Christians, are you paying attention?  The upheaval in the world is hard to escape right now. Between news outlets and social media there has been no shortage of words expressed by various sides to everything going on in the world. So many words flying Mach two through the hearts and minds of people throughout the world. Angry words. Harshwords. False words. Mocking words. Desperate words. 

But most of all, words carefully crafted and purposefully used to create dissension, fear, and division. If there was any doubt about the power of the tongue, the proof is playing out before our eyes unlike any time in recent history. 

Lies 

Lies told repeatedly will subtly and slowly become “truth”. Communication courses teach that if you want people to hear your message, you have to say it to them in three different ways. One of those primary ways is hearing. Listening to something on repeat eventually dulls the senses and our minds accept it as truth. What we think about, we tend to become. For example, if you’ve ever struggled with feeling like you are not good enough, that message started as a one-time thought that became a “once-in-a-while” thought that slowly and subtly morphed into a full-blown identity that ended up guiding your thoughts and decisions. 

Proverbs 18:21 says “the tongue has the power of life and death.” Words matter. What we listen to matters. What we choose to think about matters. Words will either breathe life into us or they will slowly destroy us. 

This deception – this depravity – this evil is hiding in plain sight. John 10:10 tells us “The thief (Satan) comes only to steal and kill and destroy…” John 14:30 tells us that Satan is the ruler over this world. The worldly narrative being spun right now is nothing more than a mission to divide and conquer, create paranoia, and breed hate. It’s republicans vs. democrats; white vs. black; parents vs. school boards; pro-life vs. pro-choice; vaccinated vs. unvaccinated; conservative vs. liberal; believers vs. non-believers – and the list could go on and on. It seems there is someone new to hate, blame, or distrust every week. 

Tolerance

One of the most dangerous lies pushed onto people over the years, is the idea of tolerance. To be tolerant is to be open-minded. In and of itself, this is not a bad thing. Being open-minded is how we continue to learn, grow, and evolve. If we are followers of Jesus Christ, being open-minded to the Holy Spirit’s teaching and prompting is key to our becoming more like Jesus. Where tolerance takes a hard left and leads us away from God is when we are told to tolerate ideologies, lifestyles, and idolatry that runs counter to God’s Word. This is where tolerance goes too far and where we find ourselves today. 

The world is working overtime to water down God’s Word, broaden morality, weaken faith, and confuse and lull believers into submission. The world is talking, and the message of tolerance is being pushed down the throats of every man, woman, and child. Tolerance taken too far is deadly because if we tolerate everything, then nothing is sinful, repentance becomes unneeded, Jesus is unnecessary, and heaven is a given. Until it’s not and then it’s too late.

Worst of all, Christians are playing a part in this destruction. <–Bitter pill? Jesus told us, “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). 

Our “tolerance” in the form of not speaking truth with love about the sinfulness of this world and the path that people are on is how we play a part in the enemy’s plan to destroy as many people as possible. 

Loving Our Neighbor

We’ve fallen for the rhetoric that says loving our neighbor equates to a “live and let live” mentality. And while judgement isn’t our calling, sharing, and living the truth is. One of the primary ways we love our neighbor is to share the Truth with them. No, we don’t beat them over the head with it. We don’t condemn them. We don’t condescend them. We introduce them to the whole truth of God’s Word. We plant the seed and leave it to God to do the watering. We remain bold in our faith and honest about what the Bible says. 

Truth with grace – one without the other is ineffective and harmful. Separately, vinegar and baking soda each have a purpose, but when they are combined, a chemical reaction occurs that is powerful. The same is true for truth and grace. Separately, each serves a purpose. Together, they cause a powerful reaction that has a profound effect on those within earshot. 

Unfortunately, closet Christianity is becoming the norm. People are afraid to offend anybody and so they say nothing when they know they should say something. The result is a weak and ineffective faith, a lack of purpose and drive, and Christians who are going through the motions. Purposely offensive isn’t the answer, but neither is “not offending” people all the way to the gates of hell. 

God’s Intolerance Saved Us From Ourselves

Thank God Jesus didn’t follow today’s standard of “tolerance” and the act of tiptoeing around sin so-as to not offend us, because if He had, He wouldn’t have gone to the cross and died for our sins. Tolerance would have left us in our depravity and hoped it all worked out or someone else would step up and save us. 

But God loved us so much that He was intolerant of our sin so He sent His one and only Son to die for us so that we would be set free and spend eternity with Him in heaven. Tolerance by the world’s standards is the pathway to hell and will never bring freedom. If it did, Jesus’ act on the cross would have been unnecessary. 

Society has become increasingly aggressive in its campaign for tolerance and bold faith is becoming harder to find. Bold faith stands up for what God says is right and wrong. Bold faith understands that following Christ will cost something. Bold faith speaks up knowing it will be attacked. Bold faith stands on the Word of God for everything. Bold faith says “no” to the world’s tolerance of sin. Bold faith is hard, uncomfortable, and sometimes lonely. But bold faith is also invigorating, life-changing, soul cleansing, and passion fueling. 

As a follower of Christ…

I believe the Bible is God’s Word and absolute truth. (2 Timothy 3:16, John 17:17, Proverbs 30:5)

I believe Jesus Christ is God’s perfect, sinless Son. (John 3:16, Luke 4:41)

I believe that Jesus died for our sins and those who believe in Him are forgiven and have eternal life. (1 Peter 2:24, 6:23)

I believe that marriage is between a man and a woman. (Genesis 2:24, 1 Corinthians 7:22)

I believe that sex is an act between a man and woman and is reserved for marriage. (1 Timothy 1:10, Romans 1:26-27)

I believe that abortion is wrong in all circumstances. (Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 27:25)

I believe there are two genders: male and female. (Genesis 1:27, Mark 10:6-9)

Would you say your faith is bold? 

My faith hasn’t always been bold. At times, I’ve found myself afraid to write or post something on social media because it might “offend” somebody. 

But as a follower of Christ our purpose is to speak truth with grace, to stand up for morality, to stand firm on and for God’s Word, to not waiver or water down the gospel, and to share the hope and love of Jesus with as many people as possible before we are called home. This is bold faith in action and what it means to love people.  

Let’s mediate on these verses and ask God to help us have a bold faith. 

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world. John 16:33

Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted…” 2 Timothy 3:12

So, whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin. James 4:17

Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. Ephesians 5:11

The lost people of this world need bold faith believers in Christ to lead them to the way, the truth, and the lifebecause no one gets to God without going through Jesus (John 14:16). This assignment has eternal consequences and one that we, as believers, need to take seriously and act with urgency. 

Unravel is available on Kindle & Paperback…