Intolerant Christianity

One of the saddest features which confronts us in the study of the history of Christianity is the spirit of intolerance so frequently manifested by the professed followers of Jesus Christ toward those who differ with them. A few instances in Christ's life are indicative of His attitude toward those who refused to believe in or follow Him.

Scribes and Pharisees brought Christ a woman against whom the evidence of guilt was so clear it would not be controverted. John 8:4. Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? Apparently ignoring their question, He stooped down and wrote with His finger in the sand—not the woman’s condemnation, but the sins of her accusers. When the oldest, perhaps a gray-haired libertine, saw the record of his life in the sand, saw that Christ knew he had much to do with the woman's downfall, with a convicted conscience he went out; and so on down to the youngest. They were all equally guilty with the woman.

When Christ arose, He was alone with her guilt in the presence of the matchless purity, "Woman, hath no man condemned thee? She answered, "No man, Lord." and Christ replied, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." And she went forth from His presence with her sins forgiven, a transformed woman, with peace of God in her heart, and her womanly heritage of purity again sovereign in her life. Sin had been written in the sand, to be erased later by the wash of the waves or the blowing of the wind, teaching a lesson of hope to all who are in sin, and also that sin is not to remain forever in God's universe. Should the cause of the downfall of many a poor outcast in our time be written by the same finger, perhaps many a man now honored by society or even by the church, would be unable to face the record, but would be compelled to turn from it with a convicted conscience, as did the scribes and Pharisees in Christ’s time. Had the spirit of intolerance prevailed, the woman would have perished; instead the spirit of Him who is the Author of liberty triumphed, and the woman was saved for the time and for eternity. Let us hope her accusers went out to repent and reform.

As Jesus traveled toward Jerusalem, He entered a village of the Samaritans, between whom and the Jews there existed bitter rivalry and hatred. When the Samaritans saw that His face was turned toward Jerusalem, they refused to receive Him. This incensed James and John, who suggested that infliction of the death penalty, and that by fire. But Jesus turned and rebuked both of them and the spirit which would crush the conscience., "Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them." Luke 9:51-56.

How different would be the record of Christianity had all its adherents imbibed this spirit - no word censuring those who rejected Him, no desire to persecute or destroy any! He recognized and taught the eternal truth that to God alone is man responsible for his faith or his religion. "If any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not: . . . the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day."

In the closing hours of Christ’s life occurred an incident which again revealed the spirit of the Nazarene, and again rebuked physical force in matters religious. Judas had betrayed Jesus; Roman soldiers laid hands on Him, taking Him prisoner. Enraged at this insult to his Master, Peter seized a sword, and with it smote off a man's ear defending religion with a sword of steel. Instantly Christ restored the severed member, saying to Peter, "Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." Matt. 26:52. Christ recognized but two swords (Luke 22:38), one the sword of the Spirit, the other the sword of state; and by His command to Peter He forever prohibited the church from using the sword of the state in the defense of Christianity, much less to propagate it and punish those who refuse to accept it. Matt. 22:21.

The power of love, of gentleness, of persuasion, of entreaty, of evidence, of demonstration, is the armament of the true follower of Jesus Christ; and when these are set aside, and pains and penalties, ostracism and the boycott, substituted, then verily Christ is crucified afresh in the house of His friends. “Truth crushed to earth with rise again;” and in its added glory, bigotry, intolerance, and persecution will wither and perish forever. Love . . . taketh not account of evil; love suffereth long, and is kind.

Advent Review and Sabbath Herald, Tacoma Park, D.C. January 6, 1910 by: John N. Quinn

(All emphasis mine) sb