Unashamed: The Gospel’s Necessary Offense

Most of us instinctively recoil at the idea of "offensive good news." If it’s truly good news, shouldn’t it comfort, affirm, and inspire? Yet Paul famously declared that he was "not ashamed of the gospel" (Rom 1:16)—a statement that only makes sense if the gospel actually tempts us to be ashamed of it. The gospel offends not because it has been poorly communicated, but because it faithfully reveals truths we would rather avoid—and that offense is not a defect to be corrected, but a feature to be preserved. Think about what might be offensive about the gospel.

Perhaps the most fundamental offense is the Bible’s assessment … of us. Scripture isn't timid about denying what so many people fundamentally believe ... that humans are basically good. Instead, it states unequivocally that "the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth" (Gen 8:21), that we are "brought forth in iniquity" (Psa 51:5). It says, "The wicked are estranged from the womb; these who speak lies go astray from birth" (Psa 58:3). The heart is deceitful (Jer 17:9), there is none who does good (Rom 3:10-18), the mind set on the flesh cannot submit to God, but is hostile to Him (Rom 8:7-8), the natural man cannot understand the things of God (1 Cor 2:14), no one can even believe unless it is granted by the Father (John 6:44-45). We are, in fact, originally dead in our trespasses and sin (Eph 2:1-3). This is a pretty bleak picture, and no one wants to hear it or believe it. We are not morally good or even neutral by nature, and we are not capable of being good.

If Scripture’s view of us is offensive, it’s view of God’s judgment would offend more. The whole concept of divine judgment offends many. On one hand, that He would do this is an offense. On the other hand, that He could do it offends some. "How can a good and loving God send people to hell? Isn't that ... judgmental?" But, throughout Scripture it's a running theme. From Genesis (Gen 18:25) to Revelation (Rev 20:11-15), it is a constant. He "comes to judge the world" (Psa 96:13), can "destroy the soul and body" (Matt 10:28). He gave judgment to His Son (John 5:22-29). His wrath against sin is fundamental to the gospel (Rom 1:16-21). Judgment is a basic component of the gospel--the thing that makes "the gospel" such good news--and that upsets a lot of people.

Even judgment is more often tolerated more than the claim that salvation is found in only one person. A big offender is the whole idea of the exclusivity of Christ. In our day, pluralism is demanded. But if we are to be Christians, we're supposed to follow Christ, and Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father but by Me" (John 14:6). Peter declared, "There is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). Paul declared Christ as the "one mediator between God and man (1 Tim 2:5). John the Baptist declared, "He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:36). In all this and more, Scripture boldly declares Christ as the only option for salvation ... upsetting no small number of people.

And, of course, a really big component of the gospel that offends is the notion that Christ died for our sins. That is just too much. A popular assessment assumes that sin isn’t truly that serious and that God would never require such a cost. He's not an ancient "angry God" and sin can be remedied with better living and the proper application of therapy and medication. Scripture disagrees. From the early days of the God-commanded sacrificial system to the end of Scripture, the story was always that Christ would and did die for our sins. Isaiah said He bore our iniquities in His flesh (Isa 53:4-6). Jesus Himself declared He specifically came to be "a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). John the Baptist called him "The Lamb of God who takes away sin" (John 1:29). Paul wrote that Jesus was our "propitiation by His blood" (Rom 3:25), where "propitiation" is specifically the appeasement of an angry God and it was accomplished by His blood. We were "saved from wrath through Him" (Rom 5:8-9). He became sin for us (2 Cor 5:21). He became a curse for us (Gal 3:13). Peter says He "bore our sins in His body" (1 Peter 2:24). To affirm this doctrine is not to affirm some "tradition." It's to affirm Scripture. To deny this doctrine isn't to deny some offensive idea. It's to deny Scripture and Jesus's own statements. It's not peripheral. It's central to the gospel.

One really offensive concept central to Scripture and to the gospel is the concept of the Sovereignty of God. By God’s sovereignty, Scripture does not mean blind fate, but God’s active rule—His freedom to accomplish His purposes without resistance or uncertainty. Especially in our day where personal freedom is almost a god of its own, the idea that God can and does claim Sovereignty offends many. But Joseph assured his brothers, "You meant evil, God meant it for good" (Gen 50:20). Solomon said that man plans but the Lord directs (Prov 16:9), that even the heart of the king is in God's hand (Prov 21:1). Nebuchadnezzar admitted, "None can stay His hand" (Dan 4:34-35). It is this doctrine of Sovereignty that allows Jesus to claim that the Father gives people to the Son (John 6:37, 44). Peter claimed that Jesus was delivered up by God's hand (Acts 2:23) and His crucifixion was accomplished by Herod and Pontius Pilate and the crowd by "whatever Your hand and Your purpose predestined to occur" (Acts 4:27-28). Our salvation is the product of His foreknowledge, predestination, and calling (Rom 8:28-30). God "has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires" (Rom 9:18). Paul says we're His because we are "predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will" (Eph 1:11-12). Essential to the gospel is the claim that God is Sovereign. We humans really don't like that idea.

That's just a sampling. Paul wasn't ashamed of the gospel and we shouldn't be either. It is the power of God for salvation and puts God's righteousness on display. But don't expect everyone to call it "good news" when it carries such aspects as these and more. On the other hand, don't waver. We didn't make this thing up. It's Scripture ... God's Word. His Word does not come back empty (Isa 55:11). If we strip the gospel of its biblical offense, it negates the cross (1 Cor 1:17) and eliminates the gospel. We really need to decide if we're going to hang on to the gospel with all its "offense" or soften the offense and lose the gospel. The question is not whether the gospel will offend, but whether we will reinterpret that offense as a failure rather than a feature. The real temptation is not rejection—but revision … which would result in "another gospel" (Gal 1:6-9).