When The Word Offends

The story of John the Baptist and King Herod in Mark 6 offers a sobering look at what happens when God’s Word confronts sin and power. John faithfully declared the truth about Herod’s unlawful marriage, and it ultimately cost him his life. Yet despite appearances, evil did not win. Herod lost everything, while John is remembered as one of the great heroes of the faith. God’s Word is not always comfortable. It exposes sin, corrects unbelief, and calls people to repentance. When Scripture offends us, the right response is not to push back but to turn toward God. And when it offends others, our calling is to stand firm with grace and love, just as John did.