Do not be Offended by: Frances M. McCrory-Meservy 20 July 2014

Offended I understood because there are some things that are offensive to me. Most of the time the things that offend us are not even Biblical.  It is just not what we want to hear or is not politically correct. 

If we show offense, people will not stick around long enough to learn to trust us.  If they do not trust what we say, we can not lead them to Jesus.  That's why it's important to not be offended by something. 

Overlooking an offense may include turning the other cheek.  That can be metaphorically or literally.  It's OK to swap opinions with each other in a non-threatening way; but if the other person starts getting riled, it's best to lay the subject aside and just agree to disagree.  That leaves the door open so the person will feel safe talking to you about other things. If you get riled because of how he is acting, he/she will be afraid to talk to you about most things. 

I thought a transgression was a sin and it is in an odd way.  A transgression is a sin against another person according to the dictates of men. 

IE:  In other words if you think it's bad to own a gun and I tell you I have one, I have committed a sin against your beliefs.  But since God did not say I could not have a gun, I did not sin against God. 

So if someone transgresses against us, it's considered an offense.  We are to shake it off and love that person anyway. 

If you talk about God, it will not offend anyone because there are many gods.  But if you talk about Jesus, it will offend most people because He is a specific God.  So there are times that you will offend people for Heaven's sake.  You will not be able to help that.

Scripture does not say we are not to offend people (although it should be avoided if possible), it says we are to forgive those who offend us immediately so it is considered overlooking a slight.  In other words before you can react, you are to forgive.  That would be faster than the blink of an eye.

Where scripture says "Give no offense," it means show no offense.  There is no way you can keep from offending people; but we can show no offense.

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
Proverbs 19:11

Proverbs 19:11 The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression. NKJ

Transgression: a: infringement or violation of a law, command, or duty: an act, process, or instance of transgressing: as IE Example of TRANSGRESSION: <acts that are transgressions against the laws of civilized societies everywhere>  Offense: something that causes a person to be hurt, angry, or upset: something that is wrong or improper: a criminal act: something that outrages the moral or physical senses 3 a: the act of attacking : assault 4 a: the act of displeasing or affronting b: the state of being insulted or morally outraged <takes offense at the slightest criticism> 5 a: a breach of a moral or social code : sin, misdeed b: an infraction of law; especially: misdemeanor

Mat 5:39 "But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.

Mat 18:7 "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!

Acts 24:16 "This being so, I myself always strive to have a conscience without offense toward God and men.

1 Cor 10:32-33 Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

2 Cor 6:3 We give no offense in anything, that our ministry may not be blamed.

Phil 1:9-11 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

1 Pet 2:7-10 Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone," and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
     But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

Mat 11:6 "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

Mat 15:12-14 Then His disciples came and said to Him, "Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?" But He answered and said, "Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. "Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch."

Mat 24:9-10 "Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake. "And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Mark 6:3-4 "Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?" And they were offended at Him.
Mark 6:4 But Jesus said to them, "A prophet is not without honor except in his own country, among his own relatives, and in his own house."

Luke 7:23 "And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me."

Acts 25:7 When he had come, the Jews who had come down from Jerusalem stood about and laid many serious complaints against Paul, which they could not prove,
Acts 25:8 while he answered for himself, "Neither against the law of the Jews, nor against the temple, nor against Caesar have I offended in anything at all."

Rom 4:14-15 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

Heb 2:1-3 Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away. For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

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