Don't Offend Me

How do you like that phrase "Happy Holidays"? I can't stand it very much myself. But what I don't really get is someone who believes in Jesus yet refrains from the traditional "Merry Christmas" so they don't "offend" people who don't believe in Christ.

That's dumb.

Let me throw out another one. I've had people now and again tell me that they don't agree with what I believe -- but that its okay because I still don't "offend" them.

That's also dumb.

Look, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, came to earth to die for us. God reached into my life and into my heart and totally changed it. The truth about why we need him, what he did for us, what we need to do, and what he expects of us is recorded in his best selling book, the Bible.

So, if my God, the one true and only God, offends -- if what he wants of you offends -- if the message of the cross, offends -- too bad. If you're offended, you're wrong, and he's right, end of story. Sorry, you don't get to argue. He's God.

"Wow, you're pretty arrogant" some might say, and some have said.

I might be if I was saying this on my own authority. But, no, I'm not, because a year and a half ago I didn't know the one true God either. I was fine not paying any attention to spiritual things and living life totally for myself and what would make me "happy". I was a sinner through and through, no doubt about it. The residue from a depraved and wicked heart still haunts me now and again.

Yet, God saved me.

That's right, he saved me. I didn't save myself. I didn't do anything on my own that gives me any kind of right to stand up and say under my own authority "this is the way it is and this is what you need to do." No, Almighty God reached out into my life and did the work himself. All I did was cry out to him from complete brokenness after being shown the sad state I was in. He did the rest.

So when I say that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and you need to trust him for your salvation -- when I say that religious systems where we work for our salvation are false -- when I say that this or that detracts from Christ alone, I don't say it out of my own arrogance or self-righteousness. I say it based on the Scripture-backed experience of crying out to a merciful, wonderful, holy, perfect God who has the power to save anyone who puts their trust in him. If he can save ME and lead me to repentance and eternal life, he can certainly save anyone else!

That's not offensive. That's truth, and its absolutely wonderful. Praise the LORD!

Grace, Peace, and (a very early) Merry Christmas!