Everywhere we turn in America today we are being bombarded with calls for tolerance. Tolerance, tolerance, tolerance. It’s happening on the national level as well as the local level. There’s only one problem: tolerance leads to Hell.
If you are not tolerant by the current definition of tolerance, then you are considered a bigot or a hatemonger. Which I find very ironic because it isn’t very tolerant of those calling for tolerance to say that anyone who doesn’t agree with them is a hatemonger or a bigot. But this is the reality of this new tolerant age in which we live.
Tolerance actually means: the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with. So by this definition, there shouldn’t be an issue with tolerance. But those who are screaming for tolerance don’t actually mean the real definition of the word. They mean the new definition of tolerance.
In the name of women’s rights, we have wrongly tolerated the vicious murder of 57 million babies in the womb since the Roe v Wade Supreme Court decision in 1973. So in the name of choice, a woman’s right to choose, our nation has the blood of 57 million innocent children on our hands. It’s time we cry out to God for forgiveness for this great evil of our generation and repent – stop killing our preborn children! Some things absolutely should not be tolerated and abortion is at the top of that list!
Nationally, in the name of tolerance, many of the largest universities across our land claim that not only do you have to accept everyone in your club or organization, but you have to be willing to allow anyone to lead your organization. If you don’t agree, then you are considered intolerant. So if your organization is the Intervarsity Christian Fellowship and you say that you won’t allow a Muslim or a homosexual lead your group, then your organization can no longer meet on school grounds. Now I don’t know about you, but this doesn’t sound very tolerant to me. These universities and the federal government are not being tolerant at all toward evangelical Christians.
On the local level, we have the sexual orientation and gender identity ordinance that the city council passed last fall. Those of us against the ordinance obtained enough signatures to put the issue on the ballot in the upcoming election to see if the voters will repeal it. Now a group called One Springfield Campaign has formed to fight to keep the ordinance in place. There hasn’t been one case of discrimination that has come forward in the three years that this battle has been raging, but the LGBT community convinced the city council that a special ordinance was needed. They cried out for this in the name of tolerance. But they aren’t tolerant of the religious freedoms and beliefs of those who oppose the ordinance.
The worst part is a local Methodist pastor who is in favor of keeping the ordinance in place, was recently quoted in the newspaper stating: there “isn’t just one Christian way” to approach this issue. I’ve never been to a Bible college and I don’t have a seminary degree. I’m just a simple man with a simple faith, but I strongly disagree with this pastor. There is only one Christian way and that is to be like Christ. Christian means Christ-like and in order to know Christ, we must read the Bible.
The Holy Bible is very clear on this issue. Jesus said, “6 But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female. 7 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and cleave to his wife; 8 And they twain shall be one flesh: so then they are no more twain, but one flesh. 9 What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder (Mark 10:6-9).
Again, I am no expert, but I don’t hear more than one Christian way in these verses. I hear one way. Jesus said that marriage is between a man and a woman and this biblical marriage was instituted by God from the very beginning. God didn’t say experiment with many ways. No, our Holy and righteous God decreed one way and that way is marriage between one man and one woman.
Jesus also stated 27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart (Matthew 5:27-28). So not only is any and all sexual relations outside the bounds of a biblical marriage wrong, even lusting after someone is the same as committing adultery with that person, in the eyes of God.
Do you see how God’s standard is not our standard? God’s ways are not our ways. No matter what we may personally think or what we may wish for, it doesn’t matter. What matters is what the great Creator has decreed. Sin is sin and it’s high time that we start understanding this and living the way God wants us to live. God will not continue holding back His wrath over our sinfulness – individually and as a nation.
It’s time that we start living God’s way and forget this new type of tolerance. This tolerance is really no tolerance at all. This tolerance leads people to Hell. I assume the Methodist pastor is trying to be inclusive and he probably sincerely thinks that he is showing others the love of Christ, but he’s wrong. Jesus never ever condoned sin. Never. There’s not one single verse in the Bible where Jesus condoned sin. If He would have, He wouldn’t be God and He is God! In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1).
So does this mean that all Christians should run out and buy swords and start beheading everyone who disagree with us? Of course not! We are to tolerate people of other beliefs in the true definition of the word tolerance: the ability or willingness to tolerate something, in particular the existence of opinions or behavior that one does not necessarily agree with. (The abomination of abortion is the one real exception because it is literally fighting for real lives. It is literally a fight between life and death. It’s a battle for the right to life of all pre-born babies. We should stand firm against this great evil.)
We work with people who disagree with us. Many of us have family members who are not Christians. We are to show others the love of Christ. We love those who disagree with Christianity. But we love them so much that we will not let them go to Hell unloved, un-prayed for nor unwarned. Instead of trying to pacify the masses with unbiblical statements like there isn’t just one Christian way, we will lovingly and with all sincerity tell people that there is only one way. There is God’s way and all other ways lead to Hell. Again, speaking of this new definition of tolerance; tolerance leads to Hell.
There is no middle way. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Him (John 14:6). Jesus said that you are either for Him or against Him (Luke 11:23). You either come to the Light, the Light of the world which is Jesus or you remain in darkness. You love the darkness rather than the light because your deeds are evil or you love Jesus and give up your sinful and lustful desires.
Claiming Christ and living contrary to the Bible doesn’t work. You are either on the Lord’s side or you are against Him. You are either a child of God or you are child of Satan. 8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil. 9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God (1 John 3:8-9).
Are you living your life to please men or to please God? Are following Jesus Christ or are you following American political correctness? Are you standing up for biblical principles or are you trampling all over them?
15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. 17 And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever (1 John 2:15-17).
You can have all this world, just give me Jesus. I will follow my Lord and Savior, I will follow my Master, no matter how politically incorrect it may be. I will follow Jesus Christ because He is truth. He is the only Way; He is the Light and Life of this world. I will follow and do what He has commanded us to do. There is no other way. There aren’t many Christian ways. There is only one Christ and He is the only Way and we should do what He told us to do. Jesus said, if you love Me, keep My commandments.
Blowing any which way, to and fro with the current socially accepted winds or political winds is not following Jesus. I don’t care if it’s a preacher or the pope that tells you to coddle sinners, they are wrong. We are to point people to God’s truth. We are to call sin, sin and homosexuality is sin. Abortion is murder. Killing babies in the womb is sin. Do not be deceived: the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God. What sin do you love tonight? What sin are you so engrossed in that you are willing to tolerate it and let it lead you all the way to Hell? What sin do you love so much that you are willing to be snared by it now, even knowing that the consequences is eternal damnation from Almighty God?
Turn from your sin tonight, whatever that sin may be. Turn from your sin and turn to Jesus. Repent and put your faith in Him. Submit to His Lordship. Yes, He suffered and died on the cross and rose from the grave. He paid the sin debt of those who believe on Him. Jesus Christ our Lord now sits at the right hand of God the Father. He reigns in glory. Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
Will you do this tonight? Will you submit to His Lordship? Or will you foolishly die as an unrepentant, proud God mocker and scoffer and suffer eternal torments in the lake of fire and brimstone? What are you holding out for? A few years worth of the pleasures of the flesh? Oh, Springfield, repent by turning away from your sins and surrendering to Jesus. He is Lord of all. Submit to Him tonight and be saved. Cry out for Jesus to save you. Confess your sins and ask for His forgiveness. Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Don’t put it off. Do this tonight.
(This message was proclaimed for the glory of God in downtown Springfield, MO on January 23, 2015)