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Something about Christianity is a “scandal” to many (from the Greek, skandalon, skandalizo). Sin is a scandal to God. We are to avoid scandal as much as possible (recognizing the inescapable scandal of the Cross in the eyes of unbelief).
(Mat 5:29) And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
(Mat 5:30) And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
(Mat 11:6) And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me.
(Mat 13:21) Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.
(Mat 13:41) The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;
(Mat 13:57) And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house.
(Mat 15:12) Then came His disciples, and said unto Him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
(Mat 16:23) But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind Me, Satan: thou art an offence unto Me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
(Mat 17:27) Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for Me and thee.
(Mat 18:6) But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.
(Mat 18:7) Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
(Mat 18:8) Wherefore if thy hand or thy foot offend thee, cut them off, and cast them from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into everlasting fire.
(Mat 18:9) And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: it is better for thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire.
(Mat 24:10) And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
(Mat 26:31) Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.
(Mat 26:33) Peter answered and said unto Him, Though all men shall be offended because of Thee, yet will I never be offended.
(Mark 4:17) And have no root in themselves, and so endure but for a time: afterward, when affliction or persecution ariseth for the word's sake, immediately they are offended.
(Mark 6:3) Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? and are not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.
(Mark 9:42) And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in Me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea.
(Mark 9:43) And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
(Mark 9:45) And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched:
(Mark 9:47) And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire:
(Mark 14:27) And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of Me this night: for it is written, I will smite the Shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
(Mark 14:29) But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.
(Luke 7:23) And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me.
(Luke 17:1) Then said He unto the disciples, It is impossible but that offences will come: but woe unto him, through whom they come!
(Luke 17:2) It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
(John 6:61) When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
(John 16:1) These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
(Rom 9:33) As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.
(Rom 11:9) And David saith, Let their table be made a snare, and a trap, and a stumblingblock, and a recompense unto them:
(Rom 14:13) Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way.
(Rom 14:21) It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak.
(Rom 16:17) Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
(1 Cor 1:23) But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
(1 Cor 8:13) Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
(2 Cor 11:29) Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not?
(Gal 5:11) And I, brethren, if I yet preach circumcision, why do I yet suffer persecution? then is the offence of the cross ceased.
(1 Pet 2:8) And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
(1 John 2:10) He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
(Rev 2:14) But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.
24. And when they were come to Capernaum, they that received tribute money came to Peter, and said, Doth not your master pay tribute?
25. He saith, Yes. And when he was come into the house, Jesus prevented him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? of whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? of their own children, or of strangers?
26. Peter saith unto Him, Of strangers. Jesus saith unto him, Then are the children free.
27. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up; and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: that take, and give unto them for Me and thee.
The children are free, but they pay to avoid offense.
Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.
Romans 13:5
Romans 12-13 counsels submission to evil. This submission is not only to avoid the wrath of the State, but to avoid unnecessary offense. God does not prohibit us from having our property confiscated (Hebrews 10:34), therefore losing our wealth to the State is no sin. We should resist the State only when it orders us to sin against God. In this way, the conscience of the magistrate is without excuse. Romans 13:5 does not prove that those who call themselves "the State" and confiscate the wealth of others do so with God's ethical approval, nor does it argue that deep in our consciences we know that conquest and tribute are ethically approved, but rather that our duty is to avoid unnecessarily offending the conscience of others. The believer's point is not that the State offends me and my "rights," but that it offends God. |
(1 Corinthians 10:29) conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?
(Acts 24:16) And herein do I exercise myself, to have always a conscience void of offence toward God, and toward men.
(1 Pet 3:16) Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ.
(John 8:9) And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
(Acts 23:1) And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brethren, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
(Rom 2:15) Which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)
(Rom 9:1) I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Ghost,
(1 Cor 8:7) Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.
(1 Cor 8:10) For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols;
(1 Cor 8:12) But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.
(1 Cor 10:25) Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
(1 Cor 10:27) If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
(1 Cor 10:28) But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:
(2 Cor 1:12) For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
(2 Cor 4:2) But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
(2 Cor 5:11) Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences.
(1 Tim 1:5) Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:
(1 Tim 1:19) Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck:
(1 Tim 3:9) Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience.
(1 Tim 4:2) Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
(2 Tim 1:3) I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;
(Titus 1:15) Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
(Heb 9:9) Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
(Heb 9:14) How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?
(Heb 10:2) For then would they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins.
(Heb 10:22) Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
(Heb 13:18) Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.
(1 Pet 2:19) For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully.
(1 Pet 3:21) The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ: