Skip to main content

Tolerance vs. Grace

John 14:6 "Jesus said, I am THE way, THE truth, and THE life. NO ONE comes to the Father except through me."

     Today, I feel a bit of a soapbox coming on...Yesterday I talked about measuring the truth against God's Word. So if John 14:6 is THE truth, how does that affect my life?
     Yesterday as I was working on my Sunday School lesson, I came across an interesting question in the material:

"List substitutes for grace that you have observed in society."

Hmmm...good one. I had to think for a few minutes. I thought of the "sexual revolution" of the 60s and 70s, the increased permissiveness in our society, a few related commercial jingles came to mind. Then it dawned on me...in our culture we have substituted tolerance for grace.
     What do you think of when you think of a gracious person? Dictionary.com defines them as "pleasant, kind, courteous, merciful and compassionate, indulgent, beneficent in a condescending way." It lists synonyms as benign and mild.
     I cannot think of anyone more gracious than our God. He is certainly merciful and compassionate. Other than that, the definition above just sounds like a nice person who let's you do what you want. Doesn't sound like God, sounds like tolerance. We have redefined grace.
     Instead of applauding the sinner who comes to God and allows His grace to change them, we have adopted an "I'm OK, You're OK", many paths to God approach. We "graciously" smile and nod and tell folks they can believe whatever they want in the name of being tolerant. Unfortunately, we are tolerating them right into hell....
"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you;
He rises to show you compassion,
For the Lord is a God of justice.
Blessed are all who wait for Him!" Isaiah 30:18
Yes, He is gracious AND compassionate, but He is also just. He is not tolerant.
     So back to John 14....how does this change me? If I truly believe He is the only way and He is just and He does not tolerate sin, I should be sharing His grace with everyone I meet. I should be taking His truth to the world. Grace and truth...definitely not politically correct.

"Lord, Forgive me for not being more bold in sharing my faith. Give me a true burden for those around me that do not know the truth of Your grace and compassion. Help me to always be looking for opportunities to share You with the world around me. Thank You for loving me enough to extend your grace even to me."

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Leaving Your Nets

Matthew 4:20 "AT ONCE they left their nets and followed Him (Jesus)."  Matthew 4:20 records the response of Peter and Andrew to the call of Jesus to be his disciples. They literally walked off the job and into ministry. We have the advantage of viewing this story with hindsight and the scripture, but Peter and Andrew were in the moment... Jesus was a hometown boy, a carpenter. He hadn't really started his ministry, yet. Surely he had been preaching in the area and the disciples knew what kind of man he was. But still... Fishing was a major industry around the Sea of Galilee and most fisherman belonged to family owned business. Can you imagine old Zebedee's face when somebody walked in his "office" and told him Peter and Andrew had taken off with the new preacher? How do you go home and tell your wife that you walked off the job for a ministry with no pay? How do you feed your kids? Their security was gone. Their income was gone. Possibly a few r

Mono Diaries Lesson 1: Be Careful What You Pray For

I haven’t written in a long time and decided I would make the most of my time of confinement. The first quarter of two thousand eighteen has been a difficult and stressful one for my husband and I.  Dealing with issues related to aging parents has put a strain on us that we could not have anticipated. Wanting to do what is best for them, still do what is best for us, dealing with dementia, hospitalizations, nursing homes has been enough to create a level of stress that has taken a toll. On a particular week when we had been running back and forth to facilities, doctor appointments, and just trying to keep up with day to day responsibilities, I remember venting to the Lord in my quiet time and praying what I have come to see as a fateful prayer. I remember, probably a little resentfully, telling God that I wished I could have a day to just do nothing and read a book..... As of today, I have had FIFTEEN days to do nothing and read books. As a matter of fact, it is being encour

Inspired by Obedience

And He said to all, "If any would come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me." Luke 9:23 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Philippians 1:20 - 21 I have only known in my life one person that truly personified those verses. In 2009, one of our youngest, most energetic ministers was taken to the hospital emergency room with chest pain. He was healthy and athletic. He taught PE at our local high school. This trip to the hospital began a journey that would last the next three years and affect more lives than anyone could have ever anticipated. Mike Storter was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia. Mike immediately began treatments for his disease and for a short period during these years was considered cancer-free. It was a