The word tolerance has been drastically changed from its original meaning in the Webster’s 1828 dictionary which defined tolerance as “the power or capacity of enduring; or the act of enduring”.  In the modern usage of tolerance, we are told we must not only accept another’s belief with whom we disagree on Biblical and moral grounds, but we must condone and encourage them in their lifestyle and behavior.  This is in complete contrast to the Bible and everything we should stand for as believers. 

As the commonly quoted phrase says “Love the sin; hate the sinner”, we can easily see from the Scriptures that we are not to tolerate sin.  Proverbs 5:5 “You [Yahweh] hate all who do evil.”  However, that does not mean that if you have sinned as we all have, that there is no room for forgiveness.  We are told in 1 John 1:9 “If we acknowledge (repent of) our sins, then, since he is trustworthy and just, he will forgive them and purify us from all wrongdoing.”  The key is that we need to repent from our sins and lead a changed life.

In reality, we need to go back to the real heart of the matter.  Are we trying to see how much we can get away with?  Or how close we can be to Yahweh?  We as believers are to stand for the Truth of Yahweh’s unchanging Word.  We are not to compromise on our beliefs even when the world tells us otherwise. 

We see in the example of the woman at the well (John 4) how Yeshua saw the woman honestly for what she was – she had five previous husbands and was living with a man who was not her husband; however, he also showed her mercy and called her to repentance.  We are to call sin “sin” while at the same time calling the person to repentance and lovingly standing for Biblical Truth.  You will notice that I said lovingly.  We cannot shove the Bible down someone’s throat; rather through our mercy just as Yeshua showed while standing for truth, we are to cause them to thirst for living water. 

I think of the time when we had two homosexual women come to our home in order to pick up an item I had offered on Craigslist.  I did not know they were homosexual until they got here and had asked them if they were sisters or friends?  They said they were “married” and asked if I was okay with that.  My reply was “I do not agree with you on a Biblical moral reason; however, each of us are created in God’s image.  As a result, I have no problem with you as a person.”  By my reply, I stood for my beliefs while recognizing them as a human beings made in Yahweh’s image who had fallen into sin.  Interestingly enough, they called me back later that afternoon to thank me for my kindness in my interaction and reply.  I have to wonder how Yahweh will be able to use that seed in their lives and draw them to Him and Biblical truth. 

We all have sinned…some sins are just more obvious than others.  We should not tolerate lying any more than we would tolerate a more obvious sin of adultery.  We need to be living our lives on the Firm Foundation of the Scriptures.  Matthew 7:24-27 “So, everyone who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on bedrock. The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the winds blew and beat against that house, but it didn't collapse, because its foundation was on rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a stupid man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the rivers flooded, the wind blew and beat against that house, and it collapsed -- and its collapse was horrendous!”  Am I living my life built on the foundation of Truth and the Torah?  Or am I allowing every wind of doctrine to blow and beat on me?  Our response should be just as Joshua said in Joshua 24:15b “As for me and my household, we will serve Adonai!”

Through our lack of tolerance to the world’s ways, we are actually doing a greater good – standing for Yahweh and His unchangeable Truth.  It is only by standing with and for Yahweh that we personally find freedom and are thereby able to lead others to that freedom.   Freedom is not the ability to do anything we want, but rather the ability to do that which we were created to do within our God-given boundaries which are designed to keep us safe and to give us life otherwise known as the Torah.  Are you willing to stand for the Truth of Scripture?