Consider the path of a bullet during a murder. The bullet begins in the gun, being propelled down the barrel at rapid speed. At some point, it leaves the gun, entering the air. It travels through the air, quickly penetrating the clothing of the victim before making equally short work of their skin, their muscle tissue, and finally, destroying their heart. What I have just described is progress. The bullet progressed from the gun to the victim, resulting in an unnecessary death; a truly terrible outcome.
You see, then, how calling something "progress" does not automatically make it good. If we are to make progress, it is vitally important that we are progressing towards a good thing. Progress towards a negative outcome should be halted wherever possible.
As much as our culture likes to brag about how "progressive" we are, the fact is, our so-called "progress" is the kind of progress we need to not only halt, but flat out repent of. As much as we call it progress, "There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death." (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25).
This, according to "Progressives", is a very offensive message. So we have to change it. We can't be running around teaching that the Bible is true, it's offensive to non-Christians. If we teach that the Bible is true, they won't believe the Bible, so we should keep reinforcing their opinions that the Bible isn't true in order to make them think it is.
If this sounds absurd, it's because it is. Yet, it is the message of so many people in the modern day. The Bible is filled to the brim with things sinners find offensive. Even the fact that I just said the word "sinner" is enough to raise a few hackles. Literally, from page 1, the Bible offends people. Did God really create the heavens and the Earth in 6 days? The Bible says yes, but according to certain jellyfish, we shouldn't die on that hill. After all, not many people agree with the Bible. So, to pacify those who do not believe the Bible, we should pretend the Bible is compatible with the more popular secular origins myth. That way, they might be more interested in Jesus.
Now, already, this approach is highly flawed. Christ Himself did not compromise in the slightest in order to make people like Him. We see in John 6, for example, that Jesus very intentionally spoke in a confusing way, causing many people to abandon Him. And in Mark 4:10-12, Jesus explains that He didn't speak plainly precisely so they wouldn't understand Him. Now, if Jesus opts for using parables, knowing full well it would cause people to leave Him, why would we be willing to compromise the truth just to lead people to Him?
What's worse is that when you use this strategy, there are only two likely outcomes. The first is that they believe you even less. No one likes a hypocrite. Not even hypocrites like hypocrites. And if you don't believe your own Bible, you can be sure you will become an excuse for them not to either.
The second is that by conforming the Christian faith to their pre-existing views, then even if they become a "Christian", all they've really done is add Christianity to their pre-existing views. You didn't change their minds towards the faith, you changed the faith towards their minds. They converted you. You did not convert them.
But our goal is to convert them. We don't want them to believe God loves everything they love, hates everything they hate, and just wants them to believe everything they already believe. Jesus had a very clear message: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17). There is something very wrong with all of us. We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). That means we do, say, and even think things that are not compatible with His Holy nature. He gives us a command, we disobey. He teaches us a doctrine, we disagree. For that, His word tells us we are owed His wrath.
This message is very offensive to basically everyone who doesn't believe it. As Scripture says, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18). Because the first half of the message is so offensive, so also is the second. How can people rejoice in the Savior if they hate the very idea that they need saving? If they deny their favorite sins are sinful, why would they believe they need God's grace? And if you then double down and reaffirm their sins and beliefs, then even if they accept some form of Jesus, how will it be the real one? "For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it!" (2 Corinthians 11:4).
Suddenly, it becomes very clear that the only "progress" in "Progressive Christianity" is progress away from God, straight into the everlasting fires of Hell. So what if preaching the "offensive" truth puts them off the Christian faith? There is no sequel to Hell! It's not like they were heading to Heaven in their ignorance, but then you showed up preaching a crucified Savior, and suddenly they hopped onto the path to eternal damnation! They need the Savior, but the point is they need the Savior. They need the Lord, and they need Him as He is, not as they wish He was. If they want a god who created via Evolution, who approves of all kinds of sexualities, who doesn't care how many babies are murdered on a daily basis, who wants the government to pay for everything from condoms to energy drinks, who basically exists only to serve them and their infinite desires, they will not find it in the Christian faith, and woe betide the fool who convinces them they will. But if they want a God who will tell it like it is, the offensive parts included, yet who loves them enough to forgive them via the precious blood of His only Son, with the sole condition that they put their faith in Him, they will find true satisfaction in Christianity.
As. It. Is.
There is no room for compromise in the Christian faith. The only progress we need to be making is the lifelong journey from sinner to saint. We take the sins we once committed, the blasphemies we once uttered, the lies we once believed, and we lay them at the foot of the cross, becoming more like Jesus every day until He calls us home to glory, and we enjoy perfection forever. If that offends you, maybe you need to become a Christian yourself.