Bound by Courtesy
How Political Correctness Muzzles the Word of God
Bound by Courtesy
How Political Correctness Muzzles the Word of God
Politeness has become a prison. In an age where every word is filtered through the lens of offense, many believers hesitate to speak plainly about the truth of God. Political correctness has elevated social comfort above moral clarity. It is a counterfeit moral system masquerading as cultural sensitivity, complete with its own dogmas, heresies, and high priests. It offers a competing vision of right and wrong which directly opposes the truth revealed in Scripture. When manners become more important than righteousness, the Word of God suffers neglect. Truth must never be softened to preserve feelings: Scripture repeatedly affirms that faithful men must proclaim God’s will regardless of resistance, as seen in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Their examples will guide the reflections throughout this article. and how Christians can speak with boldness and integrity in a world that demands silence. Cultural pressures to appease others can undermine our faith. This is evident in the repeated attempts throughout Scripture to silence faithful men like Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Jeremiah was called to speak despite his youth and fear (Jeremiah 1:6–10), and Ezekiel was set as a watchman to warn the wicked, regardless of whether they would hear (Ezekiel 3:17–21). Their steadfast boldness under pressure underscores the enduring necessity of proclaiming God's truth even when it is unwelcome.
I. The Rise of Political Correctness and the Death of Plain Speech
1. Cultural Sensitivity Has Replaced Moral Boldness
What began as a call to kindness has turned into censorship. Many now speak as if the goal of life is to never offend. Yet Jesus said, "Blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me" (Matthew 11:6). Truth is offensive to those who reject it. The gospel cannot be preached without challenging hearts. Paul wrote that the gospel is "a stumblingblock to the Jews, and foolishness to the Greeks" (1 Corinthians 1:23). For the Jews, this stumbling block was Christ's claim to divinity. They had been judged for idolatry, yet Jesus declared Himself the Son of God, making Himself equal with God (John 5:18). For the Greeks, the gospel seemed foolish because their worldview exalted power, wealth, and status. A crucified carpenter did not match their concept of divinity, which prized dominance and honor over humility and service.
This tension was not new. Jeremiah faced threats for proclaiming God's judgment on Jerusalem (Jeremiah 20:1–2, 7–9). Ezekiel was told in advance that Israel would refuse to listen, but he was to speak anyway (Ezekiel 2:3–7). Their experiences show that cultural rejection does not nullify the obligation to speak.
2. Flattery and Softness Have Replaced Sound Doctrine
Many preachers today avoid terms like sin, judgment, or hell. Some preach in a way so gentle and polished that it permits the sinner to feel affirmed in rebellion—marching forward, chest out, straight into eternal destruction with confidence. They opt for messages about empowerment, positivity, and personal growth. But Paul told Timothy, "Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Timothy 4:2). Reproof and rebuke are not popular, but they are commanded.
II. The Bible’s Truth Does Not Bend to Cultural Standards
1. God's Truth Is Not Subject to Human Preferences
The Word of God is not designed to be agreeable to man. It is authoritative, sufficient, and final. The Bible is not one voice among many. It is the only rule for faith and practice, and it speaks to every moral issue with divine clarity. Paul declared, "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him" (1 Corinthians 2:14). In context, Paul refers to the distinction between an inspired man and one who is not—only the inspired could fully receive and communicate God's revealed truth. Today, though we are not inspired as the apostles were, the application holds: the one who lives according to worldly goals will find God's truth foreign and offensive. Without spiritual goals aligned with God's will, the truth will always seem foolish to the natural man. If the gospel seems offensive, it is not because the gospel is wrong. It is because the hearer resists truth. Softening the message does not save souls; it only deceives them. "The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe" (Proverbs 29:25). As Paul warned, those who receive not the love of the truth will believe a lie and be condemned (2 Thessalonians 2:10–12).
2. Jesus and the Apostles Were Not Politically Correct
They spoke with divine authority and unwavering conviction, but they were never needlessly abrasive. As Peter wrote, Christians must be "ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" (1 Peter 3:15–16). Their boldness was grounded in obedience, not in personal pride or provocation. Faithful boldness distinguishes itself from belligerence by its motive—to glorify God and save souls, not to win arguments or stir controversy. There is a difference between offending because of the truth and being offensive with the truth. The former is inevitable; the latter is inexcusable.
Jesus told the Pharisees they were hypocrites, whited sepulchres, and blind guides. In Matthew 23:23, He rebuked them for meticulously tithing garden herbs while neglecting the weightier matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. He did not discard the small things, but insisted that both the minutiae and the great moral demands of the law must be upheld (Matthew 23:13–33). Jesus affirmed that one must not neglect either, and so should we. Stephen called the Sanhedrin stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears (Acts 7:51). Paul withstood Peter to the face (Galatians 2:11). None of them diluted the message to preserve feelings. They understood that spiritual surgery is painful but necessary.
III. Good Manners Cannot Excuse Cowardice in Proclaiming Truth
1. There Is a Difference Between Love and Appeasement
Speaking the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) means speaking from a heart anchored in love for the truth itself. When that is missing, love for the soul becomes vulnerable to compromise. When truth is no longer the foundation, peace becomes the goal, not salvation. And when the soul is valued above the truth, the message will be reshaped to comfort rather than to convict. But truth must come first. Jesus loved sinners, but He never excused their sin. Scripture teaches that love includes correction and discipline. "For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth" (Hebrews 12:6). Jesus Himself said, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent" (Revelation 3:19). He told the woman caught in adultery to go and sin no more (John 8:11). The command was not harsh; it was the beginning of healing.
2. Silence Is Not a Virtue When Souls Are at Stake
The Christian is called to be salt and light (Matthew 5:13–16). Salt preserves by stinging infection. Light reveals things hidden in darkness. A silent Christian is as useless as salt that has lost its savour. If we shrink back from declaring truth, we are no longer faithful to Christ's mission but enablers of destruction. This is especially true for those whom God has placed in positions of leadership: fathers in their homes, preachers in their pulpits, and elders in the church. When those charged with guiding others refuse to speak plainly, the body suffers, and the next generation is left without direction or conviction.
Conclusion
Cultural pressure cannot silence divine truth.
Political correctness demands silence in the very places where God has commanded His people to speak: in the marketplace, in the home, in the pulpit, and in the face of sin. To remain silent is to betray the mission. Originating from secular ideologies that place offense avoidance above objective truth, political correctness undermines biblical preaching by redefining love as agreement and truth as aggression. It replaces divine authority with emotional comfort and seeks to silence moral clarity through social pressure. It prioritizes politeness over repentance and comfort over conviction. It elevates emotional safety above spiritual salvation, exchanging eternal urgency for temporal ease. If good manners prevent a Christian from declaring the truth of God, those manners serve Satan, not Christ. Christians are not called to be offensive for its own sake. They are commanded to speak what God has spoken, regardless of whether the world approves.
Speak the truth and act in accordance with it. Let no consequence, cultural pressure, or fear of rejection sway your allegiance to God's Word. If the world rejects you, it may be that God is refining your faith. If you are received with gladness, it may be that God is rewarding your obedience.
Either way, the Christian must prioritize truth over public reaction.
Paul wrote, "Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth?" (Galatians 4:16). If the truth of God offends, let it offend. If it wounds, let it wound. For only the truth can heal. Let the church speak plainly, live boldly, and refuse to be held hostage by a culture that hates the light.