This post is the last of a series of blog posts I’ve been doing on George H. Morrison’s piece, “The Intolerance of Jesus”.
To read the rest of the series–
- Part One–The Intolerance of Jesus
- Pat Two–Intolerance Must be Knowledgeable
- Part Three–Christ Died Because of His Intolerance
- Part Four–Sharing the Allegiance
- Part Five–Child of Glowing Faith
- Part Six–Intolerance in His Perfect Understanding
Christ’s Intolerance Is Based on His Love
Lastly, the intolerance of Jesus is very signally the intolerance of love. Love beareth all things—all things except one, and that is the harm or hurt of the beloved. Here is a little child out in the streets, ragged and shoeless in the raw March weather. Let it stay out till midnight, no one complains at home. Let it use the foulest of language, no one corrects it. Poor little waif, in whom all things are tolerated, and tolerated just because no one loves it! What kind of mother has that little child? What kind of father has that little child? You know them in the street, swollen and coarse, reeking with all the vileness of the city. They tolerate everything because they do not love; when love steps in, that toleration ceases. Now we all know that when our Saviour came, He came at the bidding and in the power of love; love wonderful, love that endured the worst, love that went up to Calvary to die. And just because that love was so intense, and burned with the ardour of the heart of God, things that had been tolerable once were found to be intolerable now. That is the secret of the Gospel’s sternness and of its passionate protest against sin. That is why age after age it clears the issues, and says, “He that is not with me is against me.” The love that beareth all things cannot bear that hurt or harm should rest on the beloved. Christ is intolerant because He loves. — George H. Morrison 1866-1928 — The Intolerance of Jesus
In today’s world, the words love and intolerance are not interchangeable. And yet without intolerance of evil we cannot truly love our husbands, wives, children, neighbors…let alone God. If we do not hate sin we are against Jesus. In Proverbs God says, “Do not hold back discipline from the child[…]And rescue his soul from Hell! Paul tells us, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” I just read Kevin DeYoung’s article at Gospel Coalition, Advice for Raising Godly Children.
A parent that has once obtained and knows how to preserve authority will do more by a look of displeasure, than another by the most passionate words and even blows. It holds universally in families and schools, and even the greater bodies of men, the army and navy, that those who keep the strictest discipline give the fewest strokes. There is not a more disgusting sight than the impotent rage of a parent who has no authority.
I hope you enjoyed this series as much as I did. This was just one days daily devotion from one of Morrison’s Devotional Sermons. You can get his devotional sermons online, just by typing his name and devotional into a Google search, and you will find several places to get them. I used my e-Sword and have added him to several other authors I have for devotionals and commentary.
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