The Bible is offensive. It is the most scandalous story ever told. God sent his only begotten son to die for our sins so that we may have eternal life in him. It is the greatest love story of all time. It isn’t supposed to be an easy pill to swallow. It was never claimed the Bible is inoffensive or politically correct, nor should it be. In Matthew’s Gospel, Christ himself said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.” Our Lord and Saviour came to shake things up, to bring in a new kingdom – his kingdom – and to denounce the old ways. There is no way to do that without causing some offence.
And so what? What is wrong with causing offence? We have become such a sensitive generation that we will do anything we can to avoid offending or taking offence. We have become risk-averse and afraid of confrontation.
Modern society needs the Bible now more than ever. We have lost our way. We no longer focus on important things like family, faith and freedom. Civil liberties are snatched away without a fight; abortions are at record highs, marriages at record lows; euthanasia is being suggested as a means to end temporary mortal suffering; heteronormative lifestyles are seen as a bad thing; heterodox, on the other hand, is seen as superior; pride is no longer a sin but a virtue; masculinity is described as toxic, making a generation of weak men who cannot protect their families or society; femininity is something to be favoured, even by men; children are being taken from their parents and handed to the state, both figuratively and literally. We are a lost society.
The only way to re-synchronise with our values and our way of life is to return to the source: the Word of God – the Bible.
The Crown Prosecution Service weren’t the first, and they certainly won’t be the last to find the Bible offensive. What are we going to do, continue to cow meekly in order to avoid causing offence? Or say, “so what?” and get on with the job at hand. We are called to disciple the nations. The Great Commission begins here, at home. It is the to pick up our swords – whether ESV, RSV or the Authorised Version – and read them aloud.
Every time a street preacher is arrested in this nation that purports to respect freedom of religion, perhaps two more of us should pick up our Bibles and stand in his/her place. If the Bible is inappropriate for modern society, it is modern society that is at fault. Perhaps it is time for a reminder of that?
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Written by FR Calvin Robinson
Article title: The Bible is inappropriate, So what if the Bible is seen as inappropriate in modern society?
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