Good morning and welcome in everybody. Today, we are going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little question.
If you went out to your backyard after school and saw that one of your children was hurting the other, would you tolerate it? If you were teaching a class and the students began throwing spitballs at each other, would you tolerate it? If a policeman saw somebody throwing rocks through downtown windows, would they tolerate it? Whether within our families or out in the world, there are certain things that are not allowed or put up with.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
Many people who profess Christianity as their faith preach tolerance rather than the truth. Instead of standing up against things that go completely against the doctrines of Christ, they choose not to make any waves, turning a blind eye to the truth.
Mark 8:38 Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
Those who are incapable of standing up for the truth of scripture, make themselves an enemy of God. This is because you choose the world over Christ. Within the church, to tolerate something means to allow the existence and practice of something that is completely outside the teachings of the Christian faith, and then doing nothing to address and correct the problem. You allow it to go on without raising a voice against it. By your actions you condone sin rather than rebuking it. Condoning something means to accept behavior that is morally wrong from the scriptures. They might even treat it as though it was not serious enough to pay attention to. In the church the disciples were called to protect God’s sheep, and this requires men of God standing up against the works of the devil. This is what Timothy was commanded to do by the Apostle Paul.
2 Timothy 4:1-4 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Because the Apostle loved the church and earnestly desired their salvation, he took a stand for the truth, even when people greatly opposed him. He was fighting off the wolves for the sake of the sheep. He wasn’t preaching tolerance, he was involved with the protection of God’s flock. He didn’t want any leaven of sin to affect the lives of others within the church, but was making it a safe haven of Truth by rising up and defending the gospel.
Philippians 1:17 ………I am set for the defence of the gospel.
Nowadays there are many people who choose to defend the impenitent, rather than the truth in Christ, proving by their actions that they love the world more than His teachings. Soldiers of Christ need to rise up and actively resist the works of the devil. If Earthly soldiers don’t stand post on their borders, the enemy can walk right through, wreaking havoc and causing disruption in the lives of the citizens that they are called to protect. God’s church is a nation unto itself, which draws a line in the sand between light and darkness. Soldiers of Christ are called to resist the armies of evil, protecting God’s sheep from the enemies of truth.
Ephesians 6:11-20 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;
And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
When you take a stand for God’s Word, it brings on persecution from those who refuse to repent. They pridefully and actively resist scriptural teachings, and oppose those who preach them. Many people don’t want to have to deal with that, so they don’t rock the boat. They want everybody to happily get along, so they don’t say anything at all. Instead of being offended with the sinfulness going on among them, they are offended by the truth.
Mark 4:16-17 And these are they likewise which are sown on stony ground; who, when they have heard the word, immediately receive it with gladness; And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word’s sake, immediately they are offended.
When God’s truth was threatened, Paul stood up to defend it. He would grab the sword of God’s Word and bravely rise up to battle, completely unashamed and unafraid. Although the preaching of biblical truth can bring on great contention, he boldly and publicly spoke out, defending the one true faith.
Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
Romans 10:11 For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
Tolerance does not correct issues, it puts up with them. Although we are called to personally suffer with the wrongs that people may commit against us, we are not to suffer sinfulness to go on within the church. Nowadays many religious groups could care less about sin, and this is why the devil is at their helm, guiding them right into the fires of hell.
1 Corinthians 5:6-7 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
A good parent will correct bad behavior in their home, just as Spiritual men will correct bad behavior in the House of God.
Titus 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority.
1 Timothy 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.
Remember,…
Luke 9:26 For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.
Many people are preaching a false Gospel of tolerance, rather than telling people what they need to hear. Instead of protecting the sheep from the wolves, they are simply looking the other way, and…
….. Turning a blind eye
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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