Pastor Sandy Adams

When the British government hired an artist to paint the portrait of Oliver Cromwell, the painter noticed an ugly wart over the leader’s right eye. He wanted to enhance Cromwell’s image, so he left off the wart.

But when the portrait was unveiled, Cromwell was upset. Rather than appreciating the artist’s efforts, he ordered the wart added to his portrait. He wanted to be seen “warts and all” - coining a phrase we still use.

Yet this has always been the Bible’s approach. One proof of the Bible’s inspiration is how it treats its heroes. Works of antiquity rarely depicted the good guys in an unfavorable light. Historical touch-ups were commonplace. In fact, become too honest about the ruler in power, he might just silence the author.

But the Bible’s writers painted their subjects “warts and all.” Rather than gloss over blemishes and blunders, they hung them on the line for all to see.

The Bible is brutally honest about its heroes... Noah got drunk, Moses was angry, Abraham lied, Elijah got scared, and Peter was prideful. And David, the man after God’s own heart, was guilty of lust, deceit, adultery, manipulation, and murder.

King David could command a kingdom, yet he couldn’t rule his own children.

-From our studies in 2 Samuel 14-17