Tolerance?

So, I need an outlet for something God is working out in me.  It may be a touchy subject, but I think God's grace will cover it.  I started this journey just trying to understand why it is that some of my friends and family have appeared to reject all they have been taught about our Savior.  Let me be clear.  I don't think that God is a Republican or Democrat, left wing or right, He is God and His word speaks for Him.  I try not to get caught up in politics because I know that men/women are flawed and those that run for office (save a few) most likely have bigger problems.  I do my part and vote for the candidate that I believe holds my values and stands up for those values, I don't care which party they belong to.  Anyway, I wanted to put that out there.   This is not a political debate.  It is an outlet for what God is showing me about things I see going on around me.  There, I think I covered the preface.
In growing concern for my loved ones (I will keep names and situations out of this), I began to ask the Lord what I was missing.  Am I being a close minded person?  Am I missing something that You want to do because I don't think this mindset is healthy or right?  So, I began to pray about how to view these people and situations.  I don't like to feel judgmental, so I take these things to the Lord.  I asked God, "Are you Tolerant?"  "Lord, I remember that you hung around sinners and tax collectors.  I remember that you took up for the woman that was going to be stoned.  I remember that you still ministered to the thief while on the cross.  Am I missing something?"  The response that came next was, of course, "Look deeper."  So, I did.  I don't believe that God is tolerant at all.  I believe that God is Love.  Not in a hippy commune type of way.  You see, in every instance where Jesus hung out with sinners (which the Pharisees hated, by the way) He had called them away.  Mark 2:17 says, "On hearing this, Jesus said to them, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.  I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."  He called them away from their behavior to follow Him.  It was an immediate action.  In Mark 2:14 just before the verse above, Jesus sees Levi sitting at a tax collector's booth (sinner of all sinners back then) "Follow me," Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed Him.  Wow!  That is amazing.  I really wish in all my 'righteousness' getting up and following Jesus would be so easy.  In this, He does not confront them, he plainly states, follow me.  There is no protest, there is no petition, just a simple act of faith on the part of the sinner.  Ok, let's look at another example, the Parable of the Lost Sheep. Luke 15: ¹ Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. ² But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

 ³ Then Jesus told them this parable: ⁴ “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? ⁵ And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders ⁶ and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ ⁷ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.  

Again, Jesus is talking about repentance.  Next, the adulterous woman. Luke 8: ³ The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group ⁴ and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. ⁵ In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” ⁶ They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.

   But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. ⁷ When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” ⁸ Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

   ⁹ At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. ¹⁰ Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

   ¹¹ “No one, sir,” she said.

   “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”  

What did He right in the sand?  I have no idea, but here is another example of Jesus calling the woman away from her sin.  

I will end with this passage from 1 Timothy.  I love this!   1 Timothy 1:¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. ¹³ Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ¹⁴ The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

 ¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Wow!  What a statement!  This sinner (and we are ALL sinners) was CHANGED by Jesus!  He didn't condemn them, he didn't necessarily confront them, but He CALLED them to leave their sin and follow Him.  This sinner just happened to be Paul, formerly Saul, he did GREAT things with this sinner (after he called him away).

So, do I believe that God is tolerant of sin (any sin)?  No.  I believe that he LOVES us enough to call us away from that sin.  Do we as believers need to take it upon ourselves to call sinners out?  I don't think so.  We are called to so much more, but I believe that Jesus does the calling.  We are to share the gospel and love like He loves us.  Does this mean we should sit and dine with (unrepentant) sinners every night?  From what I see in these passages, Jesus called, then he spent time with them discipling them.  He did not take up their cause and make them feel better about who they are.  He simply loved them and guided them, then released them to do the same.  

Does this make me feel better about where my loved ones are turning, no.  It does help me know how to pray for them and to know that He will give me words and love for them.  I know it's not all the answers.  I don't pretend to know them.  I know that he still calls people out of their sin and I know that people are out there searching for things and ideals to put in place of Him.  We as believers should be Love, not Tolerant.

Just rambling now, but you can see my thought process.  This was not meant to offend anyone.  It is the process the Lord took me through this morning for understanding.  I hope and pray that if you are reading this and feel the calling of the Lord, that you will reach out to Him.  If you have questions, please comment.  Again, I don't have all the answers.  Only God does, but I can pray through until something happens!

Blessings!