No man can faithfully preach
the gospel of Christ without offending men. Unbelievers and self-righteous
religionists are always offended by the gospel. To many it is a stone of
stumbling and a rock of offense. The preaching of the cross is the one means
which God has ordained for the salvation of sinners. Yet, it is most offensive
to the natural man. Why? The answer is not hard to find.
The gospel of the grace of
God offends man's dignity, because it addresses all men as sinners. The
gospel leaves no place for human dignity. It is the great leveler of men. It
puts the self-righteous moralist and the drunkard, the respected mother and the
despised harlot, the promising college boy and the strung-out addict all on one
level. All are sinners. We all by nature are nothing more than helpless,
condemned sinners.
The gospel of God offends
man's wisdom, because it comes by Divine revelation. It is not possible for
any men to know the gospel, unless it is revealed in his heart. Man, with all
your proud learning and boasted achievements, you can never know God, you can
never grasp the doctrines of the gospel, you can never understand the Word of
God, you can never know Jesus Christ, unless God the
Holy Spirit reveals Christ in you.
The gospel offends man's
pride, because it declares a particular and effectual redemption. Our Lord
Jesus did actually put away sin. By his mighty act of death, as our Substitute,
Jesus Christ did really and completely accomplish eternal redemption for his
people. There is nothing for the sinner to do, whereby he might proudly claim
merit before God. You must bow to Christ, receiving all grace from him as a
pure, free gift, or you must perish.
And the gospel of God's
grace and glory in Christ offends man's love of self, because it demands
discipleship. The gospel demands commitment. It demands total, unreserved
surrender to the Lordship of Christ. No man has saving faith in Christ who does
not in his heart confess and acknowledge that Christ is Lord, submitting to his
will, surrendering to his dominion, and trusting his grace. If Jesus Christ is
not your Lord and King, he is not your Redeemer and Savior.
To many the gospel is offensive. That cannot be
changed. As sure as you attempt to make it pleasing to natural men, you will
compromise its message, and there will be no gospel in it. But to them who are
the called by almighty grace, it is the power and wisdom of God.