Tolerance, But At What Cost?

They deliberately forget that God made the heavens by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. HE DOES NOT WANT ANYONE TO BE DESTROYED, BUT WANTS EVERYONE TO REPENT. (II Peter 3:5-9)

Just because God doesn't deal with sin as swiftly as He did during the earlier Biblical times doesn't mean He has changed His mind about sin and the punishment it deserves: “For I am the Lord, I do not change; (Malachi 3:6); The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. (II Peter 3:9) So why isn't He striking people dead on the spot (Acts 5:1-11) or destroying cities by fire for the sexual immorality of the people (Genesis 19:1-29), or is He? No, he is being patient for your sake. (II Peter 3:9); God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, ... (I Timothy 2:3-5)  God wants us to repent, meaning to confess our sins to Him, ask for His forgiveness, and then sincerely desire to stop doing those things that He has commanded and will enable us not to do, through the power of His Holy Spirit (Psalm 51:1-17), so that we can start living the life of peace, contentment and prosperity He has for us (Jeremiah 29:11).

What are the sins God is so patiently waiting for us to repent from, turn away from and turn to Him?  ...vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them. (Romans 1:18-32; Matthew 15:19-20; Mark 7:21-23; II Corinthians 12:20-21; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-7; Colossians 3:5-10)

The problems are, we either want to deny that God exists, so that we don't have to deal with the guilt of our sin; or we want to believe that God is so loving, He couldn't possibly punish us for doing what we "feel" is right.  First problem is, every human being who ever existed or will exist knows that God is real, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse... (Romans 1:19-20).  Second problem is God does not change, and if He says a sin is a sin, it will always be a sin, and the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23)

If sex between two women wasn't sin, God wouldn't call it vile passion. (Romans 1:26)  If sex between two men wasn't sin, God wouldn't call it committing what is shameful. (Romans 1:27; Leviticus 18:22). If sex between a man and a woman who aren't married wasn't sin, God wouldn't call if fornication. (Galatians 5:19; Ephesians 5:3; Colossians 3:5) If sex between a man and a woman who are married to other people wasn't sin, God wouldn't call it adultery. (Exodus 20:4; Deuteronomy 5:18) If sex between humans and animals wasn't sin, God wouldn't command us not to do it. (Leviticus 18:23) And if all the other immoral things we could possibly do weren't sin, God wouldn't say we have a debased mind. (Romans 1:28)

So, how do we resolve this conflict of wanting to do what we want to do, but knowing that we have to obey God if we are saved: For what I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do. (Romans 7:15) The same answer that has always been from the beginning of sin is the same and only answer that will work today: O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans 7:24-25) We must confess our sins to God, and believe the Word of God, in Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord, and then Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.  Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. (I Corinthians 6:18-20); And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:30) God will empower us, through His Holy Spirit and His Word, to do all the things He instructs us to do, because Jesus said I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10)

We are never to tolerate or justify sin, not even in our own lives.  We all have to understand there is no difference;  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,... (Romans 7:22-23); You [God] are indeed angry, for we have sinned— In these ways we continue; And we need to be saved. (Isaiah 64:5); Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. (II Corinthians 5:17-19) God forgives, Christ saves, and through the power of the Holy Spirit, we ALL can be changed! “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way [world's way] that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way [God's way] which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (Matthew 7:13-14); Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. (John 14:6)