Bible and Theology on Offense

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None of us are there yet, but if we each have this attitude, we will put to death our reactions to criticisms and offenses. And though we may still stumble, we will learn that carrying the cross is no...

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No Shock with God’s Death

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Dorothy L. Sayers

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It is curious that people who are filled with horrified indignation when ever a cat kills a sparrow can hear the story of the killing of God told Sunday after Sunday and not experience any shock at al...

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Beloved: The Truth About Yourself

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Henri J. M. Nouwen

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Scripture

Jeremiah 31:3, Psalm 139:13-14, Romans 8:38-39, Isaiah 43:1-2, Deuteronomy 31:8, 1 John 3:1, Zephaniah 3:17

Every time you feel hurt, offended, or rejected, you have to dare to say to yourself: “These feelings, strong as they may be, are not telling me the truth about myself. The truth, even though I cannot...

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An Unexpected Friendship

Author

Stuart R. Strachan, Jr.

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Scripture

Galatians 6:2, Psalm 34:18, Proverbs 19:11, Colossians 3:13, Ephesians 4:32, Luke 6:37

Sometimes moments of forgiveness and friendship come from unexpected places. In 2018, the comedian Pete Davidson appeared on the “Weekend Update” segment of Saturday Night Live (SNL). Davidson made a ...

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Author

Erich Fromm

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There is perhaps no phenomenon which contains so much destructive feeling as 'moral indignation,' which permits envy or hate to be acted out under the guise of virtue."

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Author

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

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The Cross

Hide not the offense of the cross, lest you make it of none effect. The angles and corners of the gospel are its strength: to pare them off is to deprive it of power. Toning down is not the increase o...

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Inspired by Psalm 52

Author

Scott B. Bullock

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Scripture

Psalm 52:null

We boast of taking advantage of others, love evil more than good, speak deceit rather than tell the truth. We relish words that hurt and harm. We take refuge in wealth, security in savings and in succ...

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Almighty God, too often we settle for

Author

Laura B. Murray

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Romans 12:18, Psalm 51:10, Isaiah 1:17, James 2:13, Micah 6:8, Matthew 5:6

Almighty God, too often we settle for brokenness in our lives. Rather than offering forgiveness, we hold onto offense. Rather than pursuing justice, we turn away . Rather than offering mercy, we c...

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Inspired by John 6:56-69

Author

Gabe Fung

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John 6:56-69

Father God, you have provided us with bread from heaven through your incarnate Son; He is all that we need for spiritual revival and restoration. We, though, have taken offense at his invitation to ab...

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Psalm 51 | Awareness of Sin

Ancient lens What’s the historical context? A Historical Clue The superscript of Psalm 51 gives us a historical clue about the composition of this Psalm, “A Psalm of David. When Nathan the prophe...

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Inspired by Mark 9:42-50

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Mark 9:42-50

Gracious Father, the words of scripture are not without harshness in relation to our sin. We are prone to lead others astray in our words and actions. Knowingly or unknowingly done, we are condemned. ...

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Author

Charles Haddon Spurgeon

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Atonement

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Romans 3:23-26, Ephesians 5:2, 1 Corinthians 5:7, 1 John 2:2, Hebrews 10:5-18, Hebrews 9:12, Hebrews 9:14-15, Hebrews 9:28, 1 John 4:10

Throughout the Old Testament this was always the idea of a sin-offering - that of a perfect victim; without offense on its own account, taking the place of the offender; the transference of the offend...

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The Old Testament and Atonement

Author

Andy Cook

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Scripture

Leviticus 17:11

In the OT sacrificial system, the worshipper himself would kill the animal used for the sacrifice. First they would bring the animal near, indicating their desire to be made clean and worship. Next th...

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The Reconciling Love of the Father

Author

Jen Pollock Michel

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John 1:12-13, Romans 8:15-17, Galatians 4:4-5, Ephesians 2:12-13, Colossians 1:21-22, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19

In her book Keeping Place: Reflections on the Meaning of Home , Jen Pollock Michel reflects on the nature of home in a transient age. In this short excerpt, Michel reflects on the Biblical doctrine...

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Chipping Away at the Image in Us

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Marlena Graves

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Scripture

Matthew 5:22

Epithets can chip away at the image of God in us. Name-calling and identity theft are felonious offenses against divinity and humanity. Blasphemy. Those of us who have been victims of identity theft o...

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Playing with Chemistry Sets

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Annie Dillard

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On the whole, I do not find Christians, outside of the catacombs, sufficiently sensible of conditions. Does anyone have the foggiest idea what sort of power we so blithely invoke? Or, as I suspect, do...

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A Different Way of Doing Justice

Author

Rick Love

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Justice

Scripture

Ephesians 4:31-32, Hebrews 12:14, James 3:17-18, Romans 12:18, 2 Corinthians 5:18-19, Matthew 5:9

After the fall of apartheid in South Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu led his country in the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). The TRC rejected the two extremes normally implemented after such...

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Almighty and merciful God, the fountain

Author

Alcuin of York

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Scripture

Psalm 51:2-3, Romans 6:22, Acts 3:19, Isaiah 1:18, Philippians 1:6, Galatians 5:22-23

Almighty and merciful God, the fountain of all goodness, who knows the thoughts of our hearts: We confess that we have sinned against you. Wash us, we implore you, from the stains of our past sins...

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Psalm 51 (Miserere)

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Scripture

Psalm 51:

May be said responsively, alternating between leader and congregation. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; in your great compassion blot out my offenses. Wash me through a...

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Eternal God, in whom we live and move

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Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church

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Eternal God, in whom we live and move and have our being, whose face is hidden from us by our sins, and whose mercy we forget in the blindness of our hearts: Cleanse us from all our offenses, and del...

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Joyful, joyful we adore Thee, God of glory

Author

Richard Herman

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Psalm 145:1-3, Psalm 51:10-12, Isaiah 1:18, Lamentations 3:22-23, 1 John 1:9, Romans 5:8

Prayer of Adoration Joyful, joyful we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love – Holy and wonderful are You: Your grace is without measure, and Your purpose sure and true; Your power is unequaled and Y...

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Prayers of the People, Form I

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Romans 8:38-39, Acts 2:42-47, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 17:11-19, Psalm 68:19

Deacon or other leader With all our heart and with all our mind, let us pray to the Lord, saying "Lord, have mercy." For the peace from above, for the loving-kindness of God, and for the ...

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Holy and merciful God, in your presence

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Holy and merciful God, in your presence we confess our sinfulness, our shortcomings, and our offenses against you. You alone know how often we have sinned in wandering from your ways, in wasting your ...

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Adapted from Psalm 51 (BOCP)

Scripture

Psalm 51:1-13

Leader: Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving-kindness; in your great compassion blot out my offenses. People: Wash me through and through from my wickedness and cleanse me from my sin. F...

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Apologetics as Defense of God's Honor

Author

Os Guinness

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Scripture

Romans 3:4, Isaiah 5:16, 1 Peter 3:15, Isaiah 42:8

Apologetics (from apologia in Greek) is a “word back,” a reasoned defense mounted on behalf of the one we love who is innocent but has been falsely and unfairly accused. Faith desires to let God be Go...

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Transgression is Pushing Past Good Boundaries

Author

Ashley Hales

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Scripture

Genesis 2:, Genesis 3:, James 1:14-15, Romans 5:12-19, Psalm 19:7-8, Genesis 11:

After the fall of our first parents, boundaries were something to push past, to transgress. It’s worth pausing to note how we use the word transgression for “sin.” With its Latin roots, “across” and ...

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Author

Alan Fadling

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The drive to possess is an engine for hurry.

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Author

Chuck Palahniuk

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It's easy to attack and destroy an act of creation. It's a lot more difficult to perform one.

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Faster, Higher, Stronger

Author

Richella J. Parham

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All kinds of competition are comparisons of the abilities or performance of one person or team to that of another. From elementary school spelling bees to professional sports, contestants compare thei...

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Author

G. K. Chesterton

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The act of defending any of the cardinal virtues has to-day all the exhilaration of a vice.

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