Intolerance ∙

Intolerance ∙

Anyone who teaches something different is arrogant and lacks understanding. Such a person has an unhealthy desire to quibble over the meaning of words. This stirs up arguments ending in jealousy, division, slander, and evil suspicions. These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. – 1 Timothy 6:4-5

2 Timothy 4:2-5

 2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

 3 For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

 4 They will reject the truth and chase after myths.

 5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

Intolerance is refusing to accept ideas, beliefs, or behavior different from yours.

Intolerance seems to be part and parcel of human DNA since the time of the Fall. From the beginning of recorded history, people groups have demonstrated themselves to be intolerant of others who are different from themselves. They seem to be essentially tribal, thinking that whatever makes them special and unique from others also makes them superior.

The following quotes are part of a master plan of intolerance and domination. They ultimately led to untold destruction, thuggery, and death.

“The streets of our country are in turmoil. The Universities are filled with students rebelling and rioting. Communists are seeking to destroy our country . . . Without law and order, our nation cannot survive.”

“The state must declare the child to be the most precious treasure of the people. As long as the government is perceived as working for the benefit of the children, the people will happily endure almost any curtailment of liberty and almost any deprivation.”

“If you wish the sympathy of the broad masses, you must tell them the crudest and most stupid things.”

“Tell a lie loud enough and long enough, and people will believe it.”

“It is a quite special secret pleasure how the people around us fail to realize what is really happening to them.”

“By means of shrewd lies, unremittingly repeated, it is possible to make people believe that heaven is hell – and hell heaven. The greater the lie, the more readily it will be believed.”

“The greater the crime perpetrated by the leadership, the less likely it is that the people will ever believe their leaders to be capable of perpetrating such an event.”

“It is not truth that matters, but victory.”

“Let me control the textbooks, and I will control the state.”

“The one means that wins the easiest victory over reason is terror and force.”

“Terrorism is the best political weapon for nothing drives people harder than a fear of sudden death.”

“The receptivity of the masses is very limited, their intelligence is small, but their power of forgetting is enormous. In consequence of these facts, all effective propaganda must be limited to a very few points and must harp on these in slogans until the last member of the public understands what you want him to understand by your slogan.”

“We have to put a stop to the idea that it is a part of everybody’s civil rights to say whatever he pleases.”

“I don’t see much future for the Americans . . . it’s a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social inequalities . . . my feelings against Americanism are feelings of hatred and deep repugnance . . . How can one expect a State like that to hold together?”

America was founded on the principle of plurality of ideas, freedom of expression, and freedom of speech. Yet the founders of our Country though very different from one another, all had one common foundation. They all believed in absolute truth. Absolute truth was given by a creator God. And they understood that absolute truth provides morals and guidance as a firm foundation for society, government, and civilization.

These values were clearly articulated, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

There is tension in these words. For Thomas Jefferson, the truths which he articulated were “self-evident.” But others might strongly disagree. It seems as though almost everyone has their own opinion. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own truth. The Father God has opinions. The difference between His opinions and all other opinions is that His opinions are the Truth!

The Lord Jesus Christ held to absolute truth. On the one hand, He welcomed everyone to come to Him and believe. But at the same time, He was totally intolerant of other points of view. He never compromised. He never synthesized! There was only one way to come to the Father, and that was through the Lord Jesus Christ.

John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

“The Lord made it clear that He was going to the Father, and that He was the only way to the Father. Heaven is a real place, a loving place, and an exclusive place. Not everybody is going to heaven, but rather only those who have trusted Jesus Christ (see Acts 4:12; 1 Timothy 2:4-6).”

“Jesus does not simply teach the way or point the way; He is the way. In fact, ‘the Way’ was one of the early names for the Christian faith (Acts 9:2; 19:9, 23; 22:4; 24:14, 22). Our Lord’s statement, ‘No man cometh unto the Father but by Me,’ wipes away any other proposed way to heaven – good works, religious ceremonies, costly gifts, etc. There is only one way, and that way is Jesus Christ” (Wiersbe).

REFLECT & PRAY

As children of the King living in America, perhaps today as never before, we must navigate uncharted waters. We believe in absolute truth and cannot compromise it. Yet we must be tolerant and respectful of others who disagree with us.

Father what would You have us do? We seek Your face and Your will. We live as sheep among wolves. Encourage us to be wise as serpents, yet harmless as doves (Matthew 10:16).

INSIGHT

2 Timothy 4:3 For there will be a time when people will not tolerate sound teaching. Instead, following their own desires, they will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.

Sadly, the predicted time has now come. This verse sounds a great deal like our own age, doesn’t it? We live in a time of “designer doctrine,” when people pick and choose what to believe based on their desires and preferences. But it’s a worthless pursuit (Stanley).

Paul tells us precisely what to do during the times in which we live. We are to continue speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15).

2 Timothy 4:2-5

 2 Preach the word of God. Be ready in season and out of season. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching.

 5 But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.

Why is this so important? Because the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back! It may well be that our world is in the birth pangs of the end of the present age. We may well see the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:8).

We are preparing the way for His appearance.

2 Timothy 4:1 He appears to set up his Kingdom:

The Greek word translated as appears or appearance is epiphaneia. Epiphaneia was used in connection with the Roman emperor. His accession to the throne was his epiphaneia, and in particular – and this is the background of Paul’s thought here – it was used in his visit to any province or town (Barclay).

“Obviously, when the emperor was due to visit any place, everything was put in perfect order. The streets were swept and decorated, and all work was brought up to date so that the town might be fit for epiphaneia. So, Paul says to Timothy: ‘You know what happens when any town is expecting the epiphaneia of the emperor; you are expecting the epiphaneia of Jesus Christ. Do your work so that all things will be ready whenever he appears.’ Christians should order their lives in such a way that at any moment they are ready for the coming of Christ” (Barclay).

All quotes regarding the master plan of intolerance and domination came from one man, Adolf Hitler.

¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 7-10-2

© Dr. H 2022