Taking Offense

[SpiritPsalmist]

Greetings Happy Thursday 09/10/09 to all.

Here is a scripture verse I found myself pondering earlier this morning as I was driving home from a trip.

PS 119:165 "Great peace have they who love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."

​

Question: According to this verse, who's fault is it when we take up offenses? Feel free to explain your thoughts on the issue.

 

[pdudgeon]

this is a good reminder.
i think there will always be opportunities for us to be offended, but thinking about God and how good He is to us can bring us peace so that it is easier to let go of the offense, and act as we should instead of responding in kind.

 

[Child of JC]

John Bevere says that offense is the "bait of satan". We can choose to take the "bait" or not.

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

The armour of God covers everything but the back. When anyone feels they are being stabbed in the back then pride is usually involved.

 

[Tamara224]

If someone does or says something to me with the intention of offending me, or with careless disregard for me, then it is that person's fault if I get offended.

I can choose to set the offense aside and forgive the person. Or I can hold on to my grievance and hold it against the person. If I choose the latter, that is my fault.

If a person has no intention of offending me and is not being completely careless but says or does something that causes me to feel offended, then it is my fault that I am offended. (People, including myself, rarely recognize this situation when we are experiencing it, however.)

Whether it is someone else's fault or my own that I am offended, though, doesn't make any practical difference. Whether I am justified in being offended or not... my reaction is supposed to be forgiveness and grace.

 

[imperfectchristian]

Greetings Happy Thursday 09/10/09 to all.

Here is a scripture verse I found myself pondering earlier this morning as I was driving home from a trip.

PS 119:165 "Great peace have they who love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."


​

Question: According to this verse, who's fault is it when we take up offenses? Feel free to explain your thoughts on the issue.

Great verse and meditation!

I suggest that what offended means in this instance has to do with being offended at the way of righteousness because of the sucesses of the unrighteous.

If I see someone doing wrong and my heart is not stayed on what God tells me is right, I might (in my clouded view) very well become offended at the way of righteousness as not being the right way and choose to embrace what I see is working at the moment for someone else.

The parallel to this verse in the New Testament would be James 1:22-24:


22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

 

[nephilimiyr]

I made a thread in the debate section on the question concerning our beliefs being slandered and how we take offense some months ago and here it is.

http://www.christianforums.com/t7361563/

Here was my OP.

Lash out and engage in the same things we see are being committed against our beliefs? Or should we be more like Paul?

1 Corinthians 4:10-13, We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

1 Cor. 4:16, Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

Do we have a right to take it personal when someone slanders or mocks our beliefs? Did Paul take it personal when he was mocked and abused for preaching the gospel?

If we see someone as being divisive are we to continue to argue and debate with this person? Paul answers this question here:
Titus 3:10, Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him.

 

[nephilimiyr]

If someone does or says something to me with the intention of offending me, or with careless disregard for me, then it is that person's fault if I get offended.

I can choose to set the offense aside and forgive the person. Or I can hold on to my grievance and hold it against the person. If I choose the latter, that is my fault.

If a person has no intention of offending me and is not being completely careless but says or does something that causes me to feel offended, then it is my fault that I am offended. (People, including myself, rarely recognize this situation when we are experiencing it, however.)

Whether it is someone else's fault or my own that I am offended, though, doesn't make any practical difference. Whether I am justified in being offended or not... my reaction is supposed to be forgiveness and grace.

Excellent post Tamara, I agree with you 100%. When I read how Paul suffered to spread the gospel, how he was cursed when doing so, how he was seen as the scum of the earth, and yet not taking offense with what people were saying about him and his beliefs, and how they were treating him, I want to at least try to imitate him. And what did Paul do? he showed people mercy and kindness no matter how bad they treated him and slandered him.

 

[cyberlizard]

and yet paul said (we do not know if he said it spitefully or took offense) 'may the Lord repay him for the harm he has done (2 Tim. 4v14) and it appeared directed at Paul.


Steve

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

Greetings Happy Thursday 09/10/09 to all.

Here is a scripture verse I found myself pondering earlier this morning as I was driving home from a trip.

PS 119:165 "Great peace have they who love thy law: and nothing shall offend them."


​

Question: According to this verse, who's fault is it when we take up offenses? Feel free to explain your thoughts on the issue.

I'm wondering how this thread is a debate issue with the law?

 

[cyberlizard]

I'm wondering how this thread is a debate issue with the law?

what makes you think this thread is a debate about the law?


Steve

p.s. I think Jesus would be barred from the SF/PC section as many of his fellowship threads (with those he agreed with and those he didn't) were about the law.

 

[nephilimiyr]

and yet paul said (we do not know if he said it spitefully or took offense) 'may the Lord repay him for the harm he has done (2 Tim. 4v14) and it appeared directed at Paul.


Steve

Well cyberlizard, if you want to use that little bit of scripture to support and uplift your feelings of offense, I wont try and stop you, just point you towards what Paul went through, and what Jesus went through, and how they delt with it.

 

[cyberlizard]

i'm just pointing out the scripture that seems to say paul took offense and encouraged what happened between himself and Alexander to be an issue for others as well...

Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

It's not my problem what the scripture says.


Steve

 

[Citizen of the Kingdom]

i'm just pointing out the scripture that seems to say paul took offense and encouraged what happened between himself and Alexander to be an issue for others as well...

Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

It's not my problem what the scripture says.


Steve

That's completely in text with the rest of the bible when you apply that to Vengence is the Lord"s

 

[nephilimiyr]

i'm just pointing out the scripture that seems to say paul took offense and encouraged what happened between himself and Alexander to be an issue for others as well...

Alexander the metalworker did me a great deal of harm. The Lord will repay him for what he has done. You too should be on your guard against him, because he strongly opposed our message.

It's not my problem what the scripture says.


Steve

I know what you're doing cyberlizard.

 

[cyberlizard]

I know what you're doing cyberlizard.

dude I'm glad you do cause at this time of night I make it up as I go along...

I am shattered. It is 1.30 in the morning, I can't sleep and in 10 hours I have to go back and see my neurosurgeon for a 18 month checkup...

so feel free to enlighten me as to what it is I'm doing.


Steve

p.s. the only thing I think I am doing is pointing out things are not always cut and dried.

 

[nephilimiyr]

dude I'm glad you do cause at this time of night I make it up as I go along...

I am shattered. It is 1.30 in the morning, I can't sleep and in 10 hours I have to go back and see my neurosurgeon for a 18 month checkup...

so feel free to enlighten me as to what it is I'm doing.


Steve

p.s. the only thing I think I am doing is pointing out things are not always cut and dried.

LOL!!! Oh boy have I ever been there and done that!

No, seeing that you admitt to not being at your best, I wont say a thing.
This is a time my ma would tell me to just keep my big mouth shut.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

I'm wondering how this thread is a debate issue with the law?

who said anything about the law? This is the non-debate area of the forum so there should be no debating at all...this is just discussion.

 

[SpiritPsalmist]

Whether it is someone else's fault or my own that I am offended, though, doesn't make any practical difference. Whether I am justified in being offended or not... my reaction is supposed to be forgiveness and grace.

Before God, is there ever really any justification for being offended? It seems that according to the scripture in the OP that when one (who knows better) takes offense, any offense, it is due to their lack of the Word.

 

[EmmyLu]

I don't think it's right to blanket offense as always wrong, sinful, and something we can just avoid if we really wanted. I think the big point is what do we choose to do and why.

Its seems to me like some people "google" a word in the Bible and take it for what it says blankly, without putting it into conext.
I do not think being Christian and attaining to Psalm 119:165 means nothing will ever offend us, and if it does it's our sinful fault.
I think however, refering to my interlinear Bible, the "offense/stumbling block" that is talked about is not people's reaction of sadness/being hurt/shocked at what has happened -> many reactions are normal, and lets consider righteous anger, Jesus' reaction at the temple. Jesus was offended, and he did something about it, but it is the reason why He did it. He wasn't getting justice, He was standing up for purity and holiness of God.

Consider these verses
Psalms 119:161-164 NASB
Princes persecute me without cause,
But my heart stands in awe of Your words.
162I rejoice at Your word,
As one who finds great spoil.
163I hate and despise falsehood,
But I love Your law.
164Seven times a day I praise You,
Because of Your righteous ordinances.


I agree we shouldn't get bitter, or refuse to forgive, but honestly, who can actually "make" themself forget completely and numb all "bad" emotions to a person who has wronged them. Are we not instructed to admit and show our brother his wrongdoing? (Matthew 18:15) and if he doesn't listen to us we include a 3rd party, and if he still doesnt we go to leadership.

What I'm saying is why take a extreme anti-offense=evil stance when it isn't a black & white issue when surveying scripture.

What is wrong about knowing the fact someone has wronged us/God, as long as we know we should not let it become a wedge between us and our joy in God?
This verse points us to God and His word for comfort, it doesn't comdemn our reaction or actions for righteousness, especially if we are standing up for an offense against God's holiness.

Looking forward to replies, and please don't come on too harsh personally - just a warning. I am open to what you have to say about my ideas and Gods word!

Kind regards,
Emma