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What about religious tolerance?


Introduction. Much is made today in society about being tolerant of others, being inclusive, and embracing diversity. Although this plea is usually made in the realm of sexual behavior (e.g., LGBTQ+), many religious groups extend this into the spiritual realm (e.g., "Come as you are.", "We are all God's children.", "Judge not.", "There are many roads to heaven."). But the only way this question can be answered according to God's will is to allow God to speak to us through His book, the Bible.

The Bible teaches there is only one faith. As the Holy Spirit through Paul declares, "One Lord, one faith, one baptism" (Eph. 4:5). Jesus declared "Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6) The one faith or system of religious belief is the word of God (Acts 6:7). Paul had once destroyed the faith; now, he wrote that he preached it (Gal. 1:23). The gospel system is totally adequate. The faith supplies all that is needed (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:3). Regarding the faith Jude wrote, "...contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints' (Jude 3, ASV). The finality and completeness of the gospel system is presupposed when John forbad adding unto or taking away from God's word (Rev. 22:18-19; Deut. 4:2; Prov. 30:6).

The Christian must not tolerate false teachers and error. John warned against going beyond Christ's teaching. He said those who transgress neither have Christ nor the Father (2 John 9). John also taught we must not tolerate false teachers (2 John 10-11). If we tolerate them, we become "partaker of his evil deeds." Paul issued a two-fold commandment: "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them" (Eph. 5:11). There are limited areas of tolerance taught, but not in matters of error and immorality (Rom. 14; Gal. 2:4-5).

Conclusion. Not being tolerant in these circumstances does not free us to be harsh, personal abusive, or persecuting to others (Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:27-28; Rom. 12:18-21; 1 Thes. 5:14; 2 Thes. 3:13-15; Gal. 6:1).   But it takes the truth to make man free of the bondage of sin (John 8:32). Hence, there must be no religious tolerance of sin and error.
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