Posted on 05/19/2009 6:26:24 PM PDT by ReformationFan
If there is an absolute value in the relativistic world of post-modern Western culture, it is tolerance. Political correctness, medical ethics, and public policy are gauged by the polestar of tolerance. People say tolerance is an absolute virtue, which, in the realm of theology, must make it an attribute of God. Yes, God must be eternally and infinitely tolerant, because tolerance is an expression of love, and we all know the Bible tells us that God is love.
Since everyone accepts that God is love, the thinking goes that God must be the most tolerant of all. Just look at the tolerance of Jesus. The Pharisees did not tolerate the tax collectors and sinners, but Jesus regularly ate dinner with them. Jesus was hospitable. Thus, people surmise, for us to be otherwise would be to reject the example of Jesus and follow in the footsteps of the Pharisees.
To be enlightened, in today's common thinking, we must tolerate nearly everyone and respect their individual choices, provided those choices do not harm others. Even when other persons are harmed, personal choices are entitled to great deference and respect. In some cases, were told we must recognize that even the definition of who is a person is a matter of personal choice. Tolerance and the worship of personal autonomy personal choice are inextricably intertwined.
(Excerpt) Read more at virtueonline.org ...
God is not a tolerant God.
Cool poster. Also think Mrs. Palin would like to be thought of as “The Iron Lady of the North.”
God is “tough love”.
Yeah, I figure God can do pretty much anything he/she/it wants. God is, after all, God.
I rather doubt that a few snap polls, from mere mortals, is going to sway him much one way or the other.
Or...He is not a loving God. IOW, He doesn't care. ....No skin off His....
Perhaps it is time to reread SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD by Johnathan Edwards.
Thank you for this post. I really love theology, and logic. I wonder how many people have a correct vision of Jesus as He is when He returns? It won’t be pretty, pretty awful at best. He will be Judge, jury, and lawyer. What we Christians tend to forget is that Jesus is Exactly like His Dad.
The only perfectly autonomous persons are in hell—cut off from their fellow man and their creator. A truer word for autonomy: Isolation.
Absolutely right. The distant father tolerates his children.
God is not tolerant, He is merciful. And for that we should be thankful and grateful.
The Father (God) is not distant, he proved that by sending his son Jesus to show us how much he loves us. He took our sins upon himself, something he did not have to do. HE paid our debt to re-establish a relationship WE broke.
Jesus is the expressed image of God so we can know how much God loves us and someone we can identify with as he “walked a mile in our shoes” so noone can say to God that he does not understand what we had to face each day. Jesus will be the judge we must face, those who think he is “tolerant” should remember that he said “I am the way, the truth and the life, NO ONE comes to the Father except through me.”
So no matter how sincere someone is in their “religeon” if they have not put their faith in Jesus the Messiah for their salvation, they will not enter Heaven.
That is not tolerant. It’s the truth.
According to Revelations, when Jesus returns He will rule with a rod of iron...Not a hippy type of rule or love..
Exactly!
Outstanding article!
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