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James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
As Christians, we go about our daily lives as fallible humans. Pride enters our heart, our love is sometimes cool, our zeal is often misplaced. How are we affecting those around us?
Jesus spoke quite strongly about offending others:
Mt 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7 ¶ Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
(I thought that there was another verse somewhere that talked about our responsibility at the judgment if we’ve offended someone, but I couldn’t find it. Does someone else know where this is?)
Tit 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Our message will never be popular. Many churches appear to have allowed the world in their midst by watering down the gospel message, being so careful not to “offend” that it also does not convict. Conviction is necessary… offence is not.
Isn’t love the key?
Jesus didn’t cause offence.. He caused conviction. The Pharisees could not find anything honest against Him so He was crucified on trumped-up charges.. they could not stand before His love and the truth.
So we try to show His love to others, but often pride gets in the way. “I am right and you are wrong.” Who is right? Only God. Thus offences come… when our “love” for mankind and the truth is mixed up with something else.
No one will be able to be honestly offended at true love. Are we being the salt of the earth?
James 3:2 For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.
As Christians, we go about our daily lives as fallible humans. Pride enters our heart, our love is sometimes cool, our zeal is often misplaced. How are we affecting those around us?
Jesus spoke quite strongly about offending others:
Mt 18:6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
7 ¶ Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
(I thought that there was another verse somewhere that talked about our responsibility at the judgment if we’ve offended someone, but I couldn’t find it. Does someone else know where this is?)
Tit 2:8 Sound speech, that cannot be condemned; that he that is of the contrary part may be ashamed, having no evil thing to say of you.
Our message will never be popular. Many churches appear to have allowed the world in their midst by watering down the gospel message, being so careful not to “offend” that it also does not convict. Conviction is necessary… offence is not.
Isn’t love the key?
Jesus didn’t cause offence.. He caused conviction. The Pharisees could not find anything honest against Him so He was crucified on trumped-up charges.. they could not stand before His love and the truth.
So we try to show His love to others, but often pride gets in the way. “I am right and you are wrong.” Who is right? Only God. Thus offences come… when our “love” for mankind and the truth is mixed up with something else.
No one will be able to be honestly offended at true love. Are we being the salt of the earth?
P.S. I'm sorry, I have failed in this.
First of all let me say this. Blessed are those who don't take offense to my testimony...
Do you think it made David feel good when he stated he was going to being punished?
How about Job?
You're right Jesus didn't mean to offend anyone with his testimony, the Word was encompassed by Truth and Love. But people can indeed take offense to Truth when it initiallly hits them. As the old saying goes, the Truth indeed can sometimes hurt, but as we mature - we know that the purpose is not to hurt, but instead to heal and discipline us.
We know in part that Jesus is fully love, but as we are disciplined by the Lord, sometimes we will indeed be wounded a bit. Does that mean that we are not Loved? Of course not. I've had to actually spank my kid many a times, and believe you me he was offended and hurt by it. Was my intention to hurt him? Of course not. It was to show him discipline. As he gets older, he'll look back on all that I've instilled on him and be like "thanks dad" man you kept me from being an out of control nutcase!
So I think we need to be real here, no one on earth enjoys being disciplined at first, and usually takes some sort of slight when initially disciplined, Gradually as one gets more mature they hopefully learn to love all forms of discipline and understand the love in it. Despite it all, we are very blessed to have a God/Loving father - who despite our minor feelings/shortcomings - still loves us enough to discipline us and bring us back into his arms in repentance.
You're right Jesus didn't mean to offend anyone with his testimony, the Word was encompassed by Truth and Love. But people can indeed take offense to Truth when it initiallly hits them. As the old saying goes, the Truth indeed can sometimes hurt, but as we mature - we know that the purpose is not to hurt, but instead to heal and discipline us.
We know in part that Jesus is fully love, but as we are disciplined by the Lord, sometimes we will indeed be wounded a bit. Does that mean that we are not Loved? Of course not. I've had to actually spank my kid many a times, and believe you me he was offended and hurt by it. Was my intention to hurt him? Of course not. It was to show him discipline. As he gets older, he'll look back on all that I've instilled on him and be like "thanks dad" man you kept me from being an out of control nutcase!
So I think we need to be real here, no one on earth enjoys being disciplined at first, and usually takes some sort of slight when initially disciplined, Gradually as one gets more mature they hopefully learn to love all forms of discipline and understand the love in it. Despite it all, we are very blessed to have a God/Loving father - who despite our minor feelings/shortcomings - still loves us enough to discipline us and bring us back into his arms in repentance.
In Christ,
Stephen
You are right.. the Truth and discipline hurts. This is not what I'm talking about. Like I mentioned in the post, the message will not be popular... but, IMO, can be free of offense (ideally) if we have true love in our hearts.
"Having no evil thing to say"
Conviction hurts, and points to God. Offense hurts, and points away from God. I believe there is a difference.
You are right.. the Truth and discipline hurts. This is not what I'm talking about. Like I mentioned in the post, the message will not be popular... but, IMO, can be free of offense (ideally) if we have true love in our hearts.
"Having no evil thing to say"
Conviction hurts, and points to God. Offense hurts, and points away from God. I believe there is a difference.
Well I'm being real here. When I was younger and my parents took out the whip and hit me with it, I was extremely offended. It wasn't until I got older and made so many mistakes that I had wished that they had whipped me more..
First, I'm going to assume you mean offensive to non-believers rather than believers, although the scripture you used says the 'little ones who believe in me'...but I'll assume you meant non-believers.
I think you are right, cg81.
In fact, I know you are.
The message of the cross might be offensive to someone's flesh as in "What? I'm a sinner? me? How offensive!!"
But the messenger should not be offensive.
I've read posts by Lindsey, Troop, Cheilgirl, and others and it's obvious they have encountered some rude and offensive folks who were rude and offensive in the name of Christ. That should not be.
Our message might be offensive like a bad taste in your mouth, but our actions and love should be a style that would encourage someone to swallow some initially bitter medicine. We should be set apart. We should be noticeably different.
But if you would have been honest with yourself would you have had "any evil thing to say" about them? Really, you knew they loved you..right?
At the time who knows. You know how children are. We come into this world expecting to get what we want, and then when we don't get it we become quickly offended, even though our parents 99% of the time have something better in store for us.
I'm a parent now, so I understand better what my parents as well as what God goes through. I still haven't gotten to the point where I've completely feel good every time I've been disciplined, but I've gotten to the point where I understand that discipline is loving. I don't think you'll find to many individuals in this world who like to be rebuked. It takes a certain level of maturity to get to the point where one always can accept rebuke from a friend of family member as loving.
First, I'm going to assume you mean offensive to non-believers rather than believers, although the scripture you used says the 'little ones who believe in me'...but I'll assume you meant non-believers.
I think you are right, cg81.
In fact, I know you are.
The message of the cross might be offensive to someone's flesh as in "What? I'm a sinner? me? How offensive!!"
But the messenger should not be offensive.
I've read posts by Lindsey, Troop, Cheilgirl, and others and it's obvious they have encountered some rude and offensive folks who were rude and offensive in the name of Christ. That should not be.
Our message might be offensive like a bad taste in your mouth, but our actions and love should be a style that would encourage someone to swallow some initially bitter medicine. We should be set apart. We should be noticeably different.
Anyone can be rude.
Anyone can be offensive.
Not just anyone can reflect Christ.
And sometimes people have evil intent and need to be exercised.
First, I'm going to assume you mean offensive to non-believers rather than believers, although the scripture you used says the 'little ones who believe in me'...but I'll assume you meant non-believers.
I think you are right, cg81.
In fact, I know you are.
The message of the cross might be offensive to someone's flesh as in "What? I'm a sinner? me? How offensive!!"
But the messenger should not be offensive.
I've read posts by Lindsey, Troop, Cheilgirl, and others and it's obvious they have encountered some rude and offensive folks who were rude and offensive in the name of Christ. That should not be.
Our message might be offensive like a bad taste in your mouth, but our actions and love should be a style that would encourage someone to swallow some initially bitter medicine. We should be set apart. We should be noticeably different.
Anyone can be rude.
Anyone can be offensive.
Not just anyone can reflect Christ.
What you say is good in principle, but remember that the Lord could come across as brash with his testimony at times. We know from the scriptures, and from our understanding that it was all out of Love, how many of us though - would have been offended when he called us hypocrites? I know I would. If he told me to go home after I came to him, I would probably cry and be like "what a mean man!"
We often times don't realize how blessed we are to live in this day and age having the fullness of the gospel given to us. I think many of us although we preach ourselves as being quite receptive of the Truth, would have gone the same way as the Pharisees and the rest of Israel if we were present with the Lord.
We simply accept that the Lord is loving because it is taught to us, not because we actually believe it or have faith in it many times. I've come to the point in my life where I can look at the Word in entirety and say, you know this is really Loving. God is indeed fully Loving, despite what I read - whether it convicts me or not. I don't think many who have come from different walks of life where they are not taught in the same way we are can accept it so easily. Because the Truth has been so easily handed to us, we have a greater responsability to spread it and it's Love. I often wonder how many of us will not be offended if Christ were to come and accuse us of sin today. We may not know it, but many times he does indeed speak through all of us in different ways to test and make sure that we are always keeping our ears open, and following his ways.
The message of the cross might be offensive to someone's flesh as in "What? I'm a sinner? me? How offensive!!"
Right! The message will hurt our flesh... however, someone face to face with Christ's love will not be able to say Jesus is rude or offensive. (There will be no excuses on judgement day.) And we should reflect that love.
Quote:
Originally Posted by simpleton
I don't think you'll find to many individuals in this world who like to be rebuked.
And again, that's not what I'm getting at, at all.
To clarify my post, I was talking about unbelievers having a cause of offense from Christians... vs. being convicted by Christ's love... under which there is no honest defense.
Of course, we will offend. Our flesh gets in the way. Pride mixes things up. But I want to try a little harder...
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