According to the Cambridge dictionary: tolerance can be defined as the willingness to accept behaviour and beliefs that are different from your own, although you might not agree with or approve of them.
It has become very important to discuss the concept of tolerance as it relates to the gospel. More than ever in history, the Christian faith is faced with one of the most intense onslaughts via the internet. There seems to be an overt attempt to silence believers, with respect to the core beliefs we propagate. On Twitter, for example, there have been recent criticisms of miracles and the believers’ rights to preach the gospel. So, with the few points, I will be dropping below, I hope to lend my voice to expose the apparent hypocrisy and the pellucid lack of candour in the recent attacks of Christian beliefs:
Humans are Defined by Belief Systems;
An excellent place to start is understanding that belief systems define every human. As we grow and get integrated into society, different viewpoints strive for our attention. Everyone and everything projects messages on us that they believe to be true. This is why education (both formal and informal) becomes a critical platform. Especially in our formative years, it is a means of shaping a person’s belief system. More importantly, it arms an individual with the tools required to objectively seek out the truth. However, as helpful as education has been in shaping the construct of human ideology, the media has also become quite an effective tool in the propagation of messages.
The result of this is seen more in the fads- how we now dress, how we speak or things we believe to be of most importance. No idea becomes the ‘thing’ without concrete efforts at propagation. Let me give a relatable example – even the blind can see that our world has become more sexual than it was centuries ago. The cause of this is not far from our grasp. It is in the music videos, the movies and honestly on social media.
The message of the new age seems to be summarized as ‘If you love em, look for a way to sleep with them’. So, it is safe to say that over the years we have had more people preach to us the message of uncontrollable sexual urges. The envelope is continually being pushed. Recently in the year 2020, we actually got to the point where we had to sign petitions to stop the viewing of a movie that over-sexualized young teenagers and thus promoted paedophilia (something society as a whole seemed to frown at many decades ago).
If beliefs are allowed to fly here and there, why do people now see the need to attack the gospel’s message? Well, the answer to that question I believe lies within the exclusivity of the gospel and the questions or answers it brings to the fore. The gospel as a world view, perfectly answers the questions of humanity about life after death. Just the same way, biology gives empirical answers to questions around the biotic components of our environment. I guess this leads me to my next point.
The Gospel is Tolerant
As I write this, it is 2021 and we are now well acquainted with the level of havoc wreaked by the deadly Coronavirus. From the colossal number of deaths to the restrictions placed on normal human interactions, nothing about the Coronavirus seems nice. But let us imagine, I came up with a permanent cure for the virus. One with proven results, one that won’t turn you into rabid dog once it is in your system. I actually have a feeling you are smiling as you imagine the possibility of this. Alright, let us add a plot twist to this lovely image. Let us imagine that I decide to lock-up this cure in warehouses (I will want to believe this has no similarity, to something that actually happened). I know right, what a dark plot twist, but please read on, hopefully, there is a happy ending.
Let us bring the above scenario to the immediate context of what is being discussed. If you are still in the imaginative state, I believe I have already been tagged a wicked person for hoarding COVID 19 treatments and rightly so. Only a callous person would do such a thing at the expense of people who are dying daily.
I feel it is pertinent at this point to explain the Christian message to those who don’t get it. All men are destined to die and perish, as a result of a sickness called sin. A loving, good God provided a cure in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ chose to take the place of humanity in his death and proved beyond a reasonable doubt his victory over death by his burial and subsequent resurrection after three days.
All men are destined to die and perish, as a result of a sickness called sin. A loving, good God provided a cure in the person of Jesus Christ. Click To TweetThis is the message of the gospel. This is what Christians teach or let me rephrase that, we are meant to teach everyone. (because I can’t deny that some have come up with various contrary opinions, masked as the Christian message). Death is something that affects everyone and it is actually not a pleasant thing. At this juncture, I empathize with everyone who has lost someone in recent times. I pray you to find comfort and peace in your time of mourning.
Jesus Christ chose to take the place of humanity in his death and proved beyond a reasonable doubt his victory over death by his burial and subsequent resurrection after three days. Click To TweetSo, what Christianity offers is a solution to a global problem. Just like the only way to get cured of the Coronavirus, will be to take the treatment (referencing my scenario above). The only way to escape eternal damnation is to believe in the gospel. I earlier stated it to be the message of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This world view answers many questions. Like if you are in doubt of the validity of an afterlife, well, a man died and came back. This claim of resurrection is only exclusive to the Christian faith. There is more than enough proof to back up this world view. So, much so that many sceptics have become believers by investigating the claims for themselves.
This is why society can’t shut Christians up. The message we preach has the power to birth the true change humans seek. No scheme to silence the first propagators of the Christian faith, more than two millennia ago worked. I doubt that anything people do now will be effective enough to stop the spread of the gospel (good news). To put things more directly, we would be wicked and intolerant if we don’t tell a dying world that there is a way to escape death.
The message we preach has the power to birth the true change humans seek. No scheme to silence the first propagators of the Christian faith worked. And nothing can stop it now. Click To TweetHope this helps.
Love and Light
Read also; Where is God in a Coronavirus World?
