Why Christians Should Tolerate Sin

My sin, my story

Photo by Kyle Broad on Unsplash

For many Christians, the accusation of “catering to culture” is one of the worst possible insults. Real Christians vocally oppose behaviors that the Bible clearly condemns, but Christians who “cater to culture” commit the hypocritical sin of tolerating, even celebrating, sinful behaviors if they happen to enjoy widespread social acceptance.

To “cater to culture” is to rebel against God like Adam and Eve, redefining good and evil on one’s own terms. Such rebellious Christians sacrifice obedience to God on the altar of the false gods of popularity and money, eager for social approval and more tithing members in the pews. They are “lesser-than” Christians, captured by “the world.”

In my experience, the problem for churches is the opposite: Christians do not tolerate enough sin.

My #1 Sin: Anger

I have a temper. I struggled over many years to rein it in, and I’m happy to say that I don’t explode as often or as, well, as explosively as I did in the past. But I still explode a little sometimes. Irritation builds and builds until it comes out as a total surprise to everyone around me.

I’ve completely given up on the idea that the last time will be the last time. Losing my temper is like death and taxes. It’s gonna happen…