Written by Kenna Rose
Our world is obsessed with being offended.
We frequently talk about being offended and are careful to watch what we say lest we offend someone else.
We’ve elevated causing offense to be one of the highest forms of moral violation, making it harder to resolve the divide in our nation. People’s feelings have become more precious than public debate or free speech.
Societies can’t – and won’t – survive if they’re unable to trade thoughts and ideas. When the immediate response to a differing opinion is to cry “I’m offended,” all conversation shuts down. Not to mention, “I’m offended” becomes an excuse to be putting down certain ideas as un-compassionate or mean.
It also buries warranted outrage over truly similar to the boy who cried wolf.
The reality is telling the truth to an overly emotional society, even in a loving, respectful way, will offend. And this is where Christians must take notes.
The message we have to share is genuinely an “aroma of death” (2 Corinthians 2:15-16) to a world that doesn’t understand the pointlessness of living for sensual pleasures. We hear so frequently that Christians just need to be “nicer;” to not hurt people’s feelings and to be less “forward” in how we share the gospel.
For example, we are told we should let our witness be in how we live and not through words that might make someone upset.
Calls to make evangelism nicer and gentler are usually calls for Christians to acquiesce to the world and to only preach the soft side of God’s love. But John 15:18-19 says,
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
Oftentimes, living as a witness is going to offend others, too. If we’re seriously trying to live in such a way that honors Christ and shows that we belong to Him, we’re going to have to refuse things the world screams “yes” to and speak up in places where doing so is unpopular.
I think there’s a sense that if we get called names or people refuse to listen, we’re doing something wrong, but that’s not the case. The gospel will offend people (Galatians 5:11, John 6:60-63). Christ is a stumbling block (1 Peter 2:7-8, 1 Corinthians 1:23-24). The message of the gospel disrupts peoples’ entire worldviews and makes them confront a reality with immense, eternity-changing consequences.
It’s a message that changes character, requires sacrifice, and offers endless mercy, and yet still requires justice because God is a just God. This message is offensive to our inborn pride, which is why Christ told us people will hate those who come in His name.
Paul told us to follow him as he follows Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1), and he didn’t just sit there and watch things fall apart. He spoke the gospel with such clarity that governments sought to destroy Him. Christ was murdered. Most of His disciples were, as well.
Throughout history, Christians have been beaten, tortured, and killed for professing the name of Christ. When people don’t like us, it doesn’t necessarily mean we are sharing the gospel “incorrectly.”
However, this shouldn’t be used as an excuse to be mean in our speech. 1 Peter 3:15 reminds us to share the gospel with “gentleness and respect.” Bashing people over the head won’t win souls for Christ. 1 Peter 2:19-20 says it is
“a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly,” and tells us “For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.”
Brothers and sisters, let’s take heart knowing Christ has overcome the world.
Let’s value speaking up for biblical truth more than we crave the approval of those around us.
