Offense of the Gospel

Today, I am grateful for the offense of the Gospel.I still remember. I recall the arguments between my wife and me. I remember her thanking God for the things we had, and I felt disrespected for all the work I had done.I still remember her calling things I enjoyed a sin. I still remember becoming infuriated beyond comprehension whenever I heard His name. I still remember the days when I just wanted to stay away from her so that I did not have to listen to her speak so well of God, who had never helped me.I still remember how offended I was by the seeming takeover of my wife by this entity that had always seemed too judgmental and unfair. I still remember stating of God, that it must be nice to get all of the credit and none of the blame. I still remember all of it. When I see the reactions of some to the Gospel today, I see myself reflected in them.The Gospel has always been offensive. It is meant to confront sin. It is intended to break so that it can truly mend. My grandad used to say you have to break some eggs to make an omelet. The Gospel broke every egg I had.It tore down my accomplishments. It smashed my heart and cut my pride to pieces. The Gospel was foolishness to me once, and it is foolishness to many today. Why? Because the Gospel is offensive. It confronts error. It proclaims truth. It proclaims someone higher than me. It sets a standard with which I disagreed.But then, I met Jesus Christ. Not the religion, the Man Himself. He took this man who had been destroyed by the Gospel and began to mend the pieces. He put them back together in a different order than before. He set my soul in a new, more prominent place. He replaced a hard heart with one attuned to His. Suddenly, the same Gospel that had been foolish started to make sense. Suddenly, the offensive became redeeming.The conviction became the freedom. The condemnation became forgiveness. Of course, the Gospel is offensive. It has to be, because light always offends darkness. Truth always offends falsehood, and the God of the universe has to replace the god I have made of myself.Hebrews 4:12-13 says, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."Today, I am grateful for the offense of the Gospel.Jason Spade is pastor of Colonial Heights Baptist Church.