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By Roger A. Scully Jr.
We are told of Jesus in the 4th of Hebrews, verse 15, that he was “in all points tempted like as we are. Yet without sin.”
This tells us, in the simplest of terms, that Jesus was absolutely sinless; therefore all things He did and said were
proper, appropriate and acceptable. This is, in fact, what makes Him our perfect example, “leaving us an example, that
ye should follow His steps”(1Pet 2:21). However, one cannot read of the life of the sinless Anointed without noticing
that He often spoke in an extremely harsh manner; for example, in the 23rd of Matthew, verses 27-28 it is recorded
that Jesus said, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like unto whited sepulchers, which
indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and all uncleanness. Even so ye also
outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.” These are strong words. In fact,
one might even find them quite offensive. But, remember: Jesus was absolutely sinless in all He did and said. Now, that
is not to say that His words were not strong or offensive, but it is to say that He was not wrong in using such speech,
due to that circumstances in which He found Himself. Not only were His words and actions not sinful, thus proper,
appropriate and acceptable, but His intention was as well. So why, then, did Jesus say the things above mentioned?
Was He saying them to be rude or hurtful? Certainly not, for that we have already ruled out. Did He say them because
(1) they were truthful, and (2) He cared for the souls and well being of those to whom He said them? Yes, Jesus was
being truthful, and He was being truthful because He cared about the people to whom He spoke.
Well why is it, then, that we find so many people, particularly Christians, accepting words of truth, correction and
warning, which are intended in a loving manner, in an offensive way? Have we forgotten the words of Paul, “Am I
therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth”? (Gal 4:16). Why must we accept that which is true, and
that which is meant to correct in love, as a personal attack? This attitude has caused many problems, the major of
which being that people rarely say what needs to be said for fear of losing friendships and hurting feelings, thus that
which needs to be said for the spiritual well-being of a person rarely is. Let us look at a few areas where we need to
examine our attitudes as it pertains to being told the truth.
The first to which attention is called is preaching and writing. It has been said that sermons and articles should not
speak of people in a manner in which other people will know those about whom the matter is intended. But, we ask, is
this in harmony with the Holy Writ? We think not, for these reasons: The epistles that were written by the apostles and
New Testament prophets were to be read and shared with all (cf. Col 4:16). Now, notice some of the things recorded in
the epistles: “which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck: of whom is Hymeneus and
Alexander; whom I have delivered into Satan, that they may learn not to blaspheme” (1 Tim 1:19, 20). Now, was Paul
right or was he wrong in writing these things? What about when Jesus, not in the presence of the Pharisees, warned
His disciples to beware of their teaching in Matthew 16:5-12, was He right or wrong? What do we suppose the purpose
of preaching is? Is it not to “reprove, rebuke and exhort”? (cf. 2 Tim 4:2). Is it not to convict and convince? Most
certainly it is. Thus Stephen would call those to whom he was preaching “stiff-necked, and uncircumcised to heart and
ears” (Ac 7:51-53); and the people, after hearing Jesus preach to them, often concluded that He had spoken “against
them” (Mk 12:12).
The next thing to which attention is called is the reality that people are often offended at what is preached, said or
written. We should not be surprised at this happening today, for it happened to Jesus. In the 15th of Matthew it is
recorded that the “Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying” (v. 12). What saying had they heard? They
heard the correction of Jesus, which was delivered in a most straightforward manner. Well, how did Jesus respond
when He had heard that they were offended? Did He run after them begging them to forgive Him saying He would take
it back? No. The record says that Jesus said, “Let them alone” (v. 14). Again, in John 6:66 it is recorded that “many of
his disciples went back, and walked no more with Him.” Why did they so? It was because of that which Jesus told them.
Again, Jesus did not run after them offering to take His words back, but rather He turned to those who stayed by His
side and said, “Will ye also go away?” (v.67).
In Matthew 16:22, 23, we read of Peter, because he did not like that which he heard Jesus say, taking Him and
rebuking Him. In turn, the Lord took Peter and said, “get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offense unto me: for thou
savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” Now, it is interesting to note that Peter did not, as
some of our brethren do, say, “You just think I am stupid,” or “You just don’t like me,” or “John said similar stuff before.”
No, Peter, just as when he was rebuked by Paul (cf. Gal 2), took it. It was also Jesus who told the Sadducees that they
do “err not knowing the scriptures” (Mk. 12:24).
Dear brethren, those whom I love more than mine own life, why must we be so easily offended when people have
spoken the truth, and that in love? Why must we take general statements so personal, unless we find that they apply
to us, and if they do, why do we get so offended? Why can we not give one another the benefit of the doubt and trust
that people are, as Paul, not trying to shame us, but warn us (1Cor 4:14)? Why must we think that people, especially
those who bear that name of Christ, i.e. Christians, are trying to hurt us by correction us? When in NWFSBS we
students were required to prepare sermons and deliver them to our peers and instructors. At the conclusion of the
delivery we were forced to stand before the class and receive “constructive criticism.” Often we were told things that
were not very pleasant. I was told many things that I did not like. Yet, these things were not said to single me out, hurt
my feelings, or make me angry. No, they were said to help me become a better preacher. Now, whether they helped
make me a better preacher or not, you can decide, but the point is that they were trying to help me, not hurt me. I do
not know what you think of my ability as a preacher now, but I can assure you it would be much worse had I not
accepted that which was said, in the spirit in which it was intended, and actually apply it to myself.
Let us, brethren, learn to love one another, and receive correction as that which can help us, not as something that is
intended to hurt us. “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s
sake hath forgiven you” (Eph 4:32).
