There is no way around it; there is no shortcut to escape it unless you want to forsake it, but the Gospel offends. You must drink it straight. For the Christian, the alternative to living out a Gospel that offends is to live as if the Gospel does not matter. We can move through our workday cavalierly playing the nominal Christian game, remaining quiet when you should have stood firm; you can let Uncle Joe splurt his vitriol against the church and be a good girl, not causing offense anywhere, just like the Apostle Paul (II Cor. 11:25), right? Is it or is it not the power of God unto salvation and foolishness to the world (Rom. 1; I Cor. 1)? The way you live is a determiner of one of these two choices.
So, how do we intentionally live a Gospel that touches the core of anthropology? That hits the center of human pride? That strikes at the root of secular practice? The first way to live a Gospel that offends, that is foolishness to the world is to practice those Christian rituals that birthed the Christ-community in the first century. And they were the “foolish” rituals of hospitality, friendship, and sacraments. The Early Church had many failures, but they hosted each other, they loved each other, and they ate the Lord’s Supper with each other. And those practices toppled an empire. How is that for a Gospel offense?!
If the cultural forces continue to move away from the authentic values of the Church, members will have to see the community of Christ as an alternative city fully ready to provide counter-cultural measures that build the Church once again. This is no time to rest or to play nice with anti-christian politicians and lawmakers. We will have to restore our sense of the good by loving one another and surrounding ourselves with a Creed that cannot be torn by the mobs but is embraced by a genuine community of believers. We must return to those principles which formed us into the unstoppable empire that grew from 12 to billions. We need to declare these things loud and clear.
“We believe in God the Father Almighty!” but they will say, “How dare you!”
“Maker of Heaven of Earth!” but they will say, “That’s not science!”
“And in Jesus Christ our Lord!” and they will say, “That’s not diversity.”
“Who shall come to judge the living and the dead!” and they will retort, “Nobody can judge!”
Every time we get together for coffee, eat with our neighbor, talk about the goodness of God, and practice holy habits, we live the Gospel in word and deed. We are embracing a different creed than the world’s rules.
No, there is no way around it. The Gospel offends! It afflicts the comfortable and comforts the afflicted. Any other message is false and has no power or salvation.
