Should Christians Be Tolerant?

Tolerance is the topic of debate for every religious person and every sect within each religion. Whatever religion you subscribe to, you will fall into the continuum of tolerance.

Here are some questions to consider. What does secular media say about tolerance and should we agree? Where should we fall in the tolerance continuum? Should Christians be tolerant? What is a good tolerance paradigm? Was Jesus tolerant? What does the Bible say about tolerance? Much time could be spent discussing this issue, but I will keep it brief.

My Christian paradigm of tolerance is differentiating between politically correct tolerance from biblically correct tolerance. Politically correct tolerance essentially declares that all beliefs are equally true and right; put differently, what is true and right to one person is not necessarily true and right for another. Are both beliefs true and right? No; this view is fundamentally self defeating and would lead to anarchy. Biblically correct tolerance declares that all beliefs aren’t equally true but each person accepting that belief should be accepted and respected as a person created in the image of God regardless of their belief. Biblically Correct tolerance values the person not the belief because they are made in the image of God. (Gen. 1:26-27)

Romans 12:16-18 “ Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”

We are commanded as Christians to be peace makers; this was the response of Jesus. He loved people regardless of their belief. Jesus always seemed to be around people with different beliefs; in fact, the people with different beliefs, or ungodly people, seemed to be the people that liked him the most. Ironically, the people that Jesus didn’t get along with were the most religious.

Jesus came to restore the brokenhearted and the lost; If we (the Church) are going to be the hands and feet of Jesus, we have to take Jesus’ version of tolerance seriously.