Tolerance

Tolerance is an essential Christian characteristic.

I.H.E. is editor of the Ministry.

Tolerance is an essential Christian characteristic. While the word "tol­erance" is not found in the Scriptures, yet the quality itself is often covered by such words as forbearance, charity, mercy, and the like. What we mean by tolerance, in the commonly accepted meaning of the word, is "to allow free­dom in religious faith and practice."

This does not mean that "free thought" and "believe what you please" are permissible in the church of God. It does not mean there is no true doctrine which must be maintained and defended to the utmost limit, even to giving life itself; it does not mean there is a letting down of moral standards, and one can live in sin with the church indifferent to the acts of its members; it does not mean abandonment of discipline and faith, and co-operation in pro­moting a special work under the leadership of the Holy Spirit; but it does mean that Christians should not erect in their own minds, barriers to light and truth, and set themselves up as judges and spies upon the lives and teach­ings of those who may think they see light in harmony with the written word of God.

Controversies that have divided Christians into various sects have seldom been on vital elements of faith, essential to salvation, but on nones­sentials, so far as salvation is con­cerned. Truth cannot be compromised, but nonessentials, which do not enter into our salvation, directly, ought not to bring alienation between brethren. Here is a wide sphere for tolerance.

Tolerance is not always found where we might naturally look for it. A teacher of the gospel of the kingdom would be supposed to possess tolerance in a marked degree, according to his education and cultural advantages. All leaders in religious revivals, and promoters of the deeper spiritual life among the people, should possess this indispensable Christian grace. Yet how often do these seem to lack the spirit of tolerance. They not only as­sume that they have the correct inter­pretation of all Scriptural doctrines, but they feel constrained to condemn all who do not accept their teachings as special light from God.

Religious intolerance has been the bane of the church from time imme­morial. The Jews were intolerant of all religions save their own, and were content to see suffering and destruc­tion visited upon those who did not worship God according to their ritual. From the time of the Jews, who con­demned Christ and demanded that He should be crucified, all down through the ages, intolerance has been the greatest hindrance to the spread of the gospel. Infidelity and its teach­ings, philosophy and science, have been as molehills to the progress of the gospel compared to the intoler­ance found among those who have professed to believe in the gospel of the kingdom.

All religious persecutions of all times have come as the result of in­tolerance. Millions have died in many lands for their faith, because of the intolerance of those in power, who be­lieved that they had the true doctrine. For intolerance has always said: "I have the genuine doctrine; whatever any may teach differing from my faith, is heresy; and it is a Christian duty to destroy all heresy."

We cannot understand the forbear­ance of God. Rebellion in heaven, and that among His highest created intel­ligences fighting to dethrone Jehovah, meets not the destruction of the rebel angels. Where is such marvelous pa­tience exhibited as we see in the war­ring angels being cast out of heaven but not destroyed?

Christ met all the insults of rulers and teachers during His ministry, and never once displayed His authority to compel one soul to acknowledge His divinity. Judas, the traitor, had a place with the chosen disciples, and not till he had reached his final de­cision to betray the Master did Christ make known who should betray Him. Tolerating him till the last night of His ministry, Christ neither by com­mand nor by force renounced the dis­cipleship of Judas. Paul endured the wrangling of the Jews, zealous in their blindness to destroy the churches for which he had worked so hard and en­dured so much, yet he did not use un­becoming language concerning them, and in all his letters he scarcely men­tions their opposition. Peter tells of angels high in authority who would not bring a railing accusation against Satan, but said, "The Lord rebuke thee."

A church as well as an individual may be intolerant. Intolerance is as active and zealous as true Christian­ity. The spirit that it manifests is a bigoted, jealous temper, that desires to see crushed and destroyed what it terms heresy. There is no degree of suffering and humiliation that an in­tolerant spirit is not willing to see inflicted upon one with whom it does not agree, unless the heretic will surrender to what such a one thinks is the true faith and practice.

What a strange spirit the Lord often beholds in would-be champions of the true faith, when He sees their deter­mination to crush any who may differ from them in faith and teaching! Who can be too certain that his teachings are absolutely correct, without a flaw in doctrine? Absolute light and full­ness of knowledge belong only with God. Truth never changes. It is ab­solute; it cannot change. Mortal man has not yet attained to absolute truth. Science itself does not profess abso­lute correctness, but ever holds itself ready for advanced light. Every for­mula may be set aside, and a new theory suggested for demonstration. All true scientists preserve an open-minded attitude toward the results and suggestions of the research and study that are constantly going forward. Medicine is ever changing its diagnosis of disease, and its formulas for relieving and curing the sick. The infallible is not easily attained any­where, save in matters of religion and in church diplomacy!

Spiritual truth is more difficult to demonstrate than scientific truth. There must be a guide in spiritual things. The Christian takes the Bible as his infallible guide. But Scripture has to be interpreted. Its meaning is not always clear; for words are sub­ject to interpVetation, and different persons get a different meaning from the same words. Who shall say which is right in the interpretation to be put upon words? Accepting the Bible as inerrant, who can be absolutely cer­tain that he hts the right meaning of his teaching or faith? We all admit that God is truth, inerrant, infallible. But can man take even the word of God, and be infallible in his interpre­tation of the infallible word? If he can, then he would be certain of abso­lute truth, which would be unchangeable. But if mortal man, however de­sirous he may be of infallibility, can err in his interpretation of the word, then ought he not to be charitable to all who try to live according to the light that shines upon the heart of every man as he interprets the Scrip­ture?

Instead of manifesting a spirit of Christian tolerance, how often we see men, with all the weaknesses that they condemn in their fellows, daring to force others to comply with their un­derstanding of correct doctrine and Scriptural interpretation, and using all the force and authority they have to harm and destroy those who differ with them in practice and belief. Some, while they have no authority themselves to harm, demand that those who do have authority shall use it to enforce their demands.

The truth is to be preached with all the authority of Scripture under the influence of the Holy Spirit, but in­crimination and cruel epithets are to be left entirely out of the vocabulary of the Christian minister. True tol­erance leaves the Holy Spirit to deal with the erring, while we in humble­ness of heart preach truth as we un­derstand it.

Tolerance is no compromiser; it stands for what it believes; it defends the faith as it is seen: but it has no spirit to crush opposition with author­ity and power, nor does it endeavor to silence those who see not as it sees. Tolerance is not an easy-going spirit, indifferent to truth and careless as to faith; tolerance is zealous, aggressive, positive. When it meets opposition, it stands for truth; but it will not by word or act lift a finger to crush error by force. Toleration stands for truth, as it is seen and understood; beyond that, toleration never goes, nor does it denounce nor cast opprobrious epi­thets at those who make its way diffi­cult. It is pitiful, patient, forbearing. Because of its Christlikeness, it may sometimes be taken for indifference; but it is as far from indifference as the east is from the west.

Tolerance is not license for every false doctrine to be preached, thus de­stroying true faith. It does not extend the privilege of propagating error to the destruction of the brotherhood of true Christians. But even in this, tol­eration harbors no bitterness toward those who hold erroneous views, nor would it crush them if it could. Yet the Bible will not allow one who feeds the flock of God to permit heresy to be preached to his flock. Responsibility for the flock of God is in the keeping of the ministry, and no true pastor will permit the church to be destroyed simply because he is tolerant.

It is a great pity when some indi­vidual makes himself judge, and con­demns the faith of his fellows, using his own finite knowledge of truth as the standard. The Christian is to teach the truth as he sees it; when he differs in belief from others, he should show toleration for those who hold different views.

Tolerance must certainly be one characteristic of the last church. Without it there must come breaking of fellowship.                            

I. H. E.


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I.H.E. is editor of the Ministry.

October 1931

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