Blessed Is He Who Is Not Offended

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CHAPTER 5

OFFENDED BY JESUS?

A lot of believers today that allow themselves to get offended think it's acceptable because they're getting offended at sinners. Other believers may get offended at preachers or anyone who says something different than what they believe or been taught, whether they are right or wrong. They think they're not getting offended at Jesus. In the back of their minds they may think of The Be-Attitudes or The Lord's Prayer. Words like that would never offend them.They also remember Jesus said "Blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in Me." so naturally they think they're not offended in Him.

Well the problem with that attitude is it's not biblically correct. Remember, study and rightly divide.You see the Words of Jesus are not just what He was quoted in the New Testament, i.e. The Red Letters. Let's look at a couple of verses in the first chapter of John.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth.

John 1:1, 14.

So in actuality Jesus is the whole Bible and the whole Bible is Jesus. So according to what we just learned,whenever someone allows themselves to get offended at anything someone(preacher or otherwise) says or preaches based on the Word, they're actually getting offended at Jesus. Look at it again. The Word was God, The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us. Who else could that be talking about other than Jesus.

Now there are two groups of people who get offended by Jesus. The believer and the unbeliever. I know that seems obvious but let me explain. I've heard it said that the Cross is offensive.What's meant by that is when the unbeliever is confronted with the Cross it's telling him that he's a sinner and he needs a savior. The only way we can be saved is by accepting Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross for us. Those of you who were saved as an adult but didn’t get saved the first time you heard the Gospel may recall getting offended when someone told you that you were a sinner and had to repent and come to the Cross or you would spend eternity in hell. After all you probably thought, “I’m a good person, I never killed anybody. Who are you to tell me I’m going to hell.” That can be quite offensive to an unbeliever especially if the Gospel isn’t presented properly.

Now what about the believer, the person who HAS repented, gone to the Cross and accepted Jesus’ sacrifice but has possibly never been exposed to some strong teaching. When that person starts to hear someone (preacher or otherwise) talk about something in the Bible that they’ve never been taught or worse, been taught is not for us today i.e. healing, prosperity, praying in the Spirit, the Rapture (here’s a good one-Are you pre-trib, mid-trib, post-trib or no-trib) believe it or not they can get offended. The list can go on and on. My point is this. In both those cases, the believer and the unbeliever alike, the person is getting offended at something in the Bible, or as we just learned, at Jesus. I believe that’s what Jesus meant when He said Blessed is he who is not offended in Me, or The Word.

There’s a phrase I used to hear a lot when I first got saved. When you hear someone say something that sounds good but you’re not sure of and you can’t find anything in The Word right away the blatantly proves or disproves its validity, “Put it on the shelf.”You probably don’t have to act on it right away so pray on it and let the Holy Spirit reveal the truth of it to you. My point is, for the believer,there’s no reason you to get offended just because you hear something that’s different from what you believe or been taught. Just stay steady and let God lead you.In the fullness of time if you stick with God and keep studying and praying you’ll get the understanding that you need but there’s never, ever any reason to get offended