Forgiveness and Toleration David Field May 29, 2010
This is to aid in the understanding of the nature of God. Too many people get affixed to just one of his attributes and live with that understanding only.
God is perfect. God is a Just God. God is without sin. God can tolerate no sin. While this is the truth, it is not the whole truth. This is but one side or one view of God.
This view of God produces an intolerant, judgmental and fearful picture of God. People under this influence in turn are intolerant, judgmental, and living in fear. They are focused on what not to do; all the thou shall nots. These are the religious people that are despised for seeming to be “holier than thou”, and judgmental. But actually, they are living in fear. They are just reflecting what they believe to be the nature of God.
Then came the “God is Love” movement; the hippie movement of the sixties, and the Jesus freaks. Their viewpoint is: God is love, peace, and harmony. God is acceptance. God is toleration and forgiveness. This is partially true, but just another narrow-minded viewpoint of God.
This attitude produces the free for all mentality. Oh, what a happy thought! We can all just do as we please; whatever makes us happy within ourselves. Joy to the world! If we do wrong, there is perfect forgiveness past, present, and future, for all sins. There is no guilt. People of this mentality rely exclusively on the parts of the bible that say, “judge not”. Focus on the good in everything, and never think bad thoughts, and do not point out bad in the world or in others. Do not be an “accuser of the brethren”. We are to be meek and never confrontational. Tying in with this is the “age of grace” teaching; the teaching that we are now blameless in the sight of God because of Jesus blood. Another step in this direction is, we are to be tolerant and accepting of all people and their lifestyles.
These are the two, for the most part legitimate sides of God; so lets put them together for the understanding of the totality of God. To this end, we need to understand that forgiveness, and toleration are not perfect synonyms. We need to understand the difference between forgiveness, and toleration. Forgiveness of sin can only be given upon repentance of sin. This separates forgiveness, and toleration completely. God is a perfect God. He cannot defile himself by allowing sin to stand in his presence, or he would not be the perfect God that he is. God will never give his approval to sin. If you desire to be in harmony with God and all that is good, you must forsake, and turn away from sin.
And don’t run too far off in left field with the “age of grace” movement. We ARE blameless in the sight of God because of Jesus blood, but we must first accept it and repent. If the blood of the cross was the end of the story, then even Satan’s sin could be covered. There is unpardonable sin. To accept Jesus blood, we must first accept Jesus. Jesus will not accept us, if we do not first accept him. Jesus cannot accept us, if we do not follow him. If you turn from his ways, you have turned from him. Jesus will not force himself on anyone.
1 John 1 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. 8If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.