We hear it more and more often that we must be tolerant. We are told we should be tolerant of alternative lifestyles and non-Christian religions. In the United States, we appear to be headed toward court orders and legislative directives to enforce this tolerance. 

In Dunbar, West Virginia, the First Baptist Church had been having a "Haunted Hollow" at the Wine Cellar City Park during the previous two years. It is similar to the well-known "Judgment Houses." During a 45-minute tour, short skits are performed demonstrating the hazards of sin. This year (2000), they have dropped the skit negative to homosexuality because of the complaints of some citizens. However, the Wiccans are now upset and are going to court because of what they call a negative portrayal of their religion.

The fact is that our God is intolerant. The One True God is intolerant of homosexuality and witchcraft. But, it is unfair to single those two sins out because our God is intolerant of all sins. Actually, God hates sin! "For all these things I hate, says the Lord." God hates sin so much that He "spared not His own Son (Romans 8:32)." What terrible thing caused God’s Son to die an excruciating death on that cruel, cold, Roman cross? It was sin! God hated sin so much that He sent this One who knew no sin to become sin for us. God knew that it was only through His Son, Jesus, that we might have victory over this terrible disease of sin.

Yes, God loves us (John 3:16) but He still hates sin. As His children, we love the sinners but we too should hate the sin. We should hate the sin so much that we should oppose it at every turn (Matthew 5:13). We should hate sin so much that we tell others about God’s love of sinners and hate of sin (Matthew 5:14-16). We should hate sin so much that we "lay" it "aside" (Hebrews 12:1). We should hate the sin so much that when we sin - we immediately confess it to our Lord so that we may be forgiven and cleansed of all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).