The other day I was talking to a guy and the idea of tolerance came up. He said that what made our country so great was the fact we were tolerant to all kinds of views, as opposed to some of the oppressed nations arouund the world. “Tolerance is a bedrock of freedom”, he said.

Where is the balance? If more tolerance is more freedom, then it logically follows that complete tolerance is complete freedom. Yet that would be anarchy.

“Tolerance” combined with man’s sinful nature would not lead to more freedom. Quite the contrary. Absent Christ, our sin nature has us in bondage. Certainly we should be caring, kind, and hospitable to people. But we should also desire with all of our hearts to share the truth of the gospel, despite the fact it is often considered intolerant.

We want people to be cared for, loved, and shown genuine compassion and authenticity. Yet, God’s love also involves God’s truth.

Ephesians 4:15-17 says:

15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.

2 John 1:3-4 says:

Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. 4 I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father.

The same Christ that overturned the tables in the temple is the same Christ that forgave prostitutes, thieves, and tax collectors.

We must ask God to help us balance truth and love. Only sharing “truth” can be hard and mean-spirited. Only sharing “love” can make people feel better for a moment, yet absent truth, we really are not being loving at all.

As we seek to know the truth of God’s Word, may He guide us and grow us in our ability to balance His truth and His Love. The Truth, not tolerance, will truly set us free.