God's truth offends. The truth in God's way of life is very offensive to this world and to those who are sinning, and Jesus' words in Matthew 24:9-12 point to this: His followers will be hated for His name's sake, and many will be offended, betray one another, and hate one another while lawlessness abounds and love grows cold. That passage also carries a human element, since people will take offense at one another apart from God's truth. Offense that comes through faithfulness to God's Word and truth is a separate matter from offense in ordinary relationships. In all things believers must remain faithful to God, even when His truth offends. By contrast, when believers offend others through carelessness, pride, or indifference, they place stumbling blocks in front of them and damage relationships. Paul models the difference. He gave up even his legitimate rights, such as eating meat or receiving support, so that the gospel and weaker brethren would not be hindered, instructing, "Give no offense." Offense should therefore never come from selfishness or a "that's their problem" attitude, but only from unyielding commitment to God's truth.

Cancel culture is not new; it is the age-old impulse to silence whoever offends, and it is sparked because someone is offended. The Pharisees practiced it against Jesus. They had no interest in repentance or second chances, as seen when they dragged the woman caught in adultery before Him, demanding her death while really trying to trap Him into saying something they could use to silence Him. Jesus did not come to cancel people but to teach the gospel of the Kingdom, heal the sick, and take away sins through His perfect sacrifice. Yet His authority, His miracles, and the multitudes following Him threatened the Pharisees' status quo. After Lazarus was raised, they feared everyone would believe in Him and Rome would take away their place and nation, so their campaign against Him intensified into a plot to kill Him, the only way to silence Him permanently. Today cancel culture targets those who deviate from social and moral norms, but it will eventually come for the truth and God's word. Matthew 24:9-10 warns that believers will be hated for Christ's name, and many will be offended, betray one another, and hate one another. God's truth, like Jesus Christ, will in some way offend the masses. Believers can stand firm because God has given His Spirit, sound minds, and stability, and because He is merciful and forgiving and is moving His plan of salvation forward.

Those who speak God's truth in their hearts, as Psalm 15:2 describes, will meet violent offense from those whose position and pride the truth threatens. Stephen, full of faith and the Holy Spirit, spoke with a wisdom and Spirit his opponents could not resist. The Freedmen of the Synagogue, unable to answer him, hired false witnesses and stirred up the people, elders, and scribes, the same circle that plotted against Jesus and the apostles out of jealousy and a desire to preserve their standing. When Stephen recounted Israel's history and called them stiff-necked, resistant to the Holy Spirit, and murderers of the Just One, they were cut to the heart, gnashed their teeth, stopped their ears, and killed him. They did not want to hear the truth because it was an accusation against their pride. Jesus says that everyone who is of the truth hears His voice, so not everyone can hear it. The first reaction to truth is often hatred, and Jesus' call, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear," asks whether anyone has ears to hear. Christ foretold that His followers would be hated, delivered up, and betrayed even by family. The truth must not be watered down: if it offends, let it offend. Stephen stood alone for God's truth, and Christ stood at the Father's right hand to receive him.