In his Breakpoint commentary of June 26, Chuck Colson writes:
We can trace our debased definition of "tolerance" back to French philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau who rejected any distinction between "civil" and "theological intolerance." Rousseau did not believe that people can "live at peace with those [they] regard as damned." He saw Christian truth claims as being intolerant and a prelude to civil strife. Specifically, he wrote, anyone who dared to say "no salvation outside the church" should be driven out of society--precisely what is happening.
I agree that the intolerant ones are the ones who "drive out," yet it is hard to have peace internally when there are folks around who appear to be damned. We must hold out a hope and a prayer that they be saved, then, and do whatever we can towards that end, and leave the rest up to God. In this way we live at peace with them as much as we are able, for it is hard to live at peace with those whom one has damned oneself. It can also be hard to live at peace with our own sin.
I am seeing articles here and there which speak of sin as the "forgotten" notion. Yet sin is only truly forgotten by those who forget it. (Duh!) Were Rousseau alive today, he would have, not only secularists/atheists, but the church itself to help him drive out -- it appears that many within the church have forgotten that Christ alone takes away the sins of the world.
There seems to be a whole lot more than that required these days, and condemnation is quick for those who sin, whether in actuality or in imagination according to certain "pet" doctrines. Sin always seems to be something that "they" do, not "us," or that none of us will do if we just follow the right program. Whatever happened to shaking off the dust and leaving vengeance to God? Leaving salvation to God?
Why allow the sin or hard-heartedness of another to rob us of joy (Acts 13:51-52)? Why look for joy in the agreement of others (although this can be encouraging)? Ultimately, joy can only be found in His righteousness. May our intolerance, then, be truly "theological," and not civil. May we be intolerant of evil, not of each other, and forgiving of both sin and each other.
