So often, while being active about discussing Christianity, one of the most common responses to calling out sin from a Biblical perspective is "Doesn't Jesus say to love your neighbors?" Many Christians push this within relation to Matthew 22's conversation between the Pharisees and Jesus in relation to the greatest commandment according to the Law.
Matthew 22:36-40 states, “'Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?' And he said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.'”
The same Jesus that stated this also had flipped tables and called men to turn from their sinful ways. So often, we see within the church, that their definition of loving others automatically means that we have to agree with everything that a person does. The church has turned from reading straight from the Bible to picking and choosing what parts are "loving."
If the church wants to claim that Christ accepts everyone regardless because He is "tolerant," then they would not understand the necessity of salvation. The biggest lie of the modern church is that salvation is just something simple. Salvation isn't just saying you love Jesus. Salvation isn't just saying that you know who God is. Salvation isn't just praying a prayer. Salvation comes from calling on God and being sanctified, or set apart from the worldly sinful ways.
That same Jesus that was friends with sinners didn't allow them to stay in their sinful ways. That same Jesus that preached in the temple also flipped the tables that disrespected the Father. That same Jesus wouldn't give into the Sadducees and Pharisees' criticism of him. That same Jesus in Scripture wasn't a pacifist but rather a provocateur against the Jewish leaders. Jesus wasn't a nice guy who allowed for sin to occur just because that's the "loving" thing.
Loving people isn't allowing them to stay in their sinful ways. Loving people means telling them the truth, in love. However, tolerance isn't love. Tolerance of sin doesn't allow for one to be sanctified and turned away from sin by the works of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus constantly would bring people to Him; however, He did not leave them in their sin nor did he tolerate one's immorality. In the church, we have become too tolerant of sin because we are afraid of offending anyone. However, the Gospel is the most offensive words in human history because it tells people that they cannot stay in their sin. They cannot continue to live in sin.
Today's society has deemed love as tolerance; however, the true love of God is intolerant but focused on bringing the person to Christ. Love isn't tolerant. To truly love someone, you are to help them go towards God with respect and gentleness without being tolerant of sin. We must stand firm on truth, especially when it comes to discussing sin.
What would Jesus do in the modern "tolerant" churches? He would flip the tables and tell the pastors that are preaching tolerance that they are not preaching the Word of God.
Cover Image From Diana Vargas on Unsplashed