Linda Lee
2012-01-20 20:25:49 UTC
WHY DID CHRIST SAY BELIEVERS WOULD BE HATED, AND WHY ARE PEOPLE
OFFENDED BY THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST?
Christ said:
Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake: but
he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
...
Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I
confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also
deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not
to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father,
and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against
her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy
of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy
of me.
Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me,
is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth
his life for my sake shall find it.
Christ said some would be "offended" by him, and that those who did
not find him offensive would be blessed:
In Luke 7:23 the Messiah said, "And blessed is he, whosoever shall not
be offended in me."
Obviously, some who would attempt to be believers would be offended in
him if they were hated because of belief in him. But what is it that
Christ was saying would make him offensive, so that others would hate
those who did believe in him, since he went to the Jews, and was a Jew
himself who taught repentance, righteousness, and the way to God?
1. The orthodox opinion on the Gospel of Christ maintains that belief
in Yahashua`/Jesus as the Son of God, the Lamb of God, and the Christ/
Messiah is a necessary element required to obtain salvation, and that
those who do not believe in him are condemned. This offends those who
don't believe in Christ in that way, or at all.
2. The orthodox opinion on the Gospel of Christ maintains that
Yahashua`/Jesus taught that the Son of God was YHWH/God himself acting
as the Saviour of the world, the only Saviour. This offends those who
believe in YHWH as the only true God, but who don't believe the Christ
to have been YHWH incarnate.
3. The orthodox opinion on the Gospel of Christ is that only the sins
of those who believe in Christ in the way described above will be
forgiven. This offends some who find it unjust and offensive as the
sins of others are not forgiven.
4. The orthodox opinion on the Gospel of Christ is that believers are
not under the condemnation accorded to sinners under the law of Moses,
but that believers are to love God, love their neighbor, and do good
works of charity and compassion. This offends some who think believers
should remain under the law of Moses if the Gentiles were indeed
joined to the sheep of Israel and have become one fold.
I don't know if there is anything else offensive to others about the
Gospel of Christ, but likely some will be offended I said this was the
"orthodox" opinion. I'd like to know what other things about the
Gospel are offensive besides 1-4 above.
OFFENDED BY THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST?
Christ said:
Mat 10:22 And ye shall be hated of all [men] for my name's sake: but
he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
...
Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I
confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also
deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not
to send peace, but a sword.
Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father,
and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against
her mother in law.
Mat 10:36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.
Mat 10:37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy
of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy
of me.
Mat 10:38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me,
is not worthy of me.
Mat 10:39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth
his life for my sake shall find it.
Christ said some would be "offended" by him, and that those who did
not find him offensive would be blessed:
In Luke 7:23 the Messiah said, "And blessed is he, whosoever shall not
be offended in me."
Obviously, some who would attempt to be believers would be offended in
him if they were hated because of belief in him. But what is it that
Christ was saying would make him offensive, so that others would hate
those who did believe in him, since he went to the Jews, and was a Jew
himself who taught repentance, righteousness, and the way to God?
1. The orthodox opinion on the Gospel of Christ maintains that belief
in Yahashua`/Jesus as the Son of God, the Lamb of God, and the Christ/
Messiah is a necessary element required to obtain salvation, and that
those who do not believe in him are condemned. This offends those who
don't believe in Christ in that way, or at all.
2. The orthodox opinion on the Gospel of Christ maintains that
Yahashua`/Jesus taught that the Son of God was YHWH/God himself acting
as the Saviour of the world, the only Saviour. This offends those who
believe in YHWH as the only true God, but who don't believe the Christ
to have been YHWH incarnate.
3. The orthodox opinion on the Gospel of Christ is that only the sins
of those who believe in Christ in the way described above will be
forgiven. This offends some who find it unjust and offensive as the
sins of others are not forgiven.
4. The orthodox opinion on the Gospel of Christ is that believers are
not under the condemnation accorded to sinners under the law of Moses,
but that believers are to love God, love their neighbor, and do good
works of charity and compassion. This offends some who think believers
should remain under the law of Moses if the Gentiles were indeed
joined to the sheep of Israel and have become one fold.
I don't know if there is anything else offensive to others about the
Gospel of Christ, but likely some will be offended I said this was the
"orthodox" opinion. I'd like to know what other things about the
Gospel are offensive besides 1-4 above.