Christian Tolerance—part 1

CHRISTIAN TOLERANCE—Revelation 2:18-29

The world tells us to be more tolerant...of this, that & the other.

Jesus reprimanded the Thyatiran church for tolerating worldly prophetic influences in their church.

The Christian church should never tolerate contrary/opposing prophetic influences.

What does Christian tolerance tolerate?

Possessions of God accepted by Christian tolerance.

1—Christian tolerance accepts

THE SON OF GOD(:18)

—Explanation:(:18)

:18—“And to the angel of the church in Thyatira write: The Son of God, who has eyes like a flame of fire, & His feet are like burnished bronze, says this:”

SON—

“Of God”—He is singularly(the) both 1)100% Divine & 2)100% Human.

?Why/how is this title pertinent to Thyatira’s condition?—To remind Thyatira that Jesus’authority exceeds & supplants all others including the ‘prophetess’ Jezebel.

Jn. 5:26-27—“For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; & He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.”

Jn. 20:31—“but these have been written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; & that believing you may have life in His name.”

EYES—

“Like a flame of fire”

—Penetrating—Separating— Judging— Wrathful.

—Knows everything about me...Failure— Obedience— Commitment.

FEET—

“Like burnished bronze”—Unapproachable strength & judgment—Uphold His sovereign desire & eradicate what is undesirable.

1:15—“When it has been caused to glow in a furnace”—Emphasis on glowing aspect of molten metal.

Christians accept these facts about Jesus...that the Lamb has become the High priest, Chief shepherd & King of kings.

—Argumentation:

Jn. 1:18—“No man has seen God at any time; the only begotten God, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”

Jn. 3:16—“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”

—Illustration:

Parable of the landowner—Mat. 21:33-44—Tolerate the son because he does his father’s will.

—Application:

?You Tolerant of the SON of GOD?

?Your Tolerance Christian Tolerance?

2—Christian tolerance accepts

THE DISCIPLINES OF GOD(:19)

—Explanation:(:19)

:19—“‘I know your deeds, & your love & faith & service & perseverance, & that your deeds of late are greater than at first.”

“Deeds”—ergon—Business, Employment, Occupation, Acts, Thing done, Works. General term for work.

“Love”—agaph—Affection, Love. Stronger than to like.

“Faith”—pistiV—Faith, Conviction of a the truth of something/one.

“Service”—diakonia—Aid, Service, Attendance to, To Minister

“Perseverance”—upomonh—Patience, Steadfastness, Continuance, Endurance.

“Of late”—Latest in succession. Current “deeds” are “greater” than their “first” deeds. “Of late”—Latest in succession.

“Greater”—Greater/Better in quantity &/or quality. Thyatira has progressed in their maturity & Christian witness.

—Argumentation:

2Tim. 1:7—“For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power & love & discipline.”

2Tim. 3:16-17—“All Scripture is inspired by God & profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”

Jn. 14:12—“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do shall he do also; & greater works than these shall he do; because I go to the Father.”

—Illustration:

YMCA membership/Daily discipline/Better health/DISCIPLINES of God

Bible reading—Prayer—Ministry—Giving—Worship— Fellowship, etc.

—Application:

?You Tolerant of the DISCIPLINES of GOD?

?Your Tolerance Christian Tolerance?

3—Christian tolerance accepts

THE INTOLERANCE OF GOD(:20-23a)

—Explanation:(;20-23a)

:20—“ ‘But I have this against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, & she teaches & leads My bond-servants astray, so that they commit acts of immorality & eat things sacrificed to idols.”

PROPHETIC OFFICE—

Mal. 2:7—“For the lips of a priest should preserve knowledge, & men should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts.”

Jn. 13:20—““Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; & he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.””

2Pet. 2:1—“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.”

“21—“‘And I gave her time to repent; & she does not want to repent of her immorality.”

UNREPENTANCE—

:22—“‘Behold, I will cast her upon a bed of sickness, & those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.”

“Adultery”—Spiritual unfaithfulness.

“Tribulation”—yliqiV—Pressure, Pressing.

:23—“‘And I will kill her children with pestilence; ...”

FOLLOWING—

“Those...with her”—Side with Jezebel’s teaching.

“Her children”—Those born into & reared in Jezebel’s false teachings.

—Argumentation:

Hab. 1:13—“Thine eyes are too pure to approve evil, And Thou canst not look on wickedness with favor.....”

Ps. 11:4-5—“The LORD is in His holy temple; the LORD’S throne is in heaven; His eyes behold, His eyelids test the sons of men. The LORD tests the righteous & the wicked, And the one who loves violence His soul hates.”