I Believe in God, but Christians Are So IntolerantSample

JESUS' VISION FOR HIS KINGDOM

Make no mistake. Jesus loves sinners but does not tolerate sin; instead, He paid the sentence for it. For example, Jesus was (and is) intolerant of hypocrisy and selfishness. Christians are imperfect, and in His mercy, Jesus shows us our sin and moves us toward change. Jesus loves us as we are but loves us too much to leave us as we are. As a community of believers, the Church is like a hospital that brings healing change. We can’t have the healing without the diagnosis. As believers, we can overcome divisions with love and prayerfully turn people (and ourselves) away from sin. The danger of spiraling downward into sin is real, and we can’t shy away from crucial conversations even if they are uncomfortable. Having those difficult conversations with love and humility is how we grow.

Ask Yourself:

-How have you seen a Christian lovingly turn back someone who is sinning?

-James 5:20 says bringing a sinner back from wandering “will cover a multitude of sins.” And 1 Peter 4:8 says, “love covers a multitude of sins.” How do both truth and love cover sins?

Pause to Pray: Jesus, help me recognize the difference between love and tolerance and teach me how to love people honestly. Teach me to pray for Your strength to get involved in hard conversations when You call me and give me the discernment to know when I need to wait patiently and love.

Take a Next Step: As you go through your week, ask Jesus to show you areas of your life where you need to have a change of heart, and as He shows you those, ask Him to fill you with love.

Find more resources at www.whoisgrace.com/READ.