A Serrated Edge

Satire is a kind of preaching. Satire pervades Scripture. Satire treats the foibles of sinners with a less than perfect tenderness.But if a Christian employs satire today he is almost immediately called to account for his unbiblical behavior. Yet Scripture shows that the central point of some religious controversies is to give offense. When Christ was confronted with ecclesiastical obstinacy and other forms of arrogance he showed us a godly pattern for giving offense.In every controversy godliness and wisdom (or the lack of them) are to be determined by careful appeal to the Scriptures and not to the fact of someone having taken offense. Perhaps they ought to have taken offense and perhaps someone ought to have endeavored to give it.