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GIVE NO OFFENSE

Text:1 Corinthian 10:32

Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God.

If you carefully scan through our Bible Reading today (1Cor.10), you will see that Apostle Paul clearly outlined the need for you to live in such a way that people in your community are not offended by your behaviour, knowledge and lifestyle as a true child of God. 

Today, we shall be looking at the three (3) communities the Lord is instructing you not to give offense to. 

 *Give no offense, either to (1) the Jews or to (2) the Greeks or to (3) the church of God* 1Cor. 10:32.

Let's quickly look at how you can give offense before we look at the three communities. 

The Amplified version of the Bible render the text verse thus;

 _Do not let yourselves be [hindrances by giving] an offense to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God [do not lead others into sin by your mode of life];_ (Amp).

 *If by your so called freedom and knowledge of God, you destroy the chance of letting people around you see the light of God, you would have simply sinned against Christ.* (1Cor.8:11-13).

Anyone who has truly encountered God seeks to walk in Love in order to avoid offending his communities through knowledge. Remember, the scripture says knowledge puffs up, but love edifies (1Cor. 8:2).

The first community which is the Jew may not be close to you based on where you are living today. Whether you live close to this community or not, you owe such a great show of Christ's love. 

It was unto them the oracles of God was chiefly committed. (Rom. 3:2). Jesus warned that your righteousness must exceed that of their scribes and Pharisees. (Mathew 5:20). This means that Christ expects more from you than the righteousness shown and proclaimed by the Jew. He wants you as a Christian to be the light of the Jew community.

An average Jew is simply offended by the lifestyle of an average Christian in the world today. This is because we give them more offenses in ways they did not know our Lord. 

For instance, The Church of England – Britain's official has announced that it is planning an “act of repentance” for anti-Jewish decrees that its predecessor issued 800 years ago. 

The church of England then maltreated the Jews. They showed no love to the Jewish community. History has it that some of the most pernicious anti-Jewish slanders and acts of persecution that tormented Jews in the Middle Ages and beyond were invented in England. 

How do you preach Christ to an average Jew whom you have persecuted his great ancestors? How do you think they will further see the _"Christ-ianity"_ that we proclaim as the faith of their own Jewish brother- Jesus Christ, our Lord?

 *As a Christian, you owe Jewish community your love in every sense of it.* This is because 

 _"Many of the people of Israel are now enemies of the Good News, and this benefits you Gentiles(now christians). Yet they are still the people He loves because He chose their ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob"_ Rom. 11:28.

Keep praying for the Jewish community, and show them the love of Christ which their ancestors rejected. 

Bible Readimg: Romans 11: 1-36


PRAYER FOCUS

1.) Father, I receive grace to live in such a way that my life will shine for men to see your light.

2.) Father, I pray for the Jewish community that you open their eyes to see and accept the Love of Christ. 


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