OFFENSES
We are faced
with them daily—either on the receiving end or the giving end—with family,
friends, co-workers, strangers, in the Body of Christ . . . even right here in
this Bible study!
God looks on our heart (1 Sam.
16:7; Jer. 17:9-10) and today we're going to examine our hearts and
see where we stand. God doesn't forsake us during those times we have been
offended but He picks us up and pats our back (with a little TLC), and nurtures
us through it--IF we allow Him. Being offended is a vessel we are
poured into but it is our decision just how quickly we will be poured
out of it.
OFFENSES RECEIVED
Offend (4624-skandalizo) . .
. *"to commit that which leads to the fall or ruin of anyone; to throw
anyone unawares into ruin; to give occasion for ungodly conduct resulting in
the mischief incurred; to craftily entice or lead to ruin, allowing someone to
adopt a course in which unperceived, he will come to mischief and ruin; to fall
into ruin unawares."
Offenses (4625-skandalon) . .
. where we get our word scandal *"the trigger in the trap on which the
bait is placed, and which, when touched, springs closed causing entrapment; involves
a reference also to the conduct of the person who is thus injured."
God wants to teach us something
through offenses . . . but He does not want to let them cause us to fall. Satan
will always try to trip us up, even thru the littlest of offenses. BUT!!!
God wants to use that weed of offense to let us grow from it.
Mt. 18:6-7 Offending one of God's little ones . . . it
would be better to drown. Offenses will come but woe to that man by whom they
come. God is holding the offender accountable for the offense placed on our
path, but God is also holding us accountable for our reaction to
it. So how do we handle it? How about a harvest of fruit: love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control (Gal.
5:22-26) and love (1 Cor. 13:4-8).
Acts 24:16 Conscience (4893-suneidesis) means the
*"awareness man has of himself in his relation to God, manifesting itself
in the form of a testimony that is the result of the action of the spirit in
the heart." Void of offense (677-aproskopos) when
applied to the conscience means *"not stumbling or impinging [violating]
against anything for which our heart condemns us."
Phil. 1:9-11 Without offense (677-aproskopos) same
as above.
Prov. 18:19, 21a. Ask these questions:
Let's examine
some past offenses in our own lives. How easily or quickly did you let your
wall of offense be broken down? How quickly did you allow God to open up your
spirit again?
Rom. 16:17-20 Paul warns of those who major in offenses and
who are planted there by satan. Be quick to identify his tactics and methods. But
beware . . . he would have you be "offended" when offense was not
intended!
Offenses cause breakdowns in communication
and relationships. Gossip is an offense to the speaker as well as to the hearer.
If you have a problem, go to the source—not everyone else on the party line. Satan's
victory is strife and discord among the brethren and getting us to "take sides.” An
example is the infamous triangle . . . taking up the offense for another when
you weren’t the one who was offended!
God wants us to
practice the ministry of reconciliation. (2 Cor. 5:18) Reconciliation
(2643-katallage) means *”a change or reconciliation from a state of enmity
between persons to one of friendship.”
Knowledge or
correction of an offense, however unintentional, should be received with a
teachable spirit. (Prov. 9:9) Have a pure heart. (Mt. 5:8) Be
quick to repent and make things right, reconcile.
Ps. 34:18-19; Rom. 8:1,
4-8 Walk after the spirit and not
the flesh.
Mk. 7:25-30 Sometimes we can be offended by God and miss
a blessing. Paul tells us to approve ourselves as ministers of God (2 Cor.
6:3-10).
Think of the
offenses Jesus suffered on His walk to the cross on our behalf. Rom. 9:33
He forgave those who crucified Him . . . can we not at least forgive those who “offend”
us?
For discussion: Now let’s examine
some past hurts in our lives and let the Holy Spirit remind us of any deep
wounds that were only treated with a band-aid. He wants to heal from the inside
out.
Root of
Bitterness
Heb. 12:14-15 Every offense has a root. Satan is the one that sows “offenses”
in the garden of our spirit. Are we an active gardener or a lazy one? Will we
let the weeds choke out the fruit of the spirit in our lives or will we get in
there with our hoes of forgiveness? It’s our free will to choose correctly . .
.
Psalm 119:165 “Great peace have they which love Thy law:
and nothing shall offend them.” (Offend-4383-mikshowl-*”stumbling
block, either literally or figuratively; an obstacle; a cause for falling or
sinning; an enticement (especially an idol).”
John 16:1 “These things have I spoken unto you, that ye
should not be offended.” What things?
Read all of the red-lettered words of Jesus in John and see “what things”
He speaks of. Note: John 17 is really the Lord’s prayer to the Father.
OFFENSES COMMITTED
It is inevitable
that we will offend someone at sometime. Maybe not purposely or intentionally .
. . but surely! We might try to fool ourselves or even justify the incident
with excuses . . . but God knows our thoughts (Heb. 4:12-13) and we
cannot fool Him.
Offenses committed against someone
are often by our human nature in self-defense . . . but the Word of God is
specific to us . . . “woe to that man by whom the offense comes!” (Mt.
18:7) If WE commit the
offense . . . woe to us! God forbid!
Judging is an offense. Think about
how our judging of others is an offense WE commit and “with the measure
you use, it will be measured back to you.” (Mt 7:1-5) “Judge not . . . condemn
not . . . forgive.” (Luke 6:37)
Gossip is an offense. It is not just
words spoken against someone but it is an expression of the speaker’s character
and integrity. I’m speaking of words that are meant to harm the reputation or
the person himself. Mt. 12:36-37 Lest we forget . . . Gal. 6:7-8.
Rom. 14:13, the phrase ‘stumbling
block’ means an occasion of apostasy (rejection, forsaking, desertion,
denunciation). Some obvious occasions causing people to stumble might be drugs,
alcohol, gambling, immoral behavior, etc., but consider a WORD or a LOOK
placed on someone's path causing them to stumble. Who is our real enemy here? .
. . the devil! How we handle offenses—given and received, can bring US
to ruin.
God gives us
free choice whether to receive OR give an offense. We can feed, cherish,
or nurture the circumstances, OR choose to reject, forgive, and pardon
them (1 Cor. 13:4-8a; Phil. 4:8).
Heb. 12:14-15 A root of bitterness can contaminate everyone
it touches . . . family, friends, neighborhoods, schools, the Body of Christ .
. . and "many become defiled." Bitterness shows on your countenance .
. . you can't hide it.
You've heard the old expression . .
. "you can't see the forest for the trees" . . . it takes someone
outside of the forest to see the individual trees . . . AND sometimes it
takes someone outside of ourselves to see the root problems in our lives. When
the Holy Spirit uses someone else to identify the "root of
bitterness" in our lives . . . will we listen? WE MUST LISTEN!!!
How do we kill
the root of the tree of bitterness in our life? . . . by Forgiveness!
Why can't we
forgive? . . . Pride! Pride is like a rod going through the center of our
spirit and attached to it, like limbs to a tree, are all the works of the
flesh: anger, hatred,
offense/resentment, envy/jealousy, fear, gossip/backbiting,
depression/discouragement, rejection, bitterness, abuse, bitterness, deception,
guilt/condemnation, failure, judgment/criticism, etc.
We must first IDENTIFY that
we have these roots in our spirit . . .
We must WANT to be delivered
from them . . .
We must CONFESS them as sin
and ask God's forgiveness . . .
We must ASK for God's help
because He is the only help we have!
To identify the problem we must ask
God to show us . . . convict us of the sin . . . and then LISTEN AND OBEY
when we hear. It is ONLY through God that we can forgive anyone . . . it's
through the working of the Spirit IN US that the forgiving and healing
comes . . . if we ALLOW Him.
Will we walk in
love and forgiveness and remove the root of bitterness in our lives, or will we
continue to let it thrive and flourish in the garden of our spirits? Hasn't satan lied to us long enough?
It's our CHOICE!!!
Note: Forgiveness doesn’t just happen once; it is
an ongoing, life-time commitment to keep our hearts clean and our consciences
clear before God and man.
*All Greek
definitions have been taken from the Lexical Aids of the Hebrew-Greek Key Study
Bible, Spiros Zodhiates, Th.D., Compiler and Editor
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