Confession~

[shawn]

I do not believe taking offense and getting hurt are the same thing. I think taking offense is one way to respond to getting hurt. Taking offense means what it reads. TAKING OFFENSE, in other words- we hold onto an offense in one or more of several ways, such as unforgiveness/bitterness, responding agressively and judgmentally to those who "offend" us, "making an issue" of something we should let go by with forbearance and understanding. Ouur point of view is not so important as we think it is. When our ego is mixed up in what we believe, our self esteem intertwined with what we think we kno, offenses abound because they are unavoidable- we are holding our revelation in the flesh.

If I am getting hurt I can go to God and/or my trusted counselors/friends and wrestle with it until wisdom comes. If I "take offense" I have already given the highest counsel to my flesh. One of the things that keeps us apart as believers is that we are so easily offended. It is the surest evidence of immaturity.

2Ti 2:24-26  The Lord's bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged,
with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth,  and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.

Jas 3:13-18  Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.  (14)  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.  (15)  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic.  (16)  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.  (17)  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.  (18)  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Taking offense leads to fighting evil with evil, flesh with flesh. We are to overcome evil with good, so certainly, within the house of faith, where the issue is not so much evil vs evil, but rather differing points of view- we ought to be able to carry on a discourse without judgmental invectives and condescending attitudes towards those who disagree with us. The anger of man does not accomplish the righteousness of God.

I am not saying we are to be Mr. Spock either :o). We get hurt, we bleed, we cry, we get angry- but let that anger be without sin and let me not become the center of my pain. If our will is "centered in our spirit" then the water of life will come out when we get "squeezed". If our will is centered in our mind, there will be a conduit to the flesh and when we get squeezed the flesh will come out. When Jesus was crucified all that came out of him was blood, water and spirit.
Our goal(high and seemingly impossible as it might seem) is to emulate him, being partakers of the divine nature, born from above by an incorruptible seed unto a sincere love of the brethren.

Terrific post.  I see what you are saying by seperating hurt and offense, and I would agree.  Now, if I could only consistantly apply it.  :)

[eaglesway]

  yea me too ;o)

Rom 7:22-8:2  For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man,   but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 

Wretched man that I am!

Who will set me free from the body of this death?

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.