TOLERANCE AND SPIRITUAL MATURITY (1)

TOLERANCE AND SPIRITUAL MATURITY (1)

July 22, 2023

By Rev. Michael Benson Ajayi. 

1 Cor 3:3-4 KJV “… for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?

       Tolerance is a willingness to accept feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different from your own. : the ability to accept, experience, or survive something harmful or unpleasant. In the Bible patience, long-suffering, forbearance are closely linked to tolerance with others.

        There are over a hundred thousand tribes and cultures around the world ; each struggling for survival and seeking prominence and relevance , therefore, it is no wonder that there seem to be divisions among God’s people as a result of the variance  in traditional values. It is for that reason that Jesus instituted the law of sacrificial love for one’s neighbor even as He loved us: it is the only law to be followed by all believers of Jesus Christ.  Customs and traditions of men are often in conflict with each other and therefore cannot be accepted as the divine moral code. Salvation does not come through the observance of traditional laws and customs; they promote hate and pride (Col.2:19-23).

     Unfortunately, some Christians tend to uphold traditional values ( laws of their local church congregation) above the laws of Christ. This was the case of the Church in Corinth . They made the word of God of none effect through their promotion of sectarianism and bigotry , they became intolerant of each other : this weakened the spread of the gospel thus giving Satan the advantage.    

  Being tolerant requires patience, perseverance and forgiving others, this is easy to accomplish when we consider how patient God is with our sins and errors and that there is never a winner in any dispute .Disputes results in mutual losses, therefore, forgiveness remains the best option (Matthew 18:21’22,Luke17:4). Great leaders and teachers of the gospel have distinguished themselves by possessing an extraordinary degree of patience and tolerance for others (2Corinthians. 6:4-6) by seeking for areas of agreement and common grounds they understand with those who are weaker while seeking for loving ways to build them up (Romans. 15:1-2, Galatians6:1).

   Being tolerant means being considerate and loving others who differ from us except when it comes to doubt and sowing seeds of hatred and discord. (Matthews.5:43-47. Romans 12:18, Romans14:2-6.) Intolerance shows spiritual immaturity (1Cor.3:1-5) . Mature Christians are able to influence others through prayer instead of trying to impose one’s idea over others . By asking God to open the eyes of the understanding of the uninformed  , we avoid the disaster that follows seeking to control our neighbor, spouses etc.(Philippians .3:15)

 Prayer : Heavenly Father, Forgive me of my sins against you, I believe Jesus Christ died and was raised again for my, I receive him as lord and saviour and receive the Holy Spirit and power for overwhelming peace and reconciliation in my relationships and family in Jesus name.

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