Causing offence

[Fervent]

Are they aware you have one? Don’t assume you’ll never get noticed. What’s your focus? My digital presence is a springboard for physical products. I’m sharing about myself and infusing elements of my beliefs in my countenance and perspective. But it isn’t a religious platform nor is the market I’m dealing with. I can still be a light nonetheless and that’s the point.

~bella

I'm basically invisible, so no. My blog has 1 loyal reader and the most read post got 19 distinct visitors. My focus is on apologetics, metatheology, and what it's like to believe in God and be diagnosed with bipolar 1 and ADHD and how they interplay to give me a unique perspective. It would take a miracle for me to get noticed, either good or bad. To tie this into the topic at hand, some of what I write might be offensive to dominionists and hard core fundamentalists.

 

[bèlla]

I'm basically invisible, so no. My blog has 1 loyal reader and the most read post got 19 distinct visitors. My focus is on apologetics, metatheology, and what it's like to believe in God and be diagnosed with bipolar 1 and ADHD and how they interplay to give me a unique perspective. It would take a miracle for me to get noticed, either good or bad. To tie this into the topic at hand, some of what I write might be offensive to dominionists and hard core fundamentalists.

You can turn the posts into podcasts and upload them onto platforms or use them as a springboard for deeper discussions on video. Content related to living with disabilities usually does well. Since you write you could explore controversial themes via substack or patreon.

~bella

 

[Carl Emerson]

How would you answer your own post?

I think of Stephen - He was full of the Holy Spirit delivering Truth to a resistant audience and continued on regardless of the response - they were offended to the point of killing him.

However the key point is being 'in the Spirit'.

Like Jesus could only do what He saw the Father doing, Stephen must have had the confidence that comes from such revelation.

So yes - the ability to see what the Father is doing is not commonly taught or experienced and this is why the Church has few 'Stephens' in this age.

 

[eleos1954]

Jesus spoke truth and often offended.

Discuss how this applies in our world.

Are we loosing an 'edge' if we don't offend?

Is the church largely silent on public issues for this reason?

Your input appreciated.

If a person is offended by the call to repent or the proclamation of the Gospel, it is a necessary part of the message. However, a Christian should never cause offense through rudeness, self-righteousness, or asserting their own rights.

Jesus's words were considered radical because they challenged the cultural norms and religious traditions of his time. For those who did not want to repent or surrender their pride, his message was offensive. The offense was not from Jesus's manner, but from the spiritual conviction that his words produced.

Jesus's confrontational moments, particularly with the Pharisees, were directed at people whose hearts were hard and hypocritical. The offense was designed to challenge their false religious practices and point them back to the Scriptures.

Psalm 119:105
King James Version​

105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

We should maintain this whether in church or outside of it.

I believe our greatest testimony is how we live our lives ... ie .... actions speak louder than words.

 

[Carl Emerson]

If a person is offended by the call to repent or the proclamation of the Gospel, it is a necessary part of the message. However, a Christian should never cause offense through rudeness, self-righteousness, or asserting their own rights.

Jesus's words were considered radical because they challenged the cultural norms and religious traditions of his time. For those who did not want to repent or surrender their pride, his message was offensive. The offense was not from Jesus's manner, but from the spiritual conviction that his words produced.

Jesus's confrontational moments, particularly with the Pharisees, were directed at people whose hearts were hard and hypocritical. The offense was designed to challenge their false religious practices and point them back to the Scriptures.

Psalm 119:105​

King James Version​

105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

We should maintain this whether in church or outside of it.

I believe our greatest testimony is how we live our lives ... ie .... actions speak louder than words.

What does the world see that evidences the 'good news' and draws them to seek Jesus in this age ?

 

[stevevw]

In order to persue the truth you have to be willing to be offended. It was not that Jesus or the disiciples went around offending people. It was that the truth they told offended some as a matter of it being told. It was simply Good News.

Jesus said to the disciples when he sent them out that if a town did not welcome them to move on. They were not open to the message.

I think there is a cultural phenomena happening as well more generally that Christians are immersed in. The social context has been different throughout time. I think today we live in a postmodern era where everything is questioned and there is no truth. Facts are rationalised and experience is the new reality.

A fundemental aspect of postmodernist thinking is words and meanings and narratives create the reality. Personal truths are the reality. So a word or a certain narrative can represent offense or even a threat because it represents attacking someones reality.

That is why certain words or books or language has been banned or cancelled or deplatformed. You can't say certain words or you must say certain words ie pronouns. Almost like language police. So of course say the wrong thing will cause offense.

We also see the proactive use of words as a means to push a narrative. By repeating the words and narratives over and over. Which of course offends the other side. Each side coming up with new words to demean the other. Almost as though everyone is morally outraged.

In some ways its the exact opposite of the age old saying "sticks and stones will break my bones but names will never harm me". Except now names harm people. They are more sensitive to the words and language spoken.

I think this is a culture wide phenomena and not just Christian. Though I think Christian values and biblical truths are becoming one of the trigger narratives today. Just proclaiming biblical truths can be an offense to some.

 

[Clare73]

What does the world see that evidences the 'good news' and draws them to seek Jesus in this age ?

However, they aren't drawn by the "good news" unless the Holy Spirit draws them (Jn 6:36-37).

 

[Carl Emerson]

However, they aren't drawn by the "good news" unless the Holy Spirit draws them (Jn 6:36-37).

Of course...

So what does the world need to see that evidences the 'good news'?

 

[Clare73]

Of course...

So what does the world need to see that evidences the 'good news'?

The operation of the Holy Spirit within them enabling them to see. . .

Nothing they see will enable them apart from the operation of the Holy Spirit within them.

 

[Carl Emerson]

Can I suggest this evidence is the unity among believers...

John 17

21 that they may all be one; just as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me.

 

[rebornfree]

Of course...

So what does the world need to see that evidences the 'good news'?

I think that they need hope. This can come by them seeing the reality of God. Firstly, perhaps, by realising that some of us believe in Him and in an ultimate Truth. By us praying for them and they seeing prayers being answered and by our testimonies. Hopefully this will ignite an interest in the Lord and what He has done for us.