THE MYSTERY OF OFFENSES

  “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by who the offence comes.”  Matthew 18:7

“It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come.” Luke 17:1

Offenses are wicked, but Jesus said they are necessary and must come. They reveal the truth about people as well as providing occasion for Christians to prove themselves and draw upon the grace of God. This aspect of life is another reason we must strive to please the Lord in all things instead of using occasions of mistreatment and offense as an excuse for our sin.

 The word "offense" is rooted in the Greek word for "stumble" and refers to that which potentially causes people to stumble. The scripture warns those who lay the stumbling block. But we are primarily focusing on the one for whom the offense is set. Will he stumble or will he stand? Will he fall and turn his back on God, or will he stand in obedience and faith and continue pleasing the Lord?

 Why are offenses necessary?

 “Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to the man by whom the offense comes!” Matthew 18: 7.   

Sometimes the offenses themselves are God’s judgment upon people They give occasion and opportunity for God to release His judgment against the offender. Sometimes they are for the purpose of testing (Deut. 13: 1-3). They expose and reveal the true nature of people (Mat.13: 21).  The money bag did not cause Judas to be a thief. The money bag revealed his thief nature.

“The son of man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! IT would have been good for that man if he had not been born.”

 This betrayal is portrayed as a sin for which the guilty person would face judgement. Jesus said, "Woe to that man."  He also said it would have been good for that man if he had not been born. Yet Jesus also recognized that the betrayal had to happen as it had been determined and just as it was written.  Jesus knew that it was necessary for the offense to come. He was thus able to embrace the purpose and hand of God rather than stumbling over the offense. Often, we stumble because we focus on the wrong thing. Our self-centered and fallen perspective, coupled with carnal responses, cause us to miss opportunities for God's grace and power.

 Acts 2: 23

Peter expresses here the same ideas as stated above. Jesus was taken by lawless hands and put to death. Those who took him did so through wickedness, yet it must also be recognized that Jesus was delivered over by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God. Here is the mystery of God's sovereignty. The actions of wicked men against an innocent person were turned to the purpose of God and to the salvation of the world. We must have faith for God to work this way in our lives.

 Luke 17:1-4

 It is impossible for there not to be offenses. They will come. The question is how will we deal with them? Will they be occasions for stumbling, or will they be occasions for faith, obedience, and finding the purpose of God as Joseph did?

 

"For the Lord has ordered him"

2 Samuel 16: 5-14 

 The story of Shemei presents us with an unusual statement that is difficult for many to deal with theologically.  Shemei cursed and threw stones at David when David was fleeing Jerusalem during Absalom’s rebellion. Abishai wanted to avenge David and put Shemei to death for his cursing, but David forbade it saying, "Let him alone, and let him curse; for so the Lord has ordered him."  This statement does not mean that God was pleased with Shemei or that God concurred with Shemei's wicked behavior, nor does it signify that Shemei would escape judgment. What it does mean is that God in His wisdom had permitted Shemei to fit into the overall plan of His dealings with David. The broader circumstances in David's life had brought this about. He was reaping judgment for his sin with Bathsheba as Nathan had prophesied. David recognized God's sovereign hand at work and did business with God first rather than immediately punishing Shemei. Because "it was of God," he did not open his mouth either in attack or defense. Psalm 39:7-13; (Lam.3:27-39; 2 Kings 18:25; John 19: 11). David knew God would deal with Shemei later.   

 Why did Joseph go through his suffering? Were there things in his life that made it necessary, or was he merely an innocent victim of wicked men?  David suffered because of his sin with Bathsheba. Jacob went through his sufferings with Laban because Jacob needed a character change and a name change. Job was perfect before God and went through his trials "without cause" (Job 1:1, 2:3). Even though God did use the situation to do a deeper work in Job, there was nothing in Job that forced the situation. Some believe Job's fears brought on his sufferings. I do not. Proverbs 12: 24 says, "The fear of the wicked shall come upon him, and the desire of the righteous will be granted." Job was a righteous man, not a wicked man.

What about Joseph? The Bible says nothing about why Joseph had to take the hard way to Egypt. Scripture gives no indication of anything in his life that would have necessitated the sufferings. However, two things are very definite and clear: 

Firstly, God was with Joseph and blessed all that he did. God continually gave him favor in the eyes of man and promoted him despite the assaults against him. This would seem to imply that God was pleased with him. If you have favor with God, you will succeed.  You will not necessarily succeed because of your strengths, nor will you necessarily fail because of your weaknesses. The issue is God's favor. This comes back to faith and a heart after God. (Hebrews 11: 5-6; Psalm 44: 3; 18:19; Numbers 14: 8;  2 Samuel 15: 24-26).

Secondly, Joseph faced the situation redemptively and came through having fulfilled what God had called and sent him to do. He did not "smell like the smoke" of the fires he had experienced. He stood in right relationship with God, the people of God, and with the plan of God for his life. He finished his course and fulfilled his ministry. Both the process and the outcome demonstrated God's redemptive power. This can also be true in our lives. If we cling to the Lord in faith and obedience, He will move by His sovereign power to cause us to accomplish His plan for each of us no matter what obstacles lie in our way. He is the God of Romans 8:28.