If Christ wants man to believe and be baptized, what other way could He have said it so that we could better understand?
---Adapted
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Intolerance
Listening to the various television and radio news and talk shows, it doesn't take long to realize the only "sin" today's society recognizes is intolerance. To speak against homosexuals is to be intolerant. Nearly all "Christian" religions are branded as intolerant. Even in the religious arena, to speak and insist only for what the Bible teaches is to labeled as intolerant to other beliefs and practices. Intolerance is quickly equated with hate and bigotry. So, no one wants to be even remotely speaking in such a way as to be considered intolerant.
Was God intolerant when He commanded Israel: "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus 20:3)? Today, our "multi-cultural society" would have us to accept all religions whether they worship God or not. We must not attempt to teach a Buddha or some other idol worshiper like Paul did in Acts 17:16-33. This would show our intolerance of their beliefs. When verse 16 says, "Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.", there would be those who would accuse Paul of hate and bigotry. The solution for today is simply set aside our belief in the One True God and accept a plurality of gods.
Was Jesus intolerant when He said: "... I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."(John 14:6)? There are those who would never be guilty of intolerance and are ever on guard to quickly chastise others who are. They would insist that we dare not teach the Jew or the Islam that Christ is the Son of God because we will be committing the sin of intolerance! The solution is for us to lay aside our belief in "one mediator" (1 Timothy 2:5) and accept others. Even among the "religious" there are those who would have us to accept the virgin Mary, the Pope, or a priest as an intermediary between us and the Father. To speak or teach against any of these will cause others to accuse us of intolerance.
Are the Scriptures intolerant when it teaches that those who commit "...adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like:...shall not inherit the kingdom of God." (Galatians 5:19-21)? We must sit by and let the fornicator, drunkard, and the person who practices witchcraft do all they can to influence others to their lifestyles but we must not say one thing against it. If we do, we've committed that unpardonable sin of intolerance. We are branded as being full of hate and bigotry. If standing for what the Bible says makes me intolerant and a bigot, so be it. I'll take my chances on the Judgement day.
—E.R. Hall, Jr.
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