(Thyatira) 19 “‘I know your works, your love and faith and service and patient endurance, and that your latter works exceed the first. 20 But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols.” (Rev 2:19-20)
It is widely reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even tolerated among the Gentiles—a man is living with his father’s wife. (1 Cor 5:1)
12 Jesus went into the temple complex and drove out all those buying and selling in the temple. He overturned the money changers’ tables and the chairs of those selling doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, My house will be called a house of prayer. But you are making it a den of thieves!” (Mt 21:12-13)
Christ in you makes you more loving and merciful than you used to be, but you need to be careful to not go overboard and tolerate sin in others, church, or yourself. Scripture is clear that we should be calling out sin in others in a loving way to restore them:
Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. (Lk 17:3)
Brothers, if someone is caught in any wrongdoing, you who are spiritual should restore such a person with a gentle spirit, watching out for yourselves so you also won’t be tempted. (Gal 6:1)
14 And if anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take note of that person; don’t associate with him, so that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet don’t treat him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother. (2 Thes 3:14-15)
5 Better an open reprimand than concealed love. 6 The wounds of a friend are trustworthy, but the kisses of an enemy are excessive. (Pv 27:5)
4 Do not let my heart turn to any evil thing or perform wicked acts with men who commit sin. Do not let me feast on their delicacies. 5 Let the righteous one strike me—it is an act of faithful love; let him rebuke me—
it is oil for my head; let me not refuse it. (Ps 141:4-5)
Rebuking sin in another believer is not judgmental, it is an act of love to try to help them (if that is your attitude). Sin is bad and destructive and to allow somebody to continue in it without saying something is not loving them. Instead of tolerating sin or making excuses for it, you need to be calling it out in love in the hope that others will repent. Do not tolerate sin in other believers thinking you are being gracious or merciful, the truth is that you are NOT being loving when you don’t try to restore a sibling in Christ.
19 My brothers, if any among you strays from the truth, and someone turns him back, 20 let him know that whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his life from death and cover a multitude of sins. (Jms 5:19-20)
This does not mean you should go out and become a speck finder looking for sin. You need to examine yourself first. How much sin do you tolerate in your own life? Do you even notice it? Look at this wonderful Psalm from David:
I will pay attention to the way of integrity. When will You come to me? I will live with a heart of integrity in my house. 3 I will not set anything worthless before my eyes. I hate the practice of transgression; it will not cling to me. 4 A devious heart will be far from me; I will not be involved with evil. (Ps 101:2-4)
David made a commitment to be righteous – live with integrity, keep his heart right, keep his eyes pure, not do wrong things, and avoid evil. He was careful to live in a godly way by not tolerating sin in himself. Intolerance of sin needs to start with yourself.
Do not tolerate sin in other believers, pastors, or church. Rebuke it with Scripture in love with the purpose of helping and restoring a person back on the good path.
Examine yourself:
Do you tolerate your own sinful habits, or do you hate them? Do you even notice them?
Do you ever make excuses for your sin habits? Do you just accept it as ‘the way it is’?
Do you tolerate sin and bad behavior from other believers? Do you make excuses for them?
Sin is bad and destructive. Are you loving a sinful believer by not calling their sin out with Scripture with a heart of trying to help them?
Are you overly tolerant or blind and mute to sin in yourself and others? Should you be?
BIBLE DEVOTIONS FOR LIVING 