Dr. Adrian Rogers was once asked, “Do you believe that a Jew without Jesus is lost?” He remembered thinking at the time that if he said yes, then he would appear to be a racist or bigot. If he said no, he would dishonor the Lord Jesus Christ who died for the sins of all people. He responded, “Friend, I believe that one of my own children without Jesus would be lost. It doesn’t matter whether he’s a Jew or a Gentile. God demands absolute perfection and none of us can provide it. We need Jesus. We need the righteousness of God that comes by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Those that teach and preach the Gospel often face these same dilemmas. They are torn between speaking the pure, unadulterated truth while being sensitive to offending those to whom they are speaking. Most people deal with sensitive personal matters, and if not thoughtful, our words can further damage an already painful wound.
However, it was Ben Franklin that said, “The sting of any rebuke is the truth.” For example, the Bible is in no way ambiguous about those involved in sinful behaviors. But should preachers and teachers speak out against a specific sin? What if someone there that has a child, brother, sister, or grandchild involved in that lifestyle? But then, does that change the truth of God’s word? Should the preacher or teacher just skip over that sin in favor of another leaving it unaddressed? Dr. Rogers said that even if one of his own children was without Christ, it would not change the truth of God’s infallible word.
If my daughter worked at a bank and was caught embezzling, should I never speak out on “Thou shalt not steal” again? Would that relieve me of the responsibility of teaching against stealing? If we are not careful, our political correctness, politeness and over-sensitivity will send multitudes to hell. We must be bold in these last days and speak the truth in love to everyone. We’re not showing anyone Christian love by not sharing God’s word when the Spirit presents an opportunity to do so. Proverbs 27:6 says, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.” A teacher or pastor watering down God’s word is anything but our friend.
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:13 ” … Keep standing firm in your faith. Keep on being courageous and strong.” Also, he wrote in Ephesians 6:19-20,“And pray for me, too. Ask God to give me the right words so I can boldly explain God’s mysterious plan that the Good News is for Jews and Gentiles alike. I am in chains now, still preaching this message as God’s ambassador. So pray that I will keep on speaking boldly for him, as I should.”
So I ask you, how could we do any less after what Christ has done for us? Christians today are being silenced by the political correctness police. Those that are faithfully calling out the sins of their fellow believers are being shamed and called “judgmental”. The political correctness movement is nothing more than an effort to diminish the seriousness of sinful behavior and appease those offended by sound biblical truths. The end result one day soon may be the neutering of a once strong and vibrant church of the living God.
Political correctness has permeated every area of our society today. It is demanding tolerance while pandering to the godless values of pluralism. Reverend Franklin Graham once wrote, “The real offense [to these] is the Gospel itself. The Bible says that Jesus and His sin-conquering work on the cross are a “stone of stumbling and a rock of offense” (1 Peter 2:8, NKJV). Politically correct people hate the Name of Jesus. They despise the Gospel. They don’t want to be reminded of their sin or their need for a Savior. They can’t handle the Truth.”
Every time this subject is discussed, someone always points to Jesus saying that His focus was always on love and not hate. In Matthew 23:27-28, Jesus said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”