God’s people must not collapse or compromise in the face of the fear and intimidation that dominate the world. We believe this series, first published in February of 2019, is a timely reminder that cowardice is contrary to authentic Christian living, and that Christians should find courage and confidence in the truth of God’s Word. –ed.

Few things today are as valuable as carefully chosen words. In an environment where critics and opponents are looking for excuses to be offended, bold speech and clear language are increasingly rare.

God’s people are not immune to this trend toward enforced inoffensiveness. We have all felt the familiar twinge of societal pressure to stay silent when we ought speak up, or to dull the sharp edges of truth that cuts to the quick. While we rightly long to be clear and courageous communicators of God’s Word, the reality is that we often fall short.

We have been called to preach a gospel the world wants nothing to do with; to be messengers of a message the world rejects and hates. How do we cultivate the courage we need to faithfully proclaim the truth? How do we steel ourselves against the societal pressures to stay silent?

We recently bought those questions to John MacArthur. Here’s what he had to say:

Christians can’t be afraid of offending the world with the truth. But don’t mistake that as an argument for cavalier boorishness. It’s not the work of the gospel if you’re looking to pick a fight. Instead, like John said, we need to cultivate a high view of Scripture, and take our boldness from our conviction that God’s truth alone can rescue sinners and save souls. Confidence in the Word of God is the key to courageous Christianity.