We live in a culture obsessed with not causing offence. Sensitivity training has become big business.
This leaves us Christians with a problem. Jesus described the gospel as a skandalon - something which would offend people.
It’s a good thing to be sensitive to people, and it’s certainly a good thing to respect each person as a unique creation of God. And we have a mandate to offer the unconditional love of Christ to everyone we meet. But while we need to be caring and respectful for people, we do not need to respect everything they believe, say or stand for. Dietrich Bonhoffer was not sensitive to Hitler, even though it cost him his life.
This is why the gospel is an offence. Jesus described the gospel and himself in terms of truth. I am the way, the truth and the life. You shall know the truth and the truth will set you free. Whoever does what is true comes to the light. And by contrast, those who reject me believe a lie and follow the father of lies.
Everyone thinks they are entitled to their truth, which is their perception of the world. I’ll stay within my circle of truth and you stay within yours and we’ll all be happy. But inevitably, your truth and my truth collide. When what I want collides with what you want, somebody’s truth has to give.
We should never give offence to people for the wrong reasons. We should never forget to show respect to people we disagree with. But we have to be prepared to allow the gospel to be an offence, because through it God’s truth collides with the world’s lies.
We do not have a right to judge people, but we do proclaim the gospel of a God who does have that right. You cannot proclaim the good news of the gospel without also proclaiming the judgment it brings to those who reject it.
We do not have the right to offend people, but God certainly does. He is happy to offend them in order to get their attention and save them from eternal disaster.
The culture we live in does not really tolerate any and every view. It only tolerates those views which exist within well-defined limits it approves. Step outside those limits and you will quickly find out.
I want to be liked, but if I am to love people truly, I may need from time to time to offend them, and be willing to take the consequences.
The truth that becomes inconvenient for me now will become inconvenient for others later, and I am willing to pay the price to stop that happening.
Even if I offend them.
It’s worth it for both them and me.
CONSIDER PARTNERING WITH DAVID & ELAINE CAMPBELL IN HELPING TO SUSTAIN THEIR ACTIVE MINISTRY.
AWAKENING MINISTRIES // FOUNDATION of FAITH Project
Foundation of Faith Project is strengthening generations in faith and bringing beautiful changes to the communities around them. Through teaching, mentoring and coaching, many are finding out who they are and who they are destined to be. They are bringing more to their world. David Campbell is the key leader in this initiative and you can support him financially directly through Awakening Ministries.
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