Dealing with offenses
Another thing that taking offense produces in your life is the sin of murmuring. The disciples were caught in this trap in John 6:61 it says, “When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?” According to the Webster’s 1828 dictionary, to murmur means “to grumble; to complain; to utter complaints in a low, half articulated voice; to utter sullen discontent; with at, before the thing which is the cause of discontent; as, murmur not at sickness; or with at or against, before the active agent which produces the evil.”
You see, even the disciples were caught up in the sin of taking offense and allowed it to produce other sins in their life. God expresses His displeasure with the sin of murmuring in 1 Corinthians 10:10, saying, “Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.”
God warns us that He has destroyed others for murmuring, and commands us not to murmur. Jesus specifically says in John 6:43, “Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.” Murmuring is not just a bad habit, it is a sin that perverts our heart and turns us against God.
If we continue to take offense, it will lead us down a road further still into unforgiveness and bitterness.
In Matthew 18, Jesus gives us a parable and instructions about dealing with offense in our lives. He says in verses 23-35, “Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”
The key to understanding this passage is that God is the one that has forgiven you for your sin against Him, which is far greater than anything another person could do against you.
The consequence of not forgiving our brother is that God says He will withhold forgiveness from you. I don’t know about you, but the idea of God being angry at me is a far greater deterrent for me to forgive than that a man will be mad at me.
Unforgiveness and bitterness gives Satan an advantage over you that you cannot overcome. 2 Corinthians 2:10-11 says, “To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” And Hebrews 12:15 says, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;”
