Blessed are They Who are not Offended in Christ
Let us consider a thought contained in the scriptures. (Mat 11:5-6) The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. {6} And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me. Notice here that the Lord stated a certain type of person is blessed. He said those who are NOT offended in Him are blessed. It many seem incredible than any would be offended in Jesus Christ but obviously this is not the case. Therefore, it proves important to consider the condition of being offended in the Lord Jesus Christ.
As we consider the condition of being offended, we might think about a thing that causes us personal distress or anguish. When we are offended we have been caused to be displeased or annoyed. We might not think that we would ever have this attitude towards Jesus Christ the Savior of the world. In the Bible we find many examples of how to determine if we fall into the category of those who are offended by Christ.
In the Bible we learn that God established a plan by which men and women must be saved. We learn that the plan God established is the only way by which salvation can be obtained. Let us consider some verses presenting this thought. (Acts 4:12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (Gal 1:4) Who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father. (1 Tim 2:5-6) For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; {6} Who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.
Jesus Christ is the only way men and women can be saved. He gave Himself for our sins that we can be delivered from this world and the sin that is in it. He is the only mediator between man and God; therefore, all must come by way of Him to be reconciled to God. If we esteem anything else as a possible means of obtaining salvation, we belittle the sacrifice that Christ made. When we attempt to find God by any means other than through Christ, we hold what Christ performed as offensive.
On the other hand, when we hold Christ as the only way that we can find forgiveness from sin and escape the certain wrath of God, we honor His sacrifice on our behalf. Until one places their confidence for their pardon on Christ they admit they are “displeased or annoyed” by Christ. Until we throw our hope for eternal existence upon Him, we admit that we are offended in Christ. To place confidence only anything else is an open profession of lack of respect for the price paid on Calvary’s cross. This means we are offended by Him.
The Lord also made these statements: (Mark 8:38) Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of Me and of My words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He cometh in the glory of His Father with the holy angels. And, (Heb 1:1) God, Who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son. Jesus has instructed us, on behalf of the Father, what is the good way for men and women to travel life’s journey. When we have respect for the Lord, we will find ourselves reading and considering what He has said regarding what is the correct way to live while here in this world. As we consider what He has had recorded, how we receive His teachings reflects if we are offended at Him and His Words. Our response shows if we honor Him and His Words. When one learns of the Lord’s attitude toward drunkenness, adultery, lying, stealing, and defrauding another person yet they continue in these things, they openly profess that they disregard what the Lord has said. With all sobriety of mind, how do we regard the Lord today? Does our life reflect that we are offended by the Lord Jesus Christ or does our life reflect that we honor Him above all things? Let no one be offended by the Lamb of God.