It seems that the current generation has a primary focus on tolerance and inclusiveness of everything. People’s actions, ideas, thoughts, preferences, etc… need to be tolerated and not questioned. If you question or oppose them, you’re a racist bigot who lives in a cave. Now I agree to a point, that some things need to be tolerated to an extent, mostly depending on the forum in which they stand. But this tolerant inclusive ideology is being brought into the Christian world.

Many preachers and theologians are buying into the tolerant side and pointing fingers at those who disagree. I have questioned my own thoughts before when i feel that maybe I should just tolerate this or that. Maybe it would be more beneficial for the church to adopt a belief based on what our culture is saying. Maybe we are missing the boat. But when I look at scripture, it doesn’t compromise or “just tolerate it”.

Jesus constantly pointed out the horrible heart condition of the pharisees. Why couldn’t He just tolerate the heart because all their actions were so right? Why did He have to cleanse the temple? The temple was banking all kinds of money! Why was He so intolerant?

And then I read about Paul opposing Peter in Galatians 2. Paul risked it all against the pillar of the church over a small hypocrisy. Why couldn’t he just let it slide and everyone hold hands?

Here is what I have come to know to be true: we are to call sin, sin. Not in order to be right or throw judgment in people’s face. We call it sin for one reason: a call to repentance.

You see, Peter didn’t continue sinning. He recognized his sin, confessed it, and turned away from that sin. Peter changed. Life change doesn’t happen when we tolerate sin. Sin happens when we tolerate sin.