Table of Contents

Tolerance

By Charles T. Crabtree

In the last few years, there has been great emphasis on spiritual warfare. A vast majority of Christian leaders would probably agree the focus on this subject is warranted. The New Testament uses militant language to describe our continuing battle with the enemy. Spiritual warfare is a biblical reality.

When a legitimate concern such as spiritual warfare is raised, there is an inherent danger–expending an inordinate amount of energy and focus on one front while neglecting an even greater threat on another.

A powerful enemy is a skillful enemy. He not only uses firepower, but also intellectual power. A master military strategist must be a master of deceit. Without question, Satan is a powerful enemy because he is a master in the use of illusion and deception.

One of the advantages the believer has against the devil is special insight beyond the obvious. Paul voiced this advantage in 2 Corinthians 2:11: "We are not ignorant of his devices." The purpose of this article is to expose one of the devil’s most insidious strategies in the present spiritual conflict. It is the device called tolerance.

One of the most effective and destructive devices of Satan is the erroneous understanding and application of tolerance in our present culture. No Assemblies of God church is unaffected by its corrosive influence. Satan is using tolerance to intimidate the preacher, undermine scriptural authority, and render the church of Jesus Christ helpless through negative propaganda. It is essential for all Christians to be forewarned and forearmed.

The devil is presently in the greatest disarmament program in history. His goal is to disarm the Church through brainwashing believers into thinking it is not Christian to defend their faith, be salt and light, and evangelize the world.

The satanic motivation behind the modern thrust of tolerance is rebellion against God’s authority. If the devil can diminish and destroy the authoritative Word of God in the minds of people, he will have accomplished his ultimate aim–to exalt himself above the throne of God.

In the Garden of Eden, Satan was planting the seeds of a demonically hybrid tolerance: "Hath God said…for God doth know…ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil" (Genesis 3:1,5). In other words, there is no longer an absolute. Man is the source of his own truth. If it is evil to you, no problem; if it is good to you, no problem. Just do not interfere with what I think. We will not have any absolute authority over us telling us what is evil or what is good.

The enemy has made progress in his deceitful use of tolerance even within the Church. More and more I hear, "We are beyond doctrine," or "I know we don’t believe the same things, but that shouldn’t keep us from having fellowship." The lack of concern about what things we believe or do not believe is troublesome.

When someone says, "Doctrine divides," I answer, "Of course, that is the nature of doctrine." Doctrine is the formulation of the principles on which the Church bases its actions and policies. It is the basis of teaching and instruction. It is another term for revealed truth and, in the case of the Church, systematic theology.

The basis of unity in the Assemblies of God is agreement on biblical dogma and principles. The basis of unity as an Assemblies of God church with other church bodies is agreement on the fundamental doctrines of Scripture as it affects the truth of the nature of God and His Word, and the nature of man and his eternal destiny.

The strategy of the enemy is to get the church of Jesus Christ involved in internal battles over nonessentials while meekly accepting poisoned K rations from the enemy. Some think spiritual warfare is contending for the traditions of the 1950s and 1960s while allowing eternal truth to die as the source of their spiritual lives and existence.

Jesus showed the proper use of tolerance throughout His earthly ministry: "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). "Judge not, that ye be not judged" (Matthew 7:1). "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone" (John 8:7). The list goes on and on.

The tolerance of Christ was supernatural in the realm of the physical and temporal, but His intolerance was supernatural in the realm of the spiritual and eternal. "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). "I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). The list goes on and on.

The apostle Paul showed us the proper use of tolerance in those things that were temporal and material. He must have been considered a liberal when he said, "I know, and am persuaded by the Lord Jesus, that there is nothing unclean of itself" (Romans 14:14). He was so tolerant of earthly things he could say, "I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound" (Philippians 4:12).

Paul’s intolerance at any attempt to undermine the authority of Scripture and doctrine is well known. The first General Council in Jerusalem was to settle the role of circumcision and salvation. Paul’s intolerance of legalism kept Christ’s atonement and our salvation in the realm of faith–not works. This is the same apostle who wrote, "For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law" (Romans 2:12).

It does not take a great deal of spiritual acumen to ascertain the proper use of tolerance. Like loving mothers and fathers, we are tolerant and patient with our children in their normal growth and development. At the same time we are absolutely intolerant of anything or anyone who would harm them.

My prayer is that all preachers in the Assemblies of God will realize they have not been ordained by men to preach the gospel and declare the whole counsel of God. God has ordained and placed the mantle of divine authority upon His messengers. They are to be the purveyors of truth, not the secular press or unconverted, educated geniuses, or some Eastern guru.

It is my plea that every Assemblies of God minister will fight the good fight of faith through a new emphasis on the apostles’ doctrine and Bible theology. Our task is to build people through the systematic teaching of the Word of God, not through a convoluted philosophy and false self-image. Our task is to make certain people know God, not just feel good.

"The fear of man bringeth a snare" (Proverbs 29:25). Nowhere is this truth more applicable than in this day when the world is demanding we be tolerant of all kinds of perversion and false doctrine. "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Timothy 1:7).

What steps should be taken to withstand the strategy of Satan to destroy our faith and still the voice of truth?

1. Know your faith. "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God" (Romans 10:17). Every believer, and especially every minister, needs to concentrate primarily on the Word of God and not on the words of men, even good men. Our faith grows as we eat food for faith. The renewal or addition to our faith is a daily discipline, not a weekly obligation.

2. Defend your faith. If you do not, who will? You are commanded by Scripture to "contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints" (Jude 3). The world may call you narrow-minded or bigoted or defensive, but that is not your problem; it is theirs. It is difficult not to appear defensive when you are defending. Do not be contentious in spirit or defensive in attitude, but be strong in your defense of the gospel.

3. Declare your faith. The enemy would like nothing better than to still the testimony and witness of Pentecostal people. The apostle Paul would be a bit mystified by those who call themselves Christians but are afraid to share their faith. He said, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth" (Romans 1:16).

Let us not allow the words of men to cancel the Word of God. Let us not let the spirit of the age overcome the indwelling Spirit of God. Let us not let the fear of men dissuade us from obedience to God. "For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord" (2 Corinthians 4:5). "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8). That would be intolerable.

Charles T. Crabtree is assistant general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Springfield, Missouri.