Why Tolerance

Sep 2, 2021 00:00 · 389 words · 13  views · 2 minute read

You must be tolerable to people about your own benefits if you want God to be tolerable about you in heaven. If you say for example, I never forgive someone who takes my place in a queue, or I never forgive someone who talks behind my back, or I never allow someone to borrow something and not return it to me, then expect God to treat you the same in heaven. As Jesus says:

Matthew 18:18

  1. Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.

Which means whatever subject you are strict about on earth, God will be strict about that with you in heaven; and whatever you forgive and tolerate on earth, God will forgive you about that kind of trespasses and tolerate you the same way in heaven.

Remember that as in previous verses Jesus was talking about forgiveness:

Matthew 18:15-17

  1. Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother.
  2. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
  3. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.

So this tolerance is about your own rights and it does not mean being tolerable about the right of other people, or about obeying God’s commands. Be strict and God will be strict on you. Be tolerable when people have violated your own interests, and God will be tolerable with you in heaven the same way with your trespasses and sins.

Similarly if you see iniquity in other people, God will see your iniquities:

Matthew 7:1-3

  1. Judge not, that ye be not judged.
  2. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
  3. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?

Forgive people to be forgiven by God.