Faith Offenders
Bishop James C. Hash, Sr.
The devil knows that envy and strife destroy relationships and long-term friendships. He is aware that if he can create envy and strife between you and the ones you love, he can ruin those special relationships that God intended to be a blessing in your life.
He also knows how to get in between you and your church family, the ministry you love and support, or even the organizations or place of business where you work.
The devil doesn’t care whom he divides – he simply wants to divide! Since offenses are one of the tools he uses to do this, it is crucial that you understand how to recognize offenses and how to stand against them!
· As Christians, we must do everything in our power to communicate correct messages to one another.
· We must do everything in our power to bring healing and restoration whenever misunderstandings and offenses occur between ourselves and someone else.
· If you discover that you have been a source of offense to someone else, take a mature path and go ask that person to forgive you. Don’t get on the defense, for that will make the problem worse. Just say you are sorry and move on!
· Offenses that go unchecked lead to ugly confrontations.
Matthew 16:21-23...KJV FROM THAT TIME FORTH BEGAN JESUS TO SHEW UNTO HIS DISCIPLES, HOW THAT HE MUST GO UNTO JERUSALEM, and SUFFER MANY THINGS OF THE ELDERS AND CHIEF PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, and BE KILLED, and BE RAISED AGAIN THE THIRD DAY. 22 Then PETER TOOK HIM, and BEGAN TO REBUKE HIM, saying, BE IT FAR FROM THEE, LORD: THIS SHALL NOT BE UNTO THEE. 23 But HE TURNED, and SAID UNTO PETER, GET THEE BEHIND ME, SATAN: THOU ART AN OFFENCE UNTO ME: FOR THOU SAVOUREST NOT THE THINGS THAT BE OF GOD, BUT THOSE THAT BE OF MEN.
Matthew 16:21-23...AMPC FROM THAT TIME FORTH JESUS BEGAN (CLEARLY) TO SHOW HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE MUST GO TO JERUSALEM AND SUFFER MANY THINGS AT THE HANDS OF THE ELDERS AND THE HIGH PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, and BE KILLED, and ON THE THIRD DAY BE RAISED FROM DEATH. 22 THEN PETER TOOK HIM ASIDE AND BEGAN TO REPROVE and CHARGE HIM, saying, GOD FORBID, LORD! THIS MUST NEVER HAPPEN TO YOU! 23 BUT JESUS TURNED AWAY FROM PETER AND SAID TO HIM, GET BEHIND ME, SATAN! YOU ARE IN MY WAY (AN OFFENCE AND A HINDRANCE AND A SNARE TO ME); FOR YOU ARE MINDING WHAT PARTAKES NOT OF THE NATURE AND QUALITY OF GOD, BUT OF MEN.
· GET BEHIND ME, SATAN!
· Offenses will stop you in life.
· Offenses will destroy your Faith.
· Watch out for people, places, or things that will offend your Faith or get you to take an offense.
Matthew 5:29-30...KJV And IF THY RIGHT EYE OFFEND THEE, PLUCK IT OUT, and CAST IT FROM THEE: FOR IT IS PROFITABLE for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. 30 And IF THY RIGHT HAND OFFEND THEE, CUT IT OFF, and CAST IT FROM THEE: FOR IT IS PROFITABLE for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Matthew 5:29-30...AMPC IF YOUR RIGHT EYE SERVES AS A TRAP TO ENSNARE YOU OR IS AN OCCASION FOR YOU TO STUMBLE AND SIN, PLUCK IT OUT and THROW IT AWAY. IT IS BETTER that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be cast into hell (Gehenna). 30 AND IF YOUR RIGHT HAND SERVES AS A TRAP TO ENSNARE YOU OR IS AN OCCASION FOR YOU TO STUMBLE AND SIN, CUT IT OFF. IT IS BETTER that you lose one of your members than that your entire body should be cast into hell (Gehenna).
Psalm 119:165...KJV GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY WHICH LOVE THY LAW: and NOTHING SHALL OFFEND THEM.
Psalm 119:165...AMPC GREAT PEACE HAVE THEY WHO LOVE YOUR LAW; NOTHING SHALL OFFEND THEM OR MAKE THEM STUMBLE.
James 3:2...KJV FOR IN MANY THINGS WE OFFEND ALL. IF ANY MAN OFFEND NOT IN WORD, THE SAME IS A PERFECT MAN, and ABLE ALSO TO BRIDLE THE WHOLE BODY.
Acts 24:16...KJV And HEREIN DO I EXERCISE MYSELF, TO HAVE ALWAYS A CONSCIENCE VOID OF OFFENCE TOWARD GOD, AND TOWARD MEN.
Acts 24:16...AMP IN VIEW OF THIS, I ALSO DO MY BEST AND STRIVE ALWAYS TO HAVE A CLEAR CONSCIENCE BEFORE GOD AND BEFORE MEN.
Luke 17:1-2...KJV THEN SAID HE UNTO THE DISCIPLES, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE BUT THAT OFFENCES WILL COME: BUT WOE UNTO HIM, THROUGH WHOM THEY COME! 2 IT WERE BETTER FOR HIM THAT A MILLSTONE WERE HANGED ABOUT HIS NECK, and HE CAST INTO THE SEA, THAN THAT HE SHOULD OFFEND ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES.
Luke 17:1-2...AMPC AND (JESUS) SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES TEMPTATIONS(SNARES, TRAPS SET TO ENTICE TO SIN) ARE SURE TO COME, BUT WOE TO HIM BY OR THROUGH WHOM THEY COME! 2 IT WOULD BE MORE PROFITABLE FOR HIM IF A MILLSTONE WERE HUNG AROUND HIS NECK AND HE WERE HURLED INTO THE SEA THAN THAT HE SHOULD CAUSE TO SIN OR BE A SNARE TO ONE OF THESE LITTLE ONES (LOWLY IN RANK OR INFLUENCE.
· To TAKE an offense: something someone says or does to you.
· To GIVE an offense: something you say or do to someone else.
Luke 17:3...KJV TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES: IF THY BROTHER TRESPASS AGAINST THEE, REBUKE HIM; and IF HE REPENT, FORGIVE HIM.
· The Greek meaning for the word “trespass” is to violate a rule; to cross a line, to commit a grievance; or to miss the mark.
· The word “rebuke” means to correct in love.
· If you are going to be mature in your relationship with God and one another, you must learn “how to confront others” when you feel they have wronged you.
· Confront in love, forgive in love, and forget in love.
· Offenses that go unchecked lead to ugly confrontations.
I recommend that you take the following three steps...
Step #1:
Don’t confront anyone until you have first made it a matter of prayer and the anger is out of you.
· Prayer resolves a lot of problems by itself.
· Prayer will put you in a position where God can speak to “your heart.”
· As you pray, spend a few minutes thanking God for your offender. Take the time to reflect on the good and all the enjoyable moments you’ve had together as well as all the benefits you’ve gained in life as a result of that relationship.
Step #2:
Don’t confront anyone with a judgmental attitude.
· We’ve all made mistakes, and that includes EVERYONE!
· Assume that your offender would not deliberately hurt or offend you.
· Take the positive position about the other person.
Step #3:
Remember that you too, have been offensive in the past.
· Never forget that you’ve probably offended people in the past, even if you didn’t intend to do it.
· When someone offends you, remember that you’ve stood in their shoes before.
· Were you forgiven at that time? Were you shown mercy?
· When you forgive and show mercy to an offender, you are liberated from negative feelings and attitudes toward that person.
· Jesus said, “...IF HE REPENT, FORGIVE HIM” (Luke 17:3).
This means you and I don’t have the privilege of holding people hostage to their past reactions.
· If they repent and ask us to forgive them.
· If they sincerely seek forgiveness for offending us, we are obligated to “let it go.”
· If your offender repents and sincerely asks for forgiveness, Jesus said you are to put away the offense and no longer hold onto it.
· You must release those ugly feelings you’ve held against that person. You have to let it go.
THINK before you speak or act...
T - is it...TRUE?
H - is it ...HELPFUL?
I - is it ...INSPIRING?
N - is it...NECESSARY?
K - is it ...KIND?
WHAT WOULD JESUS DO IN THAT SITUATION? Go and do likewise.