OFFENSE AGAINST GOD

OFFENSE AGAINST GOD

Def. Offense – (Skandalon) – The bait on a Trap -- of Satan

I. WHAT IS OFFENSE

It’s a deadly trap

Matthew 6:15

But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses

2 Timothy 3:5

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power.

The worst kind of offense is against God

II.WE ALLOW OFFENSE TO FESTER

A. In Adversity

Matthew 24:7-8

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, [b]pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 

Matthew 24:12

The love of many will grow cold

1 Timothy 4:1

Many will depart from the faith

Revelation 12:12

Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the

inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you,

having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.”

John 10:10

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have

come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

B. Fallen Humanity

We Hurt Each Other - - It has Nothing To Do with God  

– Free Will

C. Consequences of living in a fallen world

Unresolved Doubt as a result of Satan’s Accusation

Genesis 3:1-5

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; 3 but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

John 11:4

Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: 

5 The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. 6 And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.”

III. HOW TO LET GO OF MY OFFENSE

• Ask Jesus to help you to let go of every lie you have believed about Him
• Realize that if it were not for the Lord it could be worse –
• Recount all the good things in your life –
• See Jesus as the source of all good things – Its called being grateful
• Ask Him to save you
• Ask for grace to love
• Or grace to return to your first love