Prevailing cultural norms embrace tolerance as among the highest of virtues. Intolerance, society declares, reeks of judgment and condemnation.

As a Christian, I struggle not only with my own sin, but how I react to the transgression of God’s commands by others. Many rightfully fear that by tolerating sin, they act hypocritically. But the greater hypocrisy often stems from those who, in their intolerance, breach the Lord’s great commandment to love your neighbor as yourself.

Author Roland C. Warren offers an interesting illustration as to how we might navigate the perilous currents of tolerance:

“Imagine that you have two pairs of identical glasses: a pair of ‘love glasses’ and a pair of ‘tolerance glasses.’ Now, although the physical appearance of the glasses is identical, their lenses are not.   The ‘love glasses’ are two-dimensional because they allow you to separate a person’s doing from their being. However, the tolerance glasses are one-dimensional. The way you perceive people is determined by their actions. You see, Christ wore the love glasses constantly when he engaged with our sinful world.  Indeed, Christ did not tolerate sinners. He loved them, all while calling them to stop doing the sins that held them in bondage. Because Christ loves all humanity, he calls all to come as you are but not to stay as you came.”

Some Christians espouse the notion that we are to be tolerant of the sinner but intolerant of the sin. Warren suggests that we are to be tolerant of neither. Rather, we are to have Christian love for the transgressor. This is validated by the Apostle Paul in his letter to the Ephesians:

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 4:2

Humility, gentleness, patience and love reflect the reality and acknowledgement that every one of us is a sinner. The Lord has no tolerance of our sin, but His mercy and grace are reflections of His love for the sinners. We are to follow His example.

Rather than tolerate sin, the Bible instructs us to correct the sinner with love in our hearts.

Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.

Galatians 6:1

For some, however, the lines between tolerance and love can seem blurred. Intolerance carries with it a connotation of judgment. Delivered inappropriately, such judgment conveys superiority and condemnation. Tolerance of aberrant behavior may, at times, seem a more “loving” choice, consistent with Paul’s instruction in his letter to the Romans:

If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.

Romans 12:18

Having made that choice in the past, I empathize with the dilemma. But there is a far more damaging and treacherous line that is frequently crossed in our modern culture. That is the line between tolerance and exaltation.

The wicked prowl on every side,
When vileness is exalted among the sons of men.

Psalms 12:8

Sin is disobedience to God’s word. But as descendants of Adam and Eve, we will sin. As children of God, repentance will lead to His mercy and grace.

Tolerance of sin is typically misguided, but such tolerance is often mistakenly proffered in love.

The exaltation of sin, however, is simply evil.

Unfortunately, such exaltation is in our face 24/7. It is pervasive in the political arena where falsehoods and hatred are exalted. LGBTQ+ celebrations exalt distortions to God’s created order. The exaltation of wealth is manifested both by those who have it and by those in relentless pursuit of it.

Exaltation of defiance to God’s commands can be characterized as “unfruitful works of darkness.” As we know from Ephesians 5:11, we are to have nothing to do with such behaviors:

“Have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.”

It seems that despite cultural decrees to the contrary, consideration of tolerance as a virtue is indeed a “mixed bag” – one that may be weighed based on context and circumstance. But the line between tolerance and exaltation is unambiguous – and it is a line that should not be crossed.