By Harry Watts

In today’s world, many Christians feel a tension between the ancient God of the Bible and the modern realities they face. How can a faith born in a world of shepherds and temples speak to a time defined by artificial intelligence, genetic engineering, and global networks? With each advancement in science and technology, many wonder if the God of Moses and the apostles can remain relevant to a world that seems to be hurtling forward at breakneck speed.

For a growing number, especially young adults, the God of Scripture feels out of sync with their lives. The Bible’s worldview, steeped in a culture of shame and atonement, may appear foreign in a society where accountability is often rooted in retribution rather than redemption. In the ancient world, sin was seen as a disruption that brought disgrace and distance from God, and sacrifices were required to restore that relationship. But modern society doesn’t operate on this currency. Today, people tend to seek redress or payback when wronged, rather than grace or forgiveness. A God who urges us to “turn the other cheek” and forgive those who harm us may feel out of step with a world where patience and mercy are often seen as weaknesses.

At the same time, the promise of heavenly reward for enduring life’s sufferings doesn’t always resonate in a world saturated with materialism and distraction. When vast disparities exist between the wealthy and the struggling, the notion of deferring justice or satisfaction to the afterlife can feel inadequate, even alienating. Why, some wonder, should the oppressed wait for justice when their struggles seem avoidable and the world’s injustices are so clearly visible?

Contemporary society often equates material wealth with happiness, downplays moral absolutes, and euphemizes dishonesty as “misremembering.” Social issues like abortion or poverty are reduced to discussions about individual rights, while the ethics surrounding them are ignored. Public institutions that once held society’s trust—government, media, and religious institutions—are increasingly seen as corrupt or ineffective, focused more on preserving their power than on serving the common good. As a result, many people feel isolated and discouraged, skeptical of authority figures and disconnected from a sense of larger purpose.

This broken world desperately needs the hope of God, but not as a distant, static figure rooted only in ancient history. The church needs to reintroduce God in a way that speaks to the complexities of today—a God who is not only forgiving but also concerned with justice here and now, a God who understands the challenges of living in a society where people are constantly under pressure and bombarded with mixed messages about what truly matters.

The call isn’t to abandon the God of the Bible but to understand Him anew. If we believe that God is eternal and unchanging, we must also believe that He speaks to every age. The God of Moses, the prophets, and Jesus can still speak meaningfully in an age of artificial intelligence, quantum mechanics, and ethical dilemmas around genetic manipulation. The question is whether we, as Christians, are willing to listen with fresh ears, to engage our faith dynamically, and to reflect it in ways that address the world as it is, not as it was.

The church has an opportunity to show a God who actively cares about the present realities people face. This vision of God doesn’t ask us to ignore suffering or injustice, nor does it ask us to be passive. Instead, it encourages us to be agents of change and compassion, reflecting God’s love and justice in a broken world. Jesus described this faith as “living water”—a faith that doesn’t simply promise future rewards but also transforms the present, offering healing and hope, justice and love. This is the God the world thirsts for—a God of relevance, empathy, and power who doesn’t just watch our struggles from afar but enters into them with us.

Our world needs a vision of God who does not demand we turn back the clock but instead invites us forward with hope and purpose. Now more than ever, a God of mercy, justice, and compassion is not only relevant but urgently needed. The task before the church is to make this God known—not in ways that feel outdated or rigid, but in ways that bring the Gospel’s timeless truths to life in a modern, complex, and deeply broken world.

• A Tale of Two Caterpillars
• Behold the Lamb
• Branches of Memory: A Tale of Friendship and Loss
• God in Modernity
• Going Home
• Guilt and Grace
• Home
• The Encounter
• The Innkeeper
• The Journey Home
• The Last Goodbye
• The Last Sunset
• The Redeemer