I read somewhere about President Calvin Coolidge being a man of few words. There’s a story that tells of this trait: One Sunday after returning home from church, Mrs. Coolidge asked him, “What was the sermon about today?” Coolidge replied sharply, “Sin.” “Well, what did he say about it, Calvin?” she implied, to which the president said, “He's agin it.”
"He's agin it." That basically defines exactly how God looks toward sin...He's agin it.
>What can we learn from this account in scripture? Grace & Intolerance
“Neither do I condemn you.” (Grace) “Go and sin no more.” (Intolerance)
One of the most abused words in the English language is tolerance.
The world teaches to show love we must accept & tolerate sinful behavior.
The culture of today says if we fail to tolerate and embrace sinful behavior, we are bigots.
But we are not to conform to this world, but to stay true to God’s word and live in holiness.
>Truth: God does not tolerate sin so we’re not to tolerate sin. “I am holy; therefore you are to be holy.”
We must love what God loves and hate what God hates.
>God’s love is a forgiving patient love, but God’s love is not a tolerant love. >Exodus 34:6-7a<
>In His own words, God reveals two basic truths about His character.
1. He is full of love for all mankind and always ready to forgive.
2. He does not tolerate sin. “I do not excuse the guilty.”
>All through history God reminds us to holy and He calls for repentance.
(Isaiah 1:16) “Wash yourselves and be clean! Get your sins out of my sight. Give up your evil ways.”
>God has the power to save, but because of our sin, He turns away. >Isaiah 59:1-2<
>Here’s a question for today: If God was tolerant of sin, why did Jesus have to die?
God desperately wants to be in fellowship with us, but does not tolerate sin; therefore, our sins must be punished.
It is His intolerance for sin led to the terrifying and uncomfortable reality of the cross.
The cross demonstrates the complex character of God – It’s a picture of His Loving Intolerance.
It symbolizes God’s His justice, holiness, and judgment, but yet also love, kindness, and mercy.
The ugliness of the cross illustrates the gruesomeness of divine wrath and judgment of a God who abhors sin.
The cross gives us a glimpse of the immensity of God’s love – An intolerant love, but a redemptive love.
>In complete intolerance, God demonstrated his love by sending His only begotten son to die for our sins.
(2 Corinthians 5:21) “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
When we picture the bloody body of Jesus Christ hanging on the cross, we see the picture of Loving Intolerance.
We must strive daily to grow closer to God and move toward perfection.
As children of God, we are filled with the fruit of the spirit and tolerance isn’t one. >Galatians5:16-25<
>Are you living by the Spirit today? >Is Jesus talking to you today & saying, “Go and sin no more?”
>Invitation...
