Being Offensive

Turn on the news or peruse the Internet these days and you'll find that Christians aren't the most popular folks on the planet. In the main we're viewed as a joke, foolishness, ignorant idiots who can't think our way out of a paper bag. Intelligent Design? What nonsense! Biblical morality? Don't be ridiculous! "Look, you guys can be as religious as you want; just don't do it in my air space. Don't mention it to me. Don't carry it into politics. Don't suggest it to my kids. Look, I'd really rather you didn't even have that stupid fish sticker on your car. What a bunch of rubes!"

What is it that is so offensive about Christians? Well, of course, there is that whole "exclusivity of Christ" thing. That really riles people. They don't mind Jesus saying, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life", but when He goes on to say, "No man comes to the Father but by Me", that doesn't fly. "And then you arrogant Christians agree with it? Come on! If anything, all religions hold the truth. More likely, none do and you're just stupid." Yes, that is indeed offensive to most. Of course, the logic of it eludes them. If all religions claim to be exclusive (and, with only one or two exceptions, all do), there is a logical contradiction. They can all be false or one can be true, but it is impossible that all could be true. Logic demands exclusivity. But, of course, we're arrogant for that. And being a "follower of Christ" demands exclusivity as well (since Christ claimed exclusivity), but we're arrogant there, too.

But, no, it's not just our exclusivity claim ... or rather, the exclusivity claim made by our Master. What's really offensive is that whole cross thing. The skeptics complain because it's too "pagan". Some sort of animal sacrifice thing, except made worse with a human being. Just as crazy as "This is My body." Nuts ... completely nuts. The learned complain because it just seems so base, so ancient. I mean, everyone believes we can just be good people and get to heaven or whatever. Why this whole "crucifixion" thing? "Isn't that a bit over the top? Isn't that somewhat pointless? I mean, can't you just have a nice God who forgives stuff and moves on?" Some (as far back as Pelagius, in fact) have complained that "The whole 'shedding of blood for sin' thing makes God subject to sin. That is, with your claim it appears that He cannot forgive unless someone dies. That's just crazy, like some volcano god demanding a virgin or something. God is bigger than that." Oh, yes, you'll hear them. Lots of arguments that take offense at the Cross. The skeptics who don't like religion at all deny that He existed at all. The Moslems who like Christ as a prophet deny that He died. The progressives who see that the Bible talks about Christ dying suggest it was just an example of some sort. No Atonement took place. No sin was paid for. It was just showing that Jesus's life was a life worth dying for. Being good, helping the poor, serving others, these are things worth dying for, and Jesus illustrated that. The very notion that Christ died on the cross to pay for our sin would make His death the primary mission for which He came, and we know better. No, no, God needs no appeasement, sin needs no payment, and that whole historical line of thinking is a lie, even if it does come straight out of Scripture. Unitarian Universalists are quite sure that everyone gets saved because God chooses to dismiss sin, not because Christ died. Others are not quite as beneficent. God is indeed dismissing the sin problem because, after all, He is much bigger than sin, but He is still subject to Human Free Will, so only those who choose to be saved will be because God cannot/will not save those who don't want to be saved. Sin is dismissed, but He will still hold them responsible because they choose to be held responsible.

You see, the longer you discuss it, the more you look, the better you see, the bigger the offense appears. It offends Jews. It offends Gentiles. It offends people calling themselves Christians. It is the single thing that stands out in Christianity from all other religions. All other religions call on us to be good and earn our way. Christianity points to the Cross and says, "Paid in full." It undercuts any sort of intrinsic personal worth, removes any room for boasting, and centers all glory on God the Father for His gift, His Son, on God the Son for His sacrifice on our behalf, and on the Holy Spirit for enlightening blind eyes to the glory of it all. If you are offended at the concept of a sacrificial payment on our behalf for sin, you're in the main. If you are humbly grateful for it, you're among the few. But according to Scripture the offense of the Cross is not to those who belong to Christ. It is offensive to those that do not. Rest assured, dear Christian. We will not be able to avoid offending the world around us. Our very core -- the Cross of Christ -- is an offense.