My thoughts about the meaning of "our greatest offense" as a great JOC fan and minister of their denomination, having thought about what Dan says and the belief system they ascribe to:
'Our greatest offense' is taking all the evil and pain of this world...
...that we are both corporately and individually responsible for as those connected and intrinsically similar to the original man who rebelled against God and brought all this upon the world and mankind and continue to bring upon this world in rebellion against the purity of God's intention with our own lack of love and hatred, even on the part of those like the author of this song at the end who is cognizcent of both his own bad bent and failure of will to reach out and love and relieve...
...and then having the nerve to sigh out, cry out, and emotionally shake our fist in our soul and blame a pure hoy grieved God for what we have done and we bring on with our own evil. Who has not at small problems or the largest evils that face us, said the words or thrown up the attitude in our hearts in angry address "Oh, my God!"
"Why have YOU made me like this?" Rom 9
"The woman YOU gave to be with me, she gave me the fruit..." Gen 3
"Oh my God" is the angry cry of the raging mothers watching all the evils that have resulted from mankind's failures (and of all of us in our moments of facing the things of this world that are not as they should be) and, however briefly, indignantly complaining and emotionally blaming a responsible God. This is another example of the evil heart disposition of us all, to include people of God, that stiffen their necks at the consequences of our own sin and refuse to repent, but in their hearts would curse God not uhlike the men of Revelation 16:10-11.
"Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done."
It is fashionable among MANY pastors to say that "It's okay to be angry at God... Its no sin."
I think it is among our crowning offenses to besmirch his reputation in our own soul and deep recesses of our heart, if only expressed in brief moments, for the horrific damage and evil we have wrought.
@steveprost there are many angry Psalms and Lamentations and some of Paul's writings that include anger at God. Seems to me anger at God can lead to sin but sometimes leads to grief, healing and an even stronger relationship with God. I don't think God is surprised or offended by our anger. And in this song and in many people, anger sometimes can result in a maturing and increased love of God and humanity. Sadly of course anger can also become destructive. Any parent that has a child die, a beloved spouse, siblings, or parent etc....
@steveprost there are many angry Psalms and Lamentations and some of Paul's writings that include anger at God. Seems to me anger at God can lead to sin but sometimes leads to grief, healing and an even stronger relationship with God. I don't think God is surprised or offended by our anger. And in this song and in many people, anger sometimes can result in a maturing and increased love of God and humanity. Sadly of course anger can also become destructive. Any parent that has a child die, a beloved spouse, siblings, or parent etc. has likelihood of feeling sadness and anger. Anger itself isn't a sin, including anger at God. God loves us whoever and however we are, but I'm not saying for a second we are sinless.
My thoughts about the meaning of "our greatest offense" as a great JOC fan and minister of their denomination, having thought about what Dan says and the belief system they ascribe to:
'Our greatest offense' is taking all the evil and pain of this world...
...that we are both corporately and individually responsible for as those connected and intrinsically similar to the original man who rebelled against God and brought all this upon the world and mankind and continue to bring upon this world in rebellion against the purity of God's intention with our own lack of love and hatred, even on the part of those like the author of this song at the end who is cognizcent of both his own bad bent and failure of will to reach out and love and relieve...
...and then having the nerve to sigh out, cry out, and emotionally shake our fist in our soul and blame a pure hoy grieved God for what we have done and we bring on with our own evil. Who has not at small problems or the largest evils that face us, said the words or thrown up the attitude in our hearts in angry address "Oh, my God!"
"Why have YOU made me like this?" Rom 9 "The woman YOU gave to be with me, she gave me the fruit..." Gen 3
"Oh my God" is the angry cry of the raging mothers watching all the evils that have resulted from mankind's failures (and of all of us in our moments of facing the things of this world that are not as they should be) and, however briefly, indignantly complaining and emotionally blaming a responsible God. This is another example of the evil heart disposition of us all, to include people of God, that stiffen their necks at the consequences of our own sin and refuse to repent, but in their hearts would curse God not uhlike the men of Revelation 16:10-11.
"Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done."
It is fashionable among MANY pastors to say that "It's okay to be angry at God... Its no sin."
I think it is among our crowning offenses to besmirch his reputation in our own soul and deep recesses of our heart, if only expressed in brief moments, for the horrific damage and evil we have wrought.
@steveprost there are many angry Psalms and Lamentations and some of Paul's writings that include anger at God. Seems to me anger at God can lead to sin but sometimes leads to grief, healing and an even stronger relationship with God. I don't think God is surprised or offended by our anger. And in this song and in many people, anger sometimes can result in a maturing and increased love of God and humanity. Sadly of course anger can also become destructive. Any parent that has a child die, a beloved spouse, siblings, or parent etc....
@steveprost there are many angry Psalms and Lamentations and some of Paul's writings that include anger at God. Seems to me anger at God can lead to sin but sometimes leads to grief, healing and an even stronger relationship with God. I don't think God is surprised or offended by our anger. And in this song and in many people, anger sometimes can result in a maturing and increased love of God and humanity. Sadly of course anger can also become destructive. Any parent that has a child die, a beloved spouse, siblings, or parent etc. has likelihood of feeling sadness and anger. Anger itself isn't a sin, including anger at God. God loves us whoever and however we are, but I'm not saying for a second we are sinless.