How much sin should a Christian tolerate?
God set the standard for morality, and from reading the Old Testament, we can see that He is very serious about the wages of sin. In reading books such as Leviticus and Deuteronomy, we learn that much that is tolerated today was punishable by death under the Law.
“If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them” (Leviticus 20:13).
When God’s ways are ignored, Satan is honored. That’s an abomination because Satan is totally opposed to God. There are many Christian congregations that embrace tolerance and mock God. Those same congregations don’t study Scripture and don’t apply God’s teachings to life. They think Scripture needs to be modernized to fit today’s attitudes. God’s word never changes. Let me repeat that: God’s word never changes. Instead of allowing God to mold and shape them into His image, they try to mold and shape God into their own image. They create an idol of tolerance. Idolatry is a sin. God is love, and Christians need to follow His word.
“And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (1 John 4:16).
Loving someone doesn’t mean you accept their sin, but in love, you lead them out of sin. You cannot love someone and watch them die in sin.
The Apostle Paul had to deal with a situation in Corinth that involved a very serious sin. “It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father’s wife” (1 Corinthians 5:1).
“Fornication” is from the Greek word “porneia,” which includes every sexual activity outside of a one-man/one-woman marriage. In Corinth, a man within the congregation was having a sexual affair with his father’s wife. Paul made note of the fact that even non-Christians don’t accept this. Corinth was a Greek city, so if this man was of Greek heritage, he knew his actions were wrong. If he was of Jewish heritage, he had the Law to make it clear that it was wrong.
“A man shall not take his father’s wife, nor discover the father’s skirt” (Deuteronomy 22:30). Also, “Cursed be he that lieth with his father’s wife; because he uncovereth his father’s skirt. And all the people shall say, Amen” (Deuteronomy 27:20).
The problem in Corinth is that they were tolerant of sin within the congregation and proud of their tolerance. Christians are to love sinners but not the sin. Christians are sinners just like non-Christians, but the difference is our faith in Jesus. That faith should bring a change in our life, and we should no longer desire to be sinners. For a congregation to fully accept the man who embraced fornication was very wrong. This attitude isn’t uncommon today, and tolerance is revered above honoring God’s word. Paul told the Corinthians to put this man out of the congregation.
“Your glorifying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” (1 Corinthians 5:6).
Sin within a congregation cannot be tolerated because that opens the way to tolerate more sin. This has nothing to do with whether or not the sinner lost his salvation. If he was truly a Christian, he didn’t. On the other hand, if he was truly a Christian, why would he embrace sin? It has everything to do with honoring God. Paul spoke of him as a brother, but he was out of fellowship with God. If a person who has been put out of the congregation repents and turns from the sin, that person is to be welcomed back and forgiven.
One of the clearest stories in Scripture of the love of the Father is the parable of the prodigal son. A father had two sons and loved them both. The younger son decided he wanted to take his inheritance, go away from his home and the rules of his father, and live life by his own rules. The father loved his son enough to let him go out on his own. What a life he led! He had money, and it bought him friends, but when hard times came and the money was gone, so were the friends.
“And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want” (Luke 15:14).
The young man went to work at a job that was detestable to a Jewish person: feeding swine. He had hit rock bottom and had no food to eat, and even what he fed to the swine looked good. That’s when he remembered his father.
“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!” (Luke 15:17).
The young man made a mistake by leaving his father’s protection, but life had taught him a hard lesson. He was ready to humble himself and return to his father as a servant.
“I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son, make me as one of thy hired servants” (Luke 15:18-19).
This young man had learned a hard lesson that humbled him. When he returned, his father saw him in the distance and ran to him with open arms. He made a joyous celebration for the prodigal son.
“And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this my son was dead, and is alive again he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry” (Luke 15:23-24).
That’s how God the Father looks for the return of all who run from His protection to live life by their own rules. Even in the celebration of the sinner’s return, blood was shed. A fatted calf was killed. Never forget the cross and the shed blood of Jesus for redemption. When we truly repent, we are welcomed with celebration. Jesus gave His life so we can live eternally.
There is a second son in this parable, the son who remained faithfully with the father. This young man had a snit fit.
“And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him. And answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends: But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf” (Luke 15:28-30).
The older son saw his good works for the father as the reason he deserved his father’s love. This son also seemed to know the sins of the younger brother, which wasn’t just a quick weekend trip to Sin City but lasted years; but he didn’t try to bring his brother back to the father. The father loved both of his sons, and that’s how God loves all of us. Whether we are the prodigal who goes out and sins then returns, or whether we are the son who stays faithful, God’s love is equal.
Remember, even though the younger son went and sinned shamefully, he was still his father’s son. The older son had chosen to stay faithful instead of going out and sinning, and he was angry that his brother was forgiven. In his own way, the older brother also sinned. He took pride in his works and faithfulness but should have been thrilled that his brother came home. Is that how we are? When a fellow Christian goes through a time of rebellion and sin, do we gloat over our own self-righteousness, or do we take joy when that brother or sister returns? Never forget the cross and the forgiveness found there.
God is serious about sin and its punishment. God knew that Eve would believe Satan’s twisted form of God’s words and eat the forbidden fruit. God has given men the responsibility of leadership, and Adam failed to be the leader. He also ate the forbidden fruit.
“And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression” (1 Timothy 2:14).
This was the first sin, and the fact that this caused Adam and Eve to be evicted from the Garden of Eden should tell us how important it is to believe God’s truth over Satan’s lies. God wasn’t caught off guard by this sin; He had a plan for redemption.
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, Who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God” (1 Peter 1:18-21).
Never forget the cross. My faith and hope are in God, how about you? There are no works you can do nor any other faith you can follow that will bring redemption. Before God created the universe and all that’s in it, He had formed His plan of redemption. Jesus was willing to sacrifice His life for us. The Law was given and makes it very clear how much God hates sin.
“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Thank you, Jesus, for going to the cross for me. The New Testament tells us of redemption and forgiveness. That doesn’t mean that God has changed His mind about how sin disgusts Him, but it does mean our sins can be forgiven if we truly repent and ask His forgiveness. This isn’t a license to sin, but it does give us a way to eternal life in spite of our sin nature.
Both the Old and New Testaments show God’s perfect love. The Old Testament shows us how much God doesn’t want us to sin. The New Testament shows us what He was willing to do in order to forgive our sin.
“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).
The difference is the cross. Never forget the cross.
Many people ignore the Old Testament because they say it shows God as angry at people and that He takes pleasure in condemning humanity. Let’s give that some thought. God created a perfect environment for Adam and Eve. They had plenty to eat and were in fellowship with God. The only fruit they were forbidden to eat was from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Satan twisted God’s words to make it seem as if God just wanted Adam and Eve to be unhappy. God isn’t the bad guy here, but Satan seems to get the respect. That’s so wrong. Satan still twists God’s word today. God didn’t want Adam and Eve to sin, but they chose to rebel against God.
All sin brings death, and that’s what Satan wants for you. That doesn’t mean God is angry with us. Think of a parent who tells their child not to touch a hot stove. Is that parent mean and angry? That parent knows the pain the child will experience if he touches the hot stove. God knows the pain we face by embracing sin, and He loves us enough to warn us not to dabble in sin. His love is perfect.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather that light, because their deeds were of evil” (John 3:16-19).
God loves you.
Remember what Jesus did for you upon the cross, and never forget the cross.
God bless you all,
Nathele Graham
twotug@embarqmail.com
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www.raptureforums.com
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