Controversial Christianity

I have been reading The Pleasures of God by John Piper. This quote really stood out to me: "Can controversial teachings nurture Christlikeness? Before you answer this question, ask another one: Are there any significant biblical teachings that have not been controversial? I cannot think of even one, let alone the number we all need for the daily nurture of faith. If this is true, then we have no choice but to seek our food in the markets of controversy. We need to stay there. We can go home and feast if the day has been well spent. But we must buy there. As much as we would like it, we do not have the luxury of living in a world where the most nourishing truths are unopposed. If we think we can suspend judgment on all that is controversial and feed our souls only on what is left, we are living in a dreamworld. There is nothing left. The reason any of us thinks that we can stand alone on the truths that are noncontroversial is because we do not know our history or the diversity of the professing church. Besides that, would we really want to give to the devil the right to determine our spiritual menu by refusing to eat any teaching over which he can cause controversy (121-122, emphasis mine).

As I reflected on this statement, I realized how right it was. There is not a single biblical doctrine that is not controversial. God's sovereignty and delight in his own glory is questioned. Creation, the miraculous, and divine revelation are doubted. The deity and humanity of Jesus is disputed. The bloody death of Christ as a substitute for the penalty we deserve is repugnant. The sinful nature of man is denied. The exclusivity of Christ is abhorred. Even the ordinances of baptism and the Lord's Supper cannot escape controversy when you reflect upon what they symbolize. One might argue that everyone can agree that God is love, but when examined in light of the biblical picture of God's love, it too is contended. If we attempt to strip or water biblical truth down to an inoffensive message, we are left with nothing. A virtually non-existent but needy God makes one of many paths to him by way of a nice guy who people don't really need. What is the point? Why would anyone accept a gospel that is unnecessary? It is no longer good news, only nice news.

We need to realize that Christianity is controversial. Some will hate it. Some will hate us as a result of it. We cannot let our fear to offend keep us from preaching the whole counsel of God. We are not responsible for the appeal of the message, only of our right handling of it. To some it will smell of death, but to others the aroma of Christ will be the fragrance of life. "
But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ" - 2 Corinthians 2:14-17. Let us not peddle a pleasing message that tickles the ears of unbelievers but has no power to save. Instead, let us realize that all who are in Christ are commissioned to speak the whole, controversial message of Christ. To God be the glory!