(make sure you read the post below)
Finally I found a topic worthy of an initial post to this blog. I was listening to a Mark Driscoll talk that he gave at the last Desiring God Conference. In it, Driscoll had some, go figure, critical things to say about modern evangelicalism. This particular talk was named, "How Sharp the Edge? Christ, Controversy, and Cutting Words". Mark is a man i respect greatly, and yet i have always been a bit leery of his choice of words especially when it comes to criticisms and seemingly derogatory statements toward non-Christians or even the harsh way that he chooses to talk to professing Christians living in sin. You can listen to the talk here http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/ConferenceMessages/ByConference/41/
A conversation came up today among some of my friends where we were trying to determine when it is acceptable to use language that is, by and large, offensive to the hearer. In a culture where we're all but required to be tolerant and politically correct, when is it OK to be offensive?
I'll stop there. It's a simple question, but one that should provoke a lot of conversation. Here it is again:
When is it OK to be offensive to the world around us?
Remember, you must use scripture credibly in your answer.
-Pat
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From John 6:
When many of his disciples heard it, they said, “This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?” But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, “Do you take offense at this? Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”
Clearly, Jesus spoke in ways designed to challenge (and confound) all those who listened, both his disciples and the crowds. In some situations such as the one quoted above, Jesus used offensive language, and was so offensive that it caused some to stop following him.
(not trying to give a well-rounded answer at all, just mentioning a passage before I go to bed...)
Peter Z - the first post of the new blog. Peter, i slept in your bed in your absence the other night. Thanks! Sorry i missed you. Good passage to quote Dr.
-Pat
Is it offensive because it is the gospel, or is it offensive because it is something other than the gospel?
1 Corinthians 9:20-27
(20) To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.
(21) To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.
(22) To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.
(23) I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
(24) Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
(25) Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
(26) So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
(27) But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 10:32-33
(32) Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God,
(33) just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.
Why does Paul put such an emphasis on not offending people? 1 Cor 10:33, "just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved."
Paul avoids offense so that his listeners may be saved. Paul encourages believers not to focus on peripheral matters of eating and drinking, but to focus on the only thing that matters: Jesus and His perfect sacrifice on the cross for our sins.
Is it acceptable to be offensive ever? Yes, when you are sharing the gospel, which by its nature will be offensive to some.
Jesus himself was offensive to the people of his day including the religious elite, but why was he offensive? Matthew 21:42 Jesus said to them, "Have you never read in the Scriptures: "'The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; this was the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes'?
Jesus was offensive because he was preaching the gospel. He is the cornerstone of our faith and He has been rejected by many.
Jesus promised that the gospel will be regarded as offensive, especially in the end days in
Mark 13:9-13,
(9) "But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them.
(10) And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations.
(11) And when they bring you to trial and deliver you over, do not be anxious beforehand what you are to say, but say whatever is given you in that hour, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit.
(12) And brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death.
(13) And you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
I think the question we must ask ourselves is: Does the hatred and offense come because we are preaching the gospel for His name's sake or are we being hated and offending for something other than the gospel? If we are offending others with something other than the gospel, we should not create an obstacle by offensive speech. If it is the gospel itself that is offensive, then we should not be ashamed.
2 Corinthians 6:3-10
(3) We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry,
(4) but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities,
(5) beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;
(6) by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love;
(7) by truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left;
(8) through honor and dishonor, through slander and praise. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true;
(9) as unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and behold, we live; as punished, and yet not killed;
(10) as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, yet possessing everything.
Zach,
You definitely make some good points. Maybe you could clarify what you think would constitute an obstacle to the gospel created by offensive speech.
Grace
-Pat
Matthew Henry in his commentary on 2 Cor 6:1-3 gives an example of offensive speech creating an obstacle that would have been relevant to Paul and his ministry. Paul needed to be careful not to use unnecessary zeal against Jews and Gentiles who sought to rely on the law. If Paul would have been overzealous in his focusing on how the law does not bring life, he might have turned off his listeners before they could hear that Jesus is the fulfillment of that law, and that Jesus provides us with life.
A more relevant example with sharing the gospel with Muslims. I heard this taught, so it is not my original idea :) In trying to point Muslims toward truth it is possible to focus on the inconsistencies of the Quran and the problems with Muhammad and his broken life, but it is far more effective to share the gospel with Muslims by focusing on the beauty and glory of Jesus Christ. If you were to attack the other person’s beliefs and culture there is a tendency to push them away and turn them off to anything else coming out of your mouth.
God is still sovereign and the gospel still goes out as God wills, but the ministry that unnecessarily offends with something other than the gospel will be inhibited.
Titus 2:7-8
(7) Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your teaching show integrity, dignity,
(8) and sound speech that cannot be condemned, so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.
Well put TheFederalist. I concur that both Paul and Jesus consistently seek peace and unity in all things but choose to offend only in the proclamation of the gospel. Which I see as potentially offensive to all men (Christians included).
I Corinthians 1:21-25 came to my mind. "For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22For(A) Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23but we preach Christ(B) crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ(C) the power of God and(D) the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
I would challenge Mark or Dr. Piper or more likely you, Pat, to show me evidence from the Scriptures or even your own experience where non-gospel oriented offense is helpful for life transforming conviction. I believe the bulk of the Biblical evidence lies in favor of non-offensive communication so I am hard to convince otherwise.
Kamm...
good thoughts. I think though that you'd have to be a bit more specific on what "gospel proclomation" is. Jesus used many harsh words to describe people, vipers, fools, dogs, etc. It's late, and i'm tired, but i'll look at some suff Paul said next time.
1 Peter 3:15-17
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, 16 having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.
I think it is also worth mentioning that even though the Gospel is offensive to people, we are still to put much effort forth in making the Gospel not offensive. We are to be 'respectful, and gentle' These ideas characterize us, not the Gospel. So in everything that we do in order to win people over, we must be consciously be making our demeanor not offensive.
We should add, that Jesus consistently offended the religious leaders of his day, particularly the Pharisees. He was ruthless with this group. The implication is that we should not defend the wolves, the poor shepherds.
Shepherds are called to a higher standard than others. So if we are going to offend anyone it will be Christians, but even that is for the sake of the gospel, for we are not to tolerate false teaching in the name of God.
Does the sovereignty of Jesus (in terms of salvation) have any role in His interactions with various people?
Oaf,
Only when he says that he's God.
-Pat
I was looking over Driscoll's comments in the "How Sharp the Edge Message" and it appears that the vast majority of his comments concerning harsh and offensive speech are in the context of rebuking Christians (or those claiming to be Christian) who are sinning and NOT about non-believers.
1. Christians are to feed the sheep
--> don't be harsh to the sheep
2. Rebuke the swine.
--> These are people who are habitually unrepentant in their sin. Their not acting like sheep, though they claim to be. [Spelling error in original]
3. Shoot the wolves.
-->These are false teachers, claiming to be Christian
To put it another way, the swine as Driscoll talks about them seem to be sinning sheep, Christians who are sinning and need to repent. If swine are sinning Christians, then the only place that Driscoll seems to say offense is appropriate for non-believers is for the false teachers, who claim to be following Jesus but are leading people astray.
Please correct me if I am fatally misunderstanding Driscoll's remarks or if you think swine includes non-believers as well as believers.
http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/ConferenceMessages/ByDate/2008/3261_How_Sharp_the_Edge_Christ_Controversy_and_Cutting_Words/
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