Should I be Tolerant?

676.  " Should I be Tolerant?"
January 22, 2013
Revelation 2-Part 4
I know thy works, and charity, and service, and faith, and thy patience, and thy works; and the last to be more than the first.  Revelation 2:19 KJV

Background
Town of Thyatira:
Instead of a large city like the previous ones mentioned by John, this was a small town. It was originally founded as a shrine to the sun god Tyrimnus. This was a blue-collar town, where the trade guilds stood at the center of social and religious life. It was a small town with a big problem. It was located between Pergamos and Sardis; under the Roman rule for nearly three centuries. Was situatedin a long valley, and was repeatedly destroyed and rebuilt.

Church of Thyatira:
A woman named Jezebel had a group of followers. They advocated Christian participation in the pagan rituals of the trade guilds. Probably, this would have included idolatry and ritual immorality in temple worship.
Of course, there were the faithful believers who remained true to Christ. However, they were tolerating this group. There were big sins in a small church. Those are what Christ was confronting.

LET IT GLOW

Should I be tolerant of other religions? I will not tolerate them trying to enter our church with false doctrines. I will stand up for my Christian beliefs and what the Bible, the Truth, says. This church did not seem to have the same opinion as I do. Shall we look closer at them?

What did Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star, see as He looked into this church?
Swindoll puts it like this:
He saw three groups-the Faithful (good), the Jezebel and Company (bad), and the Toleration Party (ugly).

The Faithful, good group was characterized by:

• works
• charity (love)
• service
• faith
• patience (perseverance).

The Jezebel and Company, bad group was characterized by:

• called herself a prophetess, but was a false teacher,
• represented one of the early Gnostics,
• mislead Christ's servants into sexual immorality and eating of food sacrificed to idols,
• unwilling to repent of immorality,
• used grace as a license to sin,
• led many down their sinful path with them, were deceiving sinners,
• will be judged, have children killed by Jesus Christ the Savior.

The Toleration Party, the ugly group was characterized by:

• expecting everyone to accept, approve, and validate everyone's beliefs, values, and lifestyles,
• sought to affirm deviant behavior as the norm,
• considered those who took a stand for their Christian beliefs as hating and discriminating.

I hope we find ourselves in the first group.

LET IT GROW

What does Jesus tell the church at Thyatira to do?
To those who don't hold to false teachings and false doctrine, He says to hold on to what they have. The overcomers will be given authority over the nations when He returns to reign. Keep the faith, keep patient, continue good works. Hold fast till He comes. Repent when needed.

Am I tolerating sin in my own life and the lives of my brothers and sisters?

LET IT GO

Be discerning toward false teachers in my church, then stand against them, not tolerating them.

Learn the truth and live the truth.

Keep the faith; continue to do good works; share the love of Jesus.