Truth > Offense

I watched a thread on social media in the past 24 hours or so and I couldn't even keep up with all the comments and back and forth as people responded to the post itself and everyone else' comments, opinions, sarcasm and theology. What an incredible conversation. As always happens in these debates, the original poster even got called out and into question, on a number of levels.

Ultimately, though this was the acknowledged realization of this man whom I greatly respect and I have to agree with him.

The post, even if done in error, served to "expose an angry and vindictive spirit in the church... one that must be confessed if we are ever to reach the world for Jesus"

I've posted in the past, who the world is seemingly coming to the place to the truth of Mylon LeFevre's song from decades ago; that if we are going to witness the Gospel of Christ, the world will be won by one.

Social media posts aren't changing the minds. Nor are they allowing the Holy Spirit to change hearts. People are seemingly wanting less and less to do with church, while recognizing that something is missing from life. We are more sensitive to offense than we are sensitive to the truth. We recognize and respond more quickly and passionately to the offense than we do the truth. Whether inside or outside the church, being "called out" has, or remains becoming taboo.

And yet, that's what Christ does. Call out. He calls out for relationship. He calls out for discipleship. He calls out that He may change the hearts and lives of His Created. And yet we all stand resistant.

Welcome to the sinful nature of man, that wages war in all of us against the things of God.

Pray, this #communitySaturday, that God would help us remain faithful to the truth of God and love of Jesus Christ. May the spirit of offense not hinder or derail the message of the Gospel nor our commitment to declaring such to the world. Pray that the church would live lives that would declare and speak to the change that Christ has made within us, before we ever utter a word. Pray that God would begin to move on hearts and minds to receive the truth of His Word and the power of the cross of Christ. May the church ever be mindful that it's the Holy Spirit that convicts and the Christian who simply shares. Pray the church would engage, in both love and in truth.

Now, more than ever...
May we know God
And desire others to know the same.
For the cause of Jesus Christ.

- PNC