The Dangers of Tolerance and Inclusiveness:
If we are not careful to maintain our balance by remaining rooted and grounded in the truth of God’s Word, we will find ourselves swimming in a fog with no compass to keep us focused on the straight and narrow path. In these latter days, we and our nation are experiencing perilous times. It can be said that the last virtue of a decaying society is tolerance that is markedly entrenched in a quagmire of all inclusiveness and relativism. The value of tolerance in today’s society has been reduced to a perversion that leads to insidious deception and a complete breakdown of all godly values. The definition of tolerance is: a fair, objective, and permissive attitude toward those whose opinions, practices, race, religion, nationality, etc., differ from one’s own; freedom from bigotry; the act or capacity of enduring. As I understand it then, tolerance is granting others the right to have differing opinions and beliefs than one’s own. However, no where does it even infer that one must not only endure those differences, but also accept, condone, agree with, or legitimize those differences. However, to be politically correct in the secular world in which we now live, one is being pressured to believe that tolerance is now equated with not just enduring the different beliefs and opinions of others, but also having to agree with them, even when they are in complete opposition to the teachings of God. This has resulted in creating a society where there is no right or wrong, but everything is relative and subject to what is temporarily viewed as acceptable by a group or society at any given moment in time. In such a society, the compass of truth is either set aside completely, or is demoted to the status of ever changing teachings of watered down and perverted situational ethics that are fashionable for the moment.
In today’s world of all inclusiveness and relativism, there is no wonder that the Ten Commandments have been reduced to the status of the Ten Suggestions at best or the Ten Bigotry Icons at worst. No wonder the secular world wants to hide them away from the view of society, fearing that they might even convince the reader of them that there really is a dogmatic truth of right and wrong as given by God, instead of a temporary opinion as evolved by mankind. No wonder the secular world would have us believe that God’s Word does not remain true and unchanging, but should only be considered at most as mythical stories that can and should evolve into a symbolism that can be changed and conformed to suit the beliefs and opinions of the people, rather than people changing their opinions to come into line with the truths of the Bible. In the increasingly godless world of today, the evolution of everything and anything into whatever you want it to be is the rule of the day. Consequently, none of us have anything or anyone that we are accountable to, leaving us free to do whatever feels good or seems right and pleasing in our own sight. In such a chaotic state of being, is there any wonder why we are becoming an increasingly lawless and decadent society?
Recently, a judge suggested that it would be okay to display “The Eight Commandments” in a school as long as the first two, which mention the word God, were removed. Doesn’t that totally personify the absolute foolishness of mankind? Without God, there can be no ‘commandments’, but necessarily must be reduced to the status of suggestions. Without our belief in God and a voluntary submission to His will in our lives, ‘commandments’ would then have to be outwardly enforced by a dictator- maybe by someone like the Anti-Christ who is yet to come, as depicted in the Bible? Such commandments under those circumstances would of course be changeable or completely removed at any given moment.
Of course, the root cause of division between peoples is whether their vision of the world is from a biblical world view or a secular world view. If one is lacking in biblical faith and knowledge of God, then one’s perspective of right and wrong is going to be corrupted and limited to man’s opinion which is forever evolving and subject to change. This is reflected in the many situational ethics that have been devised by man in order to replace the moral teachings of the Bible. No wonder the people of our nation and world at large are becoming more and more polarized. Even people within the church, the body of Christ, are being affected in a way that is gradually eroding our beliefs as we allow the beliefs of the secular world to creep in and water down the Word of God. This is blatantly exemplified in the changes that are being made with each new revision of the Bible itself, some of which have replaced the trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with gender neutral terms like creator, redeemer, and sanctifier. This is only one of the milder changes for there are many that are far worse and reflect goddesses or the earth it self diverting the faith to the creation rather the Lord as creator.
Changing the word of God is a far more serious offense; however, changes to the history of our nation are another example of the perversion of truth that exists today. Secularists have revised the information in our history books to the point that, if our founding fathers were to read them, they would surely think that they were reading the history of a foreign country. For the most part, all mention of God and His influence in the development of our nation has been removed.
One has only to look to the history of our recent past, as we have seen God and the Bible marginalized and even demonized, to understand the present condition of our nation. As prayer and God have been removed from our schools and the public venue, the vision and characteristics of a secular world have become the rule rather than the exception. The ‘exceptionality’ of America has become less and less. America has never been ‘exceptional’ simply because it is America; rather its exceptional status is directly related to the extent to which we allow God to be first and foremost in guiding the development of our country.
Prayer and God have been removed from our schools. As a result, our children have not learned that our country is great because of God’s influence in the foundations of our nation. Instead, our history books now promote the development of our nation as a bigoted nation built on the ideas of a bunch of white, angry, self centered men. The fact that men came here seeking freedom to extend the good news of Jesus Christ and the Judeo/Christian beliefs is now completely left out, leaving our children completely devoid of knowledge of our true history.
Is it any wonder then that now, ever since Roe vs. Wade, abortions have are no longer even limited to use for true cases concerning the question of the mother’s life, but is deemed acceptable as just another form of contraception. It is viewed as a right of the woman to choose to murder her unborn child, merely on the grounds that being pregnant may just be an inconvenience? Abortion on demand is accepted with few or no limits, and the money to pay for them is largely provided through taxes from the people who may or may not want to promote such as act. Partial birth abortions, ending the life of a nine month old, totally viable, baby in the womb is acceptable. Live birth abortions when a live baby can be set aside to just die, is even acceptable. Or maybe a girl baby is conceived instead of a boy, so just do away with her also. How does this equate with what the Lord tells us about the sanctity of life?
Deuteronomy 30:19 This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your CHILDREN MAY LIVE and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life... Psalm 138:8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O Lord, endures forever — do not abandon the works of your hands. Psalm 139:13-16 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. Jeremiah 1: 4, 5 Then the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth from the womb I sanctified thee… Exodus 20: 13 Thou shalt not kill.
These are but a few of the scriptures that are meant to convey God’s view of life that should serve to guide and lead us in what our views should be. Is it not then evident that as we restrict or even erase
God from our nation that life itself is made of little value?
What does God say about the definition of marriage?
Gen. 2:18, 21-24, The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him'...and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man. The man said, 'This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man.' For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh. Ephesians 5:21-32, 21 submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for it; 26 that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle. 28 So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; 29 for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church, 30 because we are members of His body. 31 For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh. 32 This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church. 33 nevertheless let each individual among you also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see to it that she respect her husband.” For the covenant of marriage, any other kind of union is said to be “unnatural” in the sight of God. Malachi 5: 14 “..Because the Lord has been witness between thee and the wife of thy youth.” This scripture describes marriage as not just a contract between a man and woman, but as a sacred covenant, for their union is witnessed by God Himself. But yet today, the very foundations of the family unit are being eroded, and replaced by every conceivable imagination that man can create by his own opinion. Once more this exemplifies the arrogance of man as he seeks to set his thoughts and ways above the ways and thoughts of man. When we refuse to live life like God has meant us to, we open the door for harm and devastation to come in like a tsunami that destroys everything in its path.
What does God teach us about the well being of our nation?
Psalm 33:12-22 (KJV) 12 Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.13 The LORD looketh from heaven; he beholdeth all the sons of men,14 From the place of his habitation he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth.15 He fashioneth their hearts alike; he considereth all their works.16 There is no king saved by the multitude of an host: a mighty man is not delivered by much strength.17 An horse is a vain thing for safety: neither shall he deliver any by his great strength.18 Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear him, upon them that hope in his mercy; 19 To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.20 Our soul waiteth for the LORD: he is our help and our shield. 21 For our heart shall rejoice in him, because we have trusted in his holy name.22 Let thy mercy, O LORD, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.
Apart from God, we have no hope to think that we can continue to live in a land of freedom. The scriptures tell us that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. He is the source of real human rights. Without Him, we have a nation that has replaced God with government. A nation ruled by man is a nation that has made government their god. Government does not guarantee liberty, for it can and does remove the rights of the people as it chooses to do and thereby becomes a tyrannical dictator. There is no true liberty without God.
What does God have to say about those that would choose to seek to harm or destroy Israel?
Genesis 15:18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your offspring I give this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates, Leviticus 25:23 “The land shall not be sold in perpetuity, for the land is mine. For you are strangers and sojourners with me. Genesis 12:1 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. Amos 9:14-15 I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit. I will plant them on their land, and they shall never again be uprooted out of the land that I have given them,” says the Lord your God. Genesis 12:1-3 Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” Acts 1:6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” Ezekiel 37:21 Then say to them, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from all around, and bring them to their own land. Ezekiel 37:11-12 Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel.
These are only a few of the scriptures that speak of the creation of the peoples and nation of Israel and the importance of its right to exist in safety. Yet we have those that would argue that the Israelis are but occupiers and not rightful owners of their land. In actuality, the country of Israel as it exists today does not contain all the land that God has promised to them. In addition, there are those that would say that they should trade more of their land if they want to gain peace. The more we restrict our support of Israel, the more we bring forces to bear against our own prosperity and well being as a nation. I bring to our attention the promise that God said that nations who bless Israel will be blessed in return, or nations who curse Israel will in turn be cursed. God’s Word is true and will stand forever whether we believe in it or not. It all depends on who we choose to trust, God or man. Are we going to trust in God’s righteousness and justice, or man’s view of evolving judgment and social justice that change with every direction of the flow of the wind? Who are we going to serve, God or man? What vision of the world are we going to hold, the Biblical world view or the secular world view?
Our nation is going to be shaped by the vision that is held by the people that we elect to represent us. If we support those who would seek to follow a secular world view, we will reap the consequences of doing so. Prov. 29: 18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” Hosea 4: 6, 7 Hear the voice of the Lord: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shall be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will forget thy children. As they were increased, so they sinned against me: therefore I will turn their glory into shame.”
Remember that God has said that it is not His desire for any to perish. It is His desire to send us showers of blessings. It all depends upon whether we choose to go our own way or to turn our hearts toward Him, to seek his face, and obey His law that is meant to guard and keep us from harm and destruction.
II Chronicles 7: 14 “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways: then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” This last scripture refers to the body of Christ, not unbelievers.
The coming elections hold a deep opportunity to affect our future as individuals and the future of our nation. Shouldn’t believers look upon their right to vote for those we would place in positions of authority as an opportunity to do their best to select those persons who would be more likely to follow and support the teachings of our Lord? Shouldn’t each of us take the responsibility to check our decisions and ‘vote the Bible?’ Putting all partisanship aside, isn’t this one of those times when we each should ask the Lord to grant us His view and discernment in making such important decisions? Believe it or not, there are those that don’t vote at all, not considering that their non vote is the same as a vote for those that do not adhere to the statutes and commandments of the Lord. In such an atmosphere as this, we have no one to blame for the condition of our nation but ourselves. The Laodicean Church in the Bible exemplifies the condition of the church in the latter days. They are described as believers who are neither hot nor cold in their faith. They have a semblance of religion, but they are lacking in its power. One could say that they are cultural Christians who are Christians in name only and lacking in any personal relationship with the Lord. Did you know that Laodicean means peoples choice/will? How appropriate in that it defines them as choosing their own opinions and will above the will of God. Look at what the word of God says about them.
Revelation 3: 16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Our God of the Bible is tolerant in that He allows all to have the free will choice to either believe in Him or reject Him. He is all inclusive in that He desires that none would perish, but that all would come to the saving knowledge of His Son, Jesus Christ. However, He is ‘intolerant’ in that He commands that we are to have no other gods before Him. God loved us first and gave His only Son as a sacrifice to redeem us from sin and death. He is exclusive, not inclusive, in that we are to acknowledge Him as the one and only true God, and we are to love Him with all our mind, body, and soul. This is only a ‘reasonable sacrifice’ on our part for all that He has done for us. This is His plan for our salvation; all we have to do is receive the gift of salvation that we may walk in the liberty that He has provided.
Virginia Rahn
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