The Tolerance Quotient

The success of Satan cannot be effectively measured by the number of Christians who have rejected righteousness for sin — although many Christians have fallen into this trap. Satan’s real success story is found in a Christian’s ‘tolerance of sin.’

We would never give complete approval to sin, but we will weaken our revulsion at sin. We should be hostile to ‘every false way’ (Psalm 119:104,128). This inward hostility would do much to strengthen our resistance and improve our powers of rejection when Satan offers himself as a close friend. Satan is a dangerous, implacable enemy with designs of conquest on every soul. He must be treated as a militant enemy (1 Peter 5:8-9).

We rather enjoy the satisfying feeling which Satan supplies when we raise our ‘tolerance quotient.’ It makes us feel ‘democratic’ or ‘blasé’ or ‘cosmopolitan’ or ‘mature.’ We reject the word ‘worldly,’ but graciously embrace these popular expressions which connote Satan’s approval (such as “unity in diversity“).

The next step, is pride clothed as humility. We have — in our minds — condescended to the level of the sinner so he’ll not feel ‘inferior’ because he lacks a total commitment to God. We often ponder, “Who are we to teach another?” To avoid condemning conscience, smarting under the injunctions of the great commission to "teach all nations" (Matthew 28:19-20), we conclude that people are all saved and our action unneeded.

Beloved, this is no better than slothfulness.

We must love man (John 13:34; 1 John 4:20), but hate sin (Proverbs 8:13; Psalm 119:104,128).

Let’s be wary of a rising ‘tolerance quotient.’ —William J. Teague

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets