PC in the church

David H. Roper wrote a devotional for Our Daily Bread, posted on June 22, 2010. The following is my reaction, that I sent to Bro. Roper's facebook page:

Just read your Our Daily Bread devotional for June 22. Loved the message; it ministered to me. The parting thought, however, left me cold. "A wise person sets his earthly goals on heavenly gains." Yes, the thought is true, but you seem to have bowed(half-way) to political correctness in its expression. I would have preferred "A wise man sets..." or "... sets his/her earthly goals ..."

You guessed it; PC in the church is one of my hot buttons. The Bible often uses "man" in the generic, human, sense. Anyone who doesn't get it needs to study God more closely. So here's a suggestion: Write an ODB devotional on the subject of "Why God doesn't enforce political correctness in the church."

In its attempt to avoid offending anyone, much of today's church has adopted Political Correctness as its public relations policy. Seems we have forgotten that God is "no respecter of persons," meaning He (or she) considers all humankind to be equal, regardless their race, social position, finances, religion, morality, intelligence, physical characteristics or gender.

Acts 10:34,35 states, "So Peter opened his mouth and said: "Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him." Though one of the Bible's oft-repeated themes is egalitarianism, many "Christians" routinely snub those considered in some way inferior. Obviously, that is not God's idea. And the list of applicable Scripture references goes on: Acts 10:45; Acts 11:2; Acts 11:3; Acts 21:20-25

There is, however, another form of political correctness that might better be described as ideological correctness. God's church discriminates against anyone who disagrees with us on issues of faith. Not only do we discriminate, we attack the infidels' personhood, defending our beliefs by attempting to demean those who disagree with us.

Yes, secularists, atheists, cynics, and doubters of all stripes practice the same sort of prejudicial aggression, but as part of the unregenerate world system they bear no responsibility to act more nobly. We, however, as God's body of called-out ones, must strive for godliness. That does not allow for expressing our vain pride in who we think we are and what we think is our infallible grasp on Truth.

When we become defensive in response to doubters' attacks on our faith or our personhood, we demonstrate our insecurity in those very things. That aggressive anxiety accomplishes nothing more than broadcasting our own ignorance or insecurity. The Bible says we must "study to show ourselves approved." (2 Timothy 2:15) And it also says, "But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame." (1 Peter 3:14-16)

If we have no reason for either kind of political correctness, why do we practice it? Thoreau wrote, "I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately, I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life, To put to rout all that was not life and not when I had come to die Discover that I had not lived." A statement more applicable for the Christian life might be, "I went to the Bible because I wanted to believe deliberately, I wanted to live wise and suck all the truth out of life, To put to rout all that was not truth and not when I had come to die Discover that I had not believed." Wisdom and truth are proven by their fruit, not by meticulous adherence to PC.