“Then He said to the disciples, “It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him.” Luke 17:1-4 (NKJV)
An offense can be defined as “An injury or wrong was done to one or a stumbling-block or cause of temptation.” Whatever your definition may be causing offense to other believers should not be your hallmark as a child of God.
Due to the Adamic nature of sin, Jesus warned the disciples not to be the source of the offense.
However HE equally balanced it that if you are offended and approached for forgiveness, please forgive that offender not just once but up to seven times in a day telling you he has repented you should please forgive him.
Many in the body of Christ have been offended, and they have carefully devised a method of withdrawing from that person so as not to allow a repeat of the offense to occur. Through this wisdom of man which some are using the body of Christ has been systematically fractured that so many factions and fractions have emerged and the potency of the oneness of One Body, One Faith, and One Lord is far from being achieved.
Today as you look at the word offense, resolve not to be the source of the attack to people around you, and if you have been offended, please appropriate the grace to forgive and not withdraw from the fellowship or the group you belong to.
Let the Love of God conquer the offense as you walk in love thereby fulfilling what God has commanded.
