opened, children are hiding under the beds, there is a familiarity and an intimacy with family that does not happen with guests. We are a family of believers and there are somethings that we can only share, we can only talk with, we can only experience with the family. And at the same time, even within the family, we must be discerning, we must be careful...and scriptures will point that true vulnerability intimacy and accountability must still be limited to a few. The Lord had many friends within the community, but sought a depth and pursued a closeness with only a few. (see past blogs on friendship)

Biblical community has a purpose. There are things we can not accomplish alone, with a non believer, or  a part from community. When true community is present, the Lord is present. When two are gathered in His name, He is there. Biblical community exists to bring glory to His name, to make His name known. Biblical community exists so that when one is weak, another is strong; when one is blessed, another rejoices; when one is in need, another provides; when one is mourning, another mourns with; when one is discouraged, another encourages; when one needs prayer, another has already been praying. Biblical community exists so that in all things, the Lord is worshiped and glorified. 

As friendships grow, as biblical community grows, and we begin to be real and vulnerable with the few, we begin to realize what a mess our lives truly are. But because our friendship, because our community is Christ centered, Gospel centered, it grows and the more we know the deeper it becomes. The more we  see the mess, the more we care. The more intimate the relationship, the more desire to see the Lord growing and working in their life. True biblical community is not stagnate, it grows, it deepens, it matures. The more intimate you are, the closer you become. True community, true biblical community, is community that is growing because it is Christ centered, because it is Gospel centered, it can not help but grow. 

"It is a great privilege but humbling opportunity to be a part of the community of believers." Being a part of biblical community, being a part of true friendship, makes you a better spouse, a better parent, a better child, a better sibling, a better friend, you learn by watching others, you learn by listening to others, you learn by sharing with others. I will be a better spouse and parent by watching, observing, and listening. I will be a better friend by experiencing, by sharing, by loving. My community must grow me, must challenge me, must send me forth, must encourage me; must be beside me, behind me, in front of me, surrounding me. Praise the Lord for biblical community!