The church in Thyatira has a problem. It’s not a thing but a person. Her name is Jezebel.
Though she calls herself a prophet, she misleads people. That makes her a bad prophet. She encourages the church to engage in immoral behavior and unholy actions. She even advocates Satanism.
Not only does Jesus promise a harsh punishment to her and her followers, but he also criticizes those who tolerate her, by allowing her errant teaching to go unchecked.
Tolerance of others is usually a good thing. But sometimes tolerance is unacceptable, such as in the face of wrong teaching that encourages people to sin or leads them away from Jesus.
This doesn’t apply to differences of opinion or theological disputes. Those instances do demand tolerance. Acceptance is key. Love, in the name of Jesus, is the standard.
However, we must speak against people who try to pull others away from Jesus, those who cause his followers to stumble in their faith.
May we never discourage others from pursuing God, and may we never tolerate those who would pull Jesus’s followers away from him.
Are we ever tolerant when we shouldn’t be? Are we ever intolerant when we should love?
[Discover more about Jezebel in Revelation 2:18–29. Also, see Luke 17:1–2.]
Learn about other biblical women in Women of the Bible, available in audiobook, e-book, paperback, and hardcover.
A lifelong student of the Bible, Peter DeHaan, PhD, wrote the 1,000-page website ABibleADay.com to encourage people to explore the Bible. His main blog and many books urge Christians to push past the status quo and reconsider how they practice their faith in every area of their lives.
