1 Corinthians 13:5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

Paul tells us here that love is not easily provoked, offended if you will. One of the tests of love in us is exactly that, ease of offense. I see it often and it amazes me that my brothers and sisters do not see the direct correlation between love and offense.

Ever notice how some find it so offensive to take the Lord’s name in vain to the point at which they spell God, G-d? They are offended at the practice yet fail to realize God is not His name, only His title. Then there were those in earlier times that were so offended at the use of “I AM” as Moses was told to tell them “I AM that I AM, tell them I AM has sent you.”

In those days Jesus walked the earth and cared about the common man, the less educated, the superstitious ones who would be easily offended by hearing Him refer to Himself as “I AM”. It is for that reason I have often thought that Jesus referred to Himself as the Son of man to keep from offending the common man. At the same time Jesus could and did offend the religiously well-educated with a high degree of insult using the same phrase, Son of man.

Daniel 7:13-14 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.

Son of man was what Daniel called the Messiah.

Zechariah 7:9-12 Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, saying, Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother: And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart. But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear. Yea, they made their hearts as an adamant stone, lest they should hear the law, and the words which the Lord of hosts hath sent in his spirit by the former prophets: therefore came a great wrath from the Lord of hosts.

Any religion which oppresses people by restriction of expression of faith and will not reason with those who oppose their beliefs has at the core of their faith, no faith in the power of their deity to defend them.

2 Peter 2:9-10 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities.

Presumptuous pride allows them to speak boldly the lies which they hold dear to themselves because their power is in oppression and not God. One cannot test faith by holding a gun to the head or a sword to the throat. Faith is tested by holding truth to the ear of the hearer. The enemy Satan understands that and so encourages oppression.

Note the warning, the day of judgment is coming.