March 4th

Heartguard

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you...For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed. 1 Corinthians 5:1,3

Do you know what another word for Tolerance is? Apathy.

Tolerance is the movement that has swept all over the world in the past two generations and is continuing to barge its way into our school systems and strongholds of entertain-

ment, brainwashing our kids and our culture to accept its message-everything is relative. All truth is equal. There are no absolutes. There is no moral standard.

It's a camouflaged way of saying, Get out of my life. I don't want your opinion because I want to do things my own way. It is a shaking of the fist at authority figures and an assertion of acting out our own will without regard or question concerning what is right and wrong.

Tolerance-the idea that somehow I will be okay with you destroying your life by throwing prudent restraint to the wind and doing whatever you please.

Does this put a new face on the tolerance movement for you? I hope so, because the only reason that tolerance, according to its modern definition, got any traction was because of apathy in the body of Christ.

And the body of Christ is really where this issue starts, because that is where judgment needs to begin; that is where we must be calling one another to a higher standard.

We can no longer allow sin in our midst and think it is somehow justifiable or okay. Sin is not okay and we cannot be okay with sin.

If someone among us in the body is sinning, we must confront them and call them to repentance. If they will not repent, then we need to bring them before the authorities of the church and call them together to repent. If they will still not repent, then we have only one choice-deliver them out of our fellowship until they come to their senses.

Like the prodigal son, as they are feeding the pigs, it may be that they come to their senses and realize the good life they had at home. And if this brother or sister comes home, bringing only themselves and leaving the sin with the pigs, then hallelujah! Let's rejoice, because a sibling in Christ has been re-won for Him.

But before any of that can happen, we must lose all tolerance for sin. We must leave no room for apathy. It is time for us to care.

Prayer Lord Jesus,

Thank You for paying for our sins on the cross! Please help us to stand firm against apathy and not bow our knees to tolerance. Help us, making us bold to confront sin, yet merciful to restore our brothers and sisters back to You.

Amen