Followers

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

"I'm Offended"

There is something that has been on my mind this week & I spoke about a portion of it this past Sunday in my message. I feel that a culture of "offense" between each other has been created for quite a long time in the 'modern' church. You can go to many churches in America & find believers who have been "offended" by someone, or something, or a group of people within the church, and as I mentioned Sunday there will be people who hold grudges for 5 years, or 20 years..... they will stop attending a certain church because of "offense".... they will wound a brother or sister in Christ by their words or actions instead of taking that matter to the brother or sister... 'they just get offended'

...all kinds of crazy and silly actions.

DOES A CHRISTIAN BELIEVER HAVE A RIGHT TO BE OFFENDED by another believer?

DOES A CHRISTIAN BELIEVER HAVE A RIGHT TO HOLD OFFENSE over another believer?

..quite frankly, Biblically....no. A Christian believer does not have the right to be offended & hold offense.

"What?? no... but Greg you don't know what they did....you didn't hear what they said...you didn't see how they left me out"

--why would I say that above... how come we can't hold offense??

...look how Jesus answered Peter in Matthew 18:21-22:
21 Then Peter came to Him and said, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?"
22 Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

Matt 18:21-22 (NKJV)

--PETER THOUGHT THAT HE WAS BEING VERY, VERY GENEROUS BC/ THE RABBIS TAUGHT THAT YOU ONLY HAD TO FORGIVE A PERSON 2 OR 3 TIMES.

--Peter thought that he was the man.... "I'll forgive them 7 times......that seems overly generous"

--Jesus said, "no Peter...you've got to go way above that... how about 490 times!!!"

--we gave up our right to hold offense when we gave our lives to Jesus & He calls us to forgive

--GUYS, holding offense & being 'offended' is a SELF-CENTERED response that shows P-R-I-D-E because the focus is TOTALLY internal....it's not on the brother or sister... I don't care what they did or didn't do.... you are called to forgive them

--it's pride whenever you say "I'M OFFENDED".. notice who is offended? "I'm".. there is a big letter 'I' there.

--we are human, & WE WILL get offended.....for sure... so what are we to do?

....FORGIVE THEM IMMEDIATELY

...GO TO THAT BROTHER OR SISTER IMMEDIATELY & GET IT TAKEN CARE OF if you need to

--don't run to your spouse, don't run to another group in the church, don't tear down with your words (we will ALL give an account for what we have spoken -- Hebrews 4:13, Romans 14:12-13)

....when we get offended we are NOT forgiving... & the Word is VERY, VERY clear on not forgiving...just read a parable that Jesus told Peter & the Disciples immediately after Peter's question in Matthew 18:23-35

'there was a king who forgave one of his subjects from $$'s owed, & then this subject went out from the king & saw a guy who owed him less than what he owed the king, yet HE WOULD NOT FORGIVE HIM"... not good!!!

--when you tell someone else... "they really offended me" .. you haven't forgiven them... that's not a forgiving attittude

--gang, if God can forgive our sin, self-righteousness, & imperfections, WE HAVE TO FORGIVE EACH OTHER.

--that is why there are many churches divided, not powerful in the Lord, & not effective... because they have let the enemy come in & USE each other to divide. GOD CANNOT STAND DIVISION IN THE CHURCH.

--we are called to encourage each other...

19 Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another Romans 14:19 (NKJV)

11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing. 1 Thess 5:11 (NKJV)

--I see no place of offense in these Scriptures....

--there really is NO place in the believer's life or in the church for us to BE OFFENDED at each other for when we do & allow this we are totally showing UNFORGIVENESS.

--now I know that this is kind-of 'counter-cultural' especially in the church.... but it's the Word!!!

there is no place for this kind of attitude in the church...it's childish junk!!!
The enemy can use it to bring division, but GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN US, than he that is in the world.(1 John 4:4)

PG

1 comment:

Thomas E Hurtt said...

found two quotes that speak to this I like... notice how if we don't forgive that the individual is also not free...

“When you hold resentment toward another, you are bound to that person or condition by an emotional link that is stronger than steel. Forgiveness is the only way to dissolve that link and get free.”
Catherine Ponder

“Forgiveness is not the misguided act of condoning irresponsible, hurtful behavior. Nor is it a superficial turning of the other cheek that leaves us feeling victimized and martyred. Rather it is the finishing of old business that allows us to experience the present, free of contamination from the past.”
Joan Borysenko