Are Christians Wrong to get Offended at Blasphemy?

Are Christians wrong to get offended at blasphemy?

No.

Let me explain why.

People typically get offended in one of two ways.

The first kind of person is a snowflake. Snowflakes are "thin skinned" people who easily get their feelings hurt when they have to face something they don't like. Something unpleasant happens and they emotionally react in anger because they are insecure and emotionally fragile. For them, the offense is personal, even if it's true. This kind of being offended is immature and sinful (Prov 25:28).

The second kind of person is offended by a great evil. For Christians, being offended by great evil is a righteous response. They are acting on a principle, not simply "taking it personally."

Scripture tells us to not repay evil with evil (Rom 12:17). So, it's wrong to lash out at someone simply because they wronged you in some way.

However, you can be righteously offended when you are responding to a great evil, as defined by scripture, and with self-control (2 Tim 1:7).

I say this because some hand-wringing Christians have recently been lecturing people online about how it's wrong to be offended at the blatant blasphemy of the opening ceremony of the Olympics because “Jesus ate with sinners.”

From reading these posts you’d think Jesus never commanded anyone to repent of sin. You’d think Jesus’ highest priority on earth was to just “be with sinners all the time,” non-judgmentally nodding in approval with every new kink, perversion, or fetish his followers came up with. The only people Jesus ever dared criticize were the mean religious fanatics.

Another man wrote a viral Facebook post expressing frustration at Christians who have a “constant desire to be outraged over every little offense. I believe this is ineffective and does more harm than good.”

Posts like these assume everyone who got offended are just being whiny snowflakes and they need to toughen up. They self-righteously clutch their pearls at the rest of us who think the “Jesus ate with sinners!” trope rings hollow when a naked human smurf is presented on a platter as the main course at the Last Supper.

From what I've seen, the furor online was not just your garden variety outrage mob we witness everyday online.

These “don’t be offended at blasphemy” commentators fail to account for the genuine offensiveness of the performance itself, which was far more offensive than many realize.

From man's perspective, the performance was gross, vile, provocative, and inappropriate.

From God's perspective (as can be seen in scripture), it wasn't just inappropriate, it was blasphemous, because it shamefully depicted our Lord with open contempt.

In my opinion, every ounce of righteous disgust Christians have expressed over it is justified.

God is our example of a righteous response to evil. He never gets offended in the first sense. He is not insecure. He is not a snowflake.

But God does get offended in the second sense. He is zealous for his name, his righteousness, and his glory.

Romans 1:18 says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth."

God is the essence of all that is right and just. God takes all sin personally, because all sin is ultimately a rebellion against He who made us and sent his Son to make a way for sinners to be forgiven.

In the vision of Isaiah 6, God's throne is surrounded by seraphim who erupt in worship and declare his thrice holy name while the prophet prostrates himself in utter contrition. That is a proper response to God.

The apostle Paul's mind bursts in worship as he reaches the summit of his argument in the book of Romans, saying, "Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!" That is a proper benediction to the wonder of God.

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). On numerous occasions, his disciples fell down and worshiped him (Matt 28:18). This is a proper response to the Son of God who gave his life.

Every Christian should be zealous to boldly proclaim the name of Christ to the world. We should also defend the honor of his name to the world, because his name is above all names.

We should do this as an invitation and a warning. For those who would receive him, they can humbly submit to the name of Christ and be saved. For those who reject him and blaspheme his name, they too will bend the knee to Christ in judgment.

One way or another, the day is coming where "every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil 2:9-10).

Blasphemy is most offensive because it is a form of hatred singularly and explicitly directed at the truth of God and his Son, Jesus Christ, the savior of the world.

God is truth and blasphemy is a lie. God is the light that blasphemy tries to darken.

On the eve of his crucifixion, Jesus washed his disciples' feet and fed them a passover meal. The opening ceremony decided to depict this beautiful, sacrificial act as a gender bending gay orgy.

It's hard to imagine anything more offensive to God than that.

The question I'll leave you with is this: how can any Christian NOT be offended?