“But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works,” (Revelation 2:20–22, ESV)
For this final Lenten meditation of 2024, I want to begin with the true story of Cindy and Carol. Lent is a time to make things right, atone for sin, encourage holy behavior, and grow closer to God. There is something growing in our world today that is wrecking this godly behavior. It wrecks families like it wrecked the relationship between Cindy and Carol. The sin is called “tolerance”, and it is everywhere where bad things happen in modern times.
When Carol’s daughter, Cindy, came home drunk for the first time at age seventeen, Carol figured it was just a youthful phase and let it go. Carol had seen Cindy go through rebellious phases before and Carol just put up with it. The next year, after graduating from High School, Cindy was arrested with a group of underage drinkers at a party. At the party, revelers had trashed a home, damaging walls and pieces of furniture and family heirlooms to the tune of over $10,000. Because Carol was willing to pay for some of the damage, the charges were dropped. Cindy was grounded for a week and Carol figured this would be the end of Cindy’s rebellious phase. Carol was mistaken.
Cindy always received good grades in school. She didn’t even have to try hard to do it. She was naturally gifted. And Cindy was very pretty. She was a hit with the boys and was always invited to class parties. When Cindy entered college, her wild days just continued. Each time Cindy came home from college, Carol noticed changes in her attitude and behavior. First Cindy was accepted by a group that enjoyed taking illicit drugs. When Carol found drugs in the pockets of Cindy’s clothes while she was home on break, Carol quietly fumed. Later, Carol mentioned to Cindy what she had found but didn’t make a fuss. Again, Carol let it slide figuring it was a “college thing” and she wanted to be a loving and accepting mother.
The next spring, Cindy came home with her hair cut and dyed, with tattoos on her arm and neck, and an even bigger attitude. Carol was shocked. Cindy told her mother to just “chill out” and get over it. Cindy fought with her mother constantly. Cindy informed Carol her changes reflected “the new me”.
The next year, Cindy dropped out of college and moved in with her boyfriend. For several years, Carol barely heard from Cindy. Cindy rarely called and never had much to say. Carol cried herself to sleep for many a night wondering what had happened to her precious little girl to turn her into such a distant and angry young lady.
Later, Carol told her counselor; “I tolerated her drinking, her carousing, and her bad behavior. Now, I regret it. I think letting it slide was the worst thing I could have done.” To this day, Carol and Cindy have no real relationship and very little communication. Carol doesn’t even know that her daughter had two abortions while in college, was in the hospital after a drug interaction, and takes a lot of depression medication at present.
I agree with Carol’s assessment. She was lax with her daughter’s bad behavior. She “tolerated” her daughter’s actions in order to appear a friend and loving mother. What Carol does not realize is that her parenting style promoted sinful behavior in her daughter’s life. It helped feed attitudes and beliefs that caused Cindy to make poor decisions and bad life choices. It’s not that Cindy isn’t responsible… she is. However, when you “tolerate” sinfulness around you, it will never turn out well for you. You may appear for the short term like a loving and caring parent but in the end, you are neither.
This attitude of “tolerance” at sinful behavior is rampant in our world today. When children act up, parents buy them an iPad to keep them entertained rather than treat the bad behavior. When an employee hired on “Diversity and Inclusion” protocols makes multiple big mistakes, instead of firing the employee, the person is promoted to cover up their incompetence. Parents of a bully who disrupts the classroom and threatens other students will sometimes bully teachers and administrators to “tolerate” the behavior.
Accepting the pronouns of an angry feminist, a boss noticed that this young woman also treats customers rudely. Fearing a lawsuit, the boss does nothing, even when complaints pile up from other staff and customers. She tolerates the actions of the young woman, feeling herself a “good boss” for being so open-minded and inclusive. The boss was fired a year later after customers stopped coming due to “poorly trained staff”.
The sin of tolerance is like a pernicious weed in the garden. If left to propagate and not stopped, the weed will eventually starve out good crops and take over the whole garden. The sin of tolerance is not new. It is not even recent. Our scripture for today even mentions this pernicious sin that affected the Greek church in Thyatira.
Revelation 2:20 contains a condemnation by Jesus of the church of Thyatira. One of their grievous sins is being fueled by a woman named Jezebel. Jezebel was a Christian and church member of that church in Thyatira. She called herself a “prophetess”, telling people what she believed God was speaking through her. In the process, her teachings were promoting and excusing “sexual immorality” and the eating of “foods sacrificed to idols” (Revelation 2:20). Instead of urging her to repent, the church instead practiced “tolerance”. This was their sin. Jesus said, “I gave her time to repent, but she will not repent of her sexual immorality” (Revelation 2:21). Due to her sin, Jezebel was going to be struck down with illness in the hopes that she finally repents (Revelation 2:22). Also, those who “tolerated” her behavior would experience “tribulation” unless they change their ways (Revelation 2:22b).
The sin of tolerance often results in bad behavior. When allowed to continue in the church, it inevitably produces sin. It’s not that faithful people shouldn’t be full of grace and mercy and forgiveness. Grace and mercy and forgiveness occur when a person repents. Tolerance doesn’t require repentance. Instead, it just lets sinful behavior continue without godly condemnation.
Whether in your own life or in your social life or spiritual life, be careful you don’t fall into the sinful trap of “tolerance”. Many loving and gentle souls are deluded into thinking that tolerant behavior in the face of sin is an example of godly action. Instead, tolerant behavior in the face of sin is unholy and unrighteous. It is condemned by God. It requires repentance and a change of one’s ways.
Because the sin of tolerance is so rampant in the world today, it is not only promoted by our modern world and social media, but also taught in many churches. The sin of tolerance will damage everything and everyone it touches. It undermines the moral life of a culture. It shipwrecks souls.
Pray for the world today… to see how the sin of tolerance is destroying lives. Pray for your own soul, that it may never be captured by this insidious curse.
When Carol’s daughter, Cindy, came home drunk for the first time at age seventeen, Carol figured it was just a youthful phase and let it go. Carol had seen Cindy go through rebellious phases before and Carol just put up with it. The next year, after graduating from High School, Cindy was arrested with a group of underage drinkers at a party. At the party, revelers had trashed a home, damaging walls and pieces of furniture and family heirlooms to the tune of over $10,000. Because Carol was willing to pay for some of the damage, the charges were dropped. Cindy was grounded for a week and Carol figured this would be the end of Cindy’s rebellious phase. Carol was mistaken.
Cindy always received good grades in school. She didn’t even have to try hard to do it. She was naturally gifted. And Cindy was very pretty. She was a hit with the boys and was always invited to class parties. When Cindy entered college, her wild days just continued. Each time Cindy came home from college, Carol noticed changes in her attitude and behavior. First Cindy was accepted by a group that enjoyed taking illicit drugs. When Carol found drugs in the pockets of Cindy’s clothes while she was home on break, Carol quietly fumed. Later, Carol mentioned to Cindy what she had found but didn’t make a fuss. Again, Carol let it slide figuring it was a “college thing” and she wanted to be a loving and accepting mother.
The next spring, Cindy came home with her hair cut and dyed, with tattoos on her arm and neck, and an even bigger attitude. Carol was shocked. Cindy told her mother to just “chill out” and get over it. Cindy fought with her mother constantly. Cindy informed Carol her changes reflected “the new me”.
The next year, Cindy dropped out of college and moved in with her boyfriend. For several years, Carol barely heard from Cindy. Cindy rarely called and never had much to say. Carol cried herself to sleep for many a night wondering what had happened to her precious little girl to turn her into such a distant and angry young lady.
Later, Carol told her counselor; “I tolerated her drinking, her carousing, and her bad behavior. Now, I regret it. I think letting it slide was the worst thing I could have done.” To this day, Carol and Cindy have no real relationship and very little communication. Carol doesn’t even know that her daughter had two abortions while in college, was in the hospital after a drug interaction, and takes a lot of depression medication at present.
I agree with Carol’s assessment. She was lax with her daughter’s bad behavior. She “tolerated” her daughter’s actions in order to appear a friend and loving mother. What Carol does not realize is that her parenting style promoted sinful behavior in her daughter’s life. It helped feed attitudes and beliefs that caused Cindy to make poor decisions and bad life choices. It’s not that Cindy isn’t responsible… she is. However, when you “tolerate” sinfulness around you, it will never turn out well for you. You may appear for the short term like a loving and caring parent but in the end, you are neither.
This attitude of “tolerance” at sinful behavior is rampant in our world today. When children act up, parents buy them an iPad to keep them entertained rather than treat the bad behavior. When an employee hired on “Diversity and Inclusion” protocols makes multiple big mistakes, instead of firing the employee, the person is promoted to cover up their incompetence. Parents of a bully who disrupts the classroom and threatens other students will sometimes bully teachers and administrators to “tolerate” the behavior.
Accepting the pronouns of an angry feminist, a boss noticed that this young woman also treats customers rudely. Fearing a lawsuit, the boss does nothing, even when complaints pile up from other staff and customers. She tolerates the actions of the young woman, feeling herself a “good boss” for being so open-minded and inclusive. The boss was fired a year later after customers stopped coming due to “poorly trained staff”.
The sin of tolerance is like a pernicious weed in the garden. If left to propagate and not stopped, the weed will eventually starve out good crops and take over the whole garden. The sin of tolerance is not new. It is not even recent. Our scripture for today even mentions this pernicious sin that affected the Greek church in Thyatira.
Revelation 2:20 contains a condemnation by Jesus of the church of Thyatira. One of their grievous sins is being fueled by a woman named Jezebel. Jezebel was a Christian and church member of that church in Thyatira. She called herself a “prophetess”, telling people what she believed God was speaking through her. In the process, her teachings were promoting and excusing “sexual immorality” and the eating of “foods sacrificed to idols” (Revelation 2:20). Instead of urging her to repent, the church instead practiced “tolerance”. This was their sin. Jesus said, “I gave her time to repent, but she will not repent of her sexual immorality” (Revelation 2:21). Due to her sin, Jezebel was going to be struck down with illness in the hopes that she finally repents (Revelation 2:22). Also, those who “tolerated” her behavior would experience “tribulation” unless they change their ways (Revelation 2:22b).
The sin of tolerance often results in bad behavior. When allowed to continue in the church, it inevitably produces sin. It’s not that faithful people shouldn’t be full of grace and mercy and forgiveness. Grace and mercy and forgiveness occur when a person repents. Tolerance doesn’t require repentance. Instead, it just lets sinful behavior continue without godly condemnation.
Whether in your own life or in your social life or spiritual life, be careful you don’t fall into the sinful trap of “tolerance”. Many loving and gentle souls are deluded into thinking that tolerant behavior in the face of sin is an example of godly action. Instead, tolerant behavior in the face of sin is unholy and unrighteous. It is condemned by God. It requires repentance and a change of one’s ways.
Because the sin of tolerance is so rampant in the world today, it is not only promoted by our modern world and social media, but also taught in many churches. The sin of tolerance will damage everything and everyone it touches. It undermines the moral life of a culture. It shipwrecks souls.
Pray for the world today… to see how the sin of tolerance is destroying lives. Pray for your own soul, that it may never be captured by this insidious curse.