Getting A Grip on Tolerance, Acceptance and Inclusion (Not to Mention Also Intolerance, Rejection and Exclusion)

Getting A Grip on

Tolerance, Acceptance andInclusion

This was not the first time the question hadplagued his mind. Since Christians are supposed to be loving, is nota gracious broad-mindedness which accepts, validates and toleratesother's perspectives the loving approach? Sometimes it is easy todiscern what we should choose at the crossroads. At other times, thechoice might seem murky or worse yet, perhaps even the wrong pathmight look like the right way to go.

If we wish to hear God's message and not merely anempty echo of our own thoughts, we must resist the temptation tohandle Scripture selectively. This is true, regardless of ourfeelings about tolerance, acceptance and inclusion. What is needed isan understanding of God's message which seamlessly incorporates eachpart into its proper place within the whole. Let's take a look atsome of the pieces.

Clearly a case can be made that tolerance,acceptance and inclusion are good and godly values. Jesus taught thatpeople should not judge others lest they be judged.(1) Those whodesire to serve Christ are to accept one another just as Christ hasaccepted them.(2) Furthermore, God's people are to keep matters ofpersonal conviction private between themselves and God.(3) Add to allof this that through Christ, God is working to unite everything inheaven and on earth(4) and it should be clear that tolerance,acceptance and inclusion are godly values.

And yet at other times we find scripture just asforcefully upholding intolerance, rejection and exclusion. God'speople are instructed to judge those within the church in order toexclude certain ones.(5) Christ does not accept everybody; even somewho call him Lord will be rejected.(6) There are false doctrinalperspectives which should be reproved and rejected.(7) And finally,God does reject and pour out His wrath upon somepeople.(8)

Are we to understand these seemingly contradictoryprinciples belong to a consistent message from God? Yes. And the keysto understanding the harmonious intent of the Scriptures are quitesimple.

1) Give each good value its proper priority. That is, avoid transforming what was intended to be a secondary value into being the dominant organizing principle and standard for behavior.
2) Use Biblical words with biblical definitions; do not infuse new definitions into them.

What principle should stand above all other goodvalues thus determining what is an appropriate response in a givensituation? Jesus pointed at loving God as being the most importantwith the second hierarchal principle being to love others as we loveourselves.(9) Lest this be oblique, to love God entails many aspectsincluding obeying God.(10)

What happens when someone replaces the priority ofloving God with another godly value? Take for example, peace. Peaceis a a fruit of the Spirit and is obviously a godly principle. Yet,it would be wrong to elevate peace to the role of being the standardfor determining what is right and wrong. If this were done, thenpeace would dictate that we are to make peace even with what is evil.There could be no justice even for the most heinous crimes.Similarly, whether we are to be tolerant or intolerant is determinedby the higher principle of what it means to love God and obey Him.

Neither inclusion, acceptance and tolerance norexclusion, rejection and intolerance were intended to be themeasuring stick for determining what is good or bad in everysituation. God would have us welcome all sinners to respond toChrist, and yet we are to be intolerant of rebellious unrepentantsinfulness within the church. In fact, whenever any godlyprinciple is divorced from being controlled by the higher principleof what it means to love God so that the subordinate principlebecomes an end unto itself, it will become twisted into somethinghorribly evil.

So what is the loving thing to do? There isa difference between how political correctness and how God will paintthe perfect picture of love. The former would have us accept,tolerate and include all diversity, even immorality and other hurtfulelements. On the other hand, God teaches us that it is in everybody'sbest interest for us to pursue what is truly good and to reject whatis evil. At times, loving God and seeking the well-being of ourneighbors can mean being intolerant of what is hurtful to them andothers. To be graciously broad-minded in accepting, validating andtolerating what God has shown to be evil involves neither lovingothers nor God. However, when God's people are to be intolerant,rejecting and exclusionary, this is never a license to engage inevil; it is the directive to try to help someone towardthe light.

(1) Matthew 7:1

(2) Romans 15:7

(3) Romans 14:22

(4) Ephesians 1:10

(5) 1 Corinthians 5:12-13

(6) Matthew 7:21-22

(7) Galatians 1:6-9

(8) Romans 1:18

(9) Matthew 22:36-39

(10) 1 John 5:3

Other Articles Which Might Be ofInterest:

Resisting theTide (When Tolerance, Affirmation andInclusion Become Everything)