An offense most certainly can endanger our salvation, though, depending on how we react to the perceived offense. Interestingly, the five English forms of "offense" given above are translated from a total of twenty-four different words in both testaments. Twelve are from Hebrew and twelve from Greek. However, most of these are merely different forms of the same words.
They are either different parts of speech or of a different gender. A common thread runs through these usages. They all refer either to the cause or stimulus of evil conduct or to the evil action itself. Perhaps the most descriptive and easily understood of the Greek words are skandalon , a noun, and its future tense verb form, skandalizo.
Our words "scandal" and "scandalize" come directly from these Greek words. Skandalon is used by Jesus three times in Matthew : "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! When an animal touches the trigger to eat the bait, the trap springs shut, and the animal is caught. When used in a moral context, skandalon indicates the enticement to conduct which will ruin the person in question. Obviously, the context in Matthew is moral.
Jesus' concern is the sin of being the temptation or enticement that causes others to sin. He does not stipulate whether one is the direct cause through persuasion or flaunted worldliness, or indirectly through one's manner of life.
Hypocrisy may very well tempt others to sin more than outright atheism! Skandalizo is used in two senses in the Bible. The first usage compares to how we use "offense" most commonly today, that is, as a slight, an annoyance. The second is used in exactly the same way as skandalon is. Matthew states, "Nevertheless, lest we offend them, go to the sea, cast in a hook, and take the fish that comes up first.
And when you have opened its mouth, you will find a piece of money; take that and give it to them for Me and you. However, in Matthew ; , and Romans , skandalizo is not used in this way, but as "a cause of stumbling, leading one astray" or even "an occasion of sinning. A number of times, the apostle Paul uses two other words, which mean basically the same as the above. The first is proskomma , meaning "a cause of falling" stumbling block or "an occasion of sinning.
At this point we can clearly see that when the Bible speaks of offense, it refers primarily to some act or series of acts which lead another into sin. By themselves, offenses are generally not hurt feelings, resentment and anger that begin as minor irritations or annoyances. We ought to be able to deal easily with these.
However, irritations and annoyances have the unfortunate inclination to build into far worse bitterness and grudges, which are sins that a person has allowed himself to be led into—in many cases by his own devious mind.
Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful. The Revised English Bible translates the same verse, "Never rude; love is never selfish, never quick to take offense. Love keeps no score of wrongs.
The Amplified Bible renders it, "It is not conceited arrogant and inflated with pride ; it is not rude unmannerly and does not act unbecomingly. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful.
Acts So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward both God and man. Colossians Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Ephesians Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger. Ephesians Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.
Galatians But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? Therefore as by the offence of one [judgment came] upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one [the free gift came] upon all men unto justification of life.
Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:. As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.
For meat destroy not the work of God. James - For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. Luke - Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.
Leviticus - Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD. Ephesians - With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Read More
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