Yes, offensive people often hold up their offensiveness as evidence of their righteousness. I've seen it often enough among modern "artists" ...
I'll note that Protestants seem to find Catholic teaching offensive ... that Catholics seem to find Protestant teaching offensive, that Christians, Jews and Moslems are all mutually offended by each others' teachings ...
I guess we're all "preaching the gospel", right? After all, we're all preaching something that offends somebody ...
Or maybe offensiveness isn't the be-all and end-all of preaching (or art) that some would have us believe.
Right on.
Some people assume or claim the MESSENGER is offensive, when it is the MESSAGE that offends people.
Now, are you claiming *I* am offensive? Do tell.
And, no not everyone who CLAIMS to be ‘preaching the gosepel’ does so, some (like Mormons) preach ANOTHER (false) Gosepel and as I Christian I find that offensive.
Some people assume or claim the MESSENGER is offensive, when it is the MESSAGE that offends people.
Now, are you claiming *I* am offensive? Do tell.
And, no not everyone who CLAIMS to be ‘preaching the gospel’ does so, some (like Mormons) preach ANOTHER (false) Gospel and as a Christian I find that offensive.
Do you subscribe to the view that all roads lead to Heaven?
And perhaps there's a difference between the sort of offense that the Gospel offers, as compared to what a preacher might offer.
The Gospel offends by making us uncomfortable about our own beliefs and behavior. A good preacher can do that, too.
But preachers can also be just plain offensive -- by being dismissive, arrogant, disrespectful, hypocritical, and so on. They may refer to the Gospel, they may even believe it ... but at the same time they have it in their power to chase people away.
If a preacher does that -- is he really preaching the Gospel? Or is he just being a prideful jerk?
just an fyi, I was quoting Rnmom, my comments were BELOW the dashes.
It is not the presenter that offends it is the word of God that offends... I guess some would say that the reason the apostles were martyred is they were offensive
Jesus never compromised or softened His words “Does this offend you?” (John 6:61). His direct confrontation with the Pharisees and the jewish law led to the cross.. The concern is not how you think other people will receive the message, but being faithful to deliver it..
<< 1 Corinthians 15 >>
1Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.
3For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 4And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: 5And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: 6After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. 8And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 9For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 11Therefore whether it were I or they, so we preach, and so ye believed.
12Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. 15Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. 16For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: 17And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. 18Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. 19If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.
20But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. 21For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. 22For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.