Why would we need a practical guide to being offensive when everyone is offended all the time? To be considered offensive all you have to do is say, “A boy is a boy.” Being offended is a national pastime, and those who are constantly offended, use it as a weapon to silence dissenters. In some ways, we’ve become legalists who prove our righteousness by venting our anger at what others say. Our offense distances us from those who are unclean proving our holiness. In such a day, many Christians won’t consider that being offensive is a sometimes a biblical and righteous option. We prefer our manmade standards to what is found in Scripture.

Christians often promote the false idea that being nice is the chief virtue. Likewise, being mean is the chief sin. This puts Christians in a conundrum as being nice is equated with being Christlike, but being Christlike also means believing things the world finds mean. This tension intensifies as many Christians have an idolatrous view of Jesus that sees him as a neutered-puppy who would never be mean. The problem is, Jesus did a lot of offensive things.

If this is true, then when is it okay for Christians to be intentionally offensive? When can Christians use insults? To some, even asking such a question is absurd precisely because they have an incomplete view of Christ. To be clear, some have swung the pendulum too far in the other direction, and they appear hell-bent on being as offensive as possible all the time. Biblically, both of these extremes are unacceptable. Christians must not be those who walk on eggshells trying to live up to these manmade standards, but they cannot always be seeking to humiliate their opponents. If we want to find the proper balance, first we must see rightly see Christ.

Unfortunately, many Christians view Jesus as the eminent nice-guy who wouldn’t hurt a fly. This under-the-radar false teaching cripples the testimony of the church because Christians rightly affirm Jesus is our example for godly living. If he was never offensive, then Christians should follow suit, but if at times he was offensive, then it follows that Christians can be as well.

It is here we see how we’ve caged the Jesus of Scripture, because he said a lot of offensive things, especially by today’s standards. Even a cursory reading of the Gospels demonstrates that Jesus was confrontational and even insulted his opponents. He said things that would make evangelical twitter explode. Jesus called his opponents sons of Satan (John 8:39-47), whitewashed tombs (Matt. 23:27), a brood of vipers (Matt. 12:34), Wicked tenants (Luke 20:9-18), hypocrites (Matt. 23:23), blind guides (Matt. 23:16), etc. The list could go on, but one of my favorite examples is when a lawyer interrupts Jesus’s insults of the Pharisees and says, “Teacher, in saying these things you insult us also” (Luke 11:45-52). If the modern distortion of Christ is true, then we’d expect Jesus to apologize for acting out of character, but that’s not what he does. Instead, Jesus looks at the lawyer right in the face and starts insulting the lawyers along with the Pharisees! If your view of Jesus doesn’t have room for this type of behavior, then you’ve built a false version of him. This is called idolatry, and it must be repented of.

Therefore, any fair reading of the Bible admits that there are times to be intentionally offensive. In other words, sometimes it is godly and praiseworthy to use insults. You may be tempted to think this type of behavior is limited to Christ because he is God, but others did it as well. For example, the prophets, under the inspiration of the Spirit, called the people of Israel whores, and the apostles insulted false teachers again and again.

Once we understand there are times to be offensive, the question becomes, “When should Christians be intentionally offensive?” That is what this practical guide is for, knowing when to be offensive. Here are five biblical principles to consider before lobbing insults at others.

1. Is it true? Truth is the fundamental question for all communication, and Christians must be truth-tellers. While it is important to speak truth in the right manner, the truth comes first. In other words, there is no way to speak in a right manner if you’re lying. In an age that denies the existence of truth, Christians must be obsessed with it. It really does matter if we get theology right. It really does matter if Jesus is truly God. It really does matter if a boy is a boy. It really does matter if Scripture forbids women from preaching. Our first concern must be truth and not tone. The fact that Christian twitter explodes more over issues of tone than over issues of truth reveals the sad state of our self-righteousness.

2. The fruit of the Spirit should be our default. In Galatians 5:22-24, Paul gives us a list of the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Paul did not give us an exhaustive list of the fruit of the Spirit, but these virtues should be our default position. We must remember, these are the general marks of the presence of the Spirit. These virtues are our starting place. For teachers, Paul reminds us this is especially true (2 Tim. 2:25).

3. The fruit of the Spirit does not exclude being offensive. While in general, Christians are to be kind, gentle, and patient there are also times to be intentionally offensive. Just ten verses before giving us this list, Paul says perhaps his most offensive statement. Paul says he wishes the false teachers who promoted circumcision would castrate themselves (Gal. 5:11-12)! Please note, it is the Holy Spirit who inspired him to write such a shocking statement. So either Paul is being contradictory, or the fruit of the Spirit and insulting false teachers aren’t contradictory. A quick survey of how the Spirit acts throughout Scripture shows us that strong words are not uncommon. For example, in Acts 13:9-10, Paul is filled with the Holy Spirit leading him to say to his opponent, “You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy…” The Holy Spirit both inspires gentleness and insults. The fruit of the Spirit can be peace, and it can be an offense. If we’re honest, the Spirit-filled Paul would not be very popular in modern evangelical circles. I say this to our shame.

4. The level of hard-heartedness matters. It is hard to measure someone’s heart because none of us are God, but Jesus does instruct us to judge people by their fruit (Matt. 7:15-20). Granting this is far from perfect, it does matter how far gone an individual is. Of course, God can display his power in the gospel by changing even the hardest of heart. Nonetheless, when it comes to using insults, we must recognize there are leaders and followers of false teaching. It matters greatly if we are dealing with a wolf or a goat. Those who are charged as shepherds of the sheep cannot be gentle to wolves, for if they are, the sheep will suffer. Throughout Scripture, the harshest and most offensive statements are directed at false teachers who lead others into sin. Why? Because being a teacher invites a stricter judgment (James 3:1) because of our influence on others. In other words, if you are dealing with people leading others astray, being offensive is often necessary, and even praiseworthy. Shepherds must fiercely fight off the wolves to protect the sheep. Refusing to do this is unfaithfulness.

5. Being offensive should be about helping others, not vindicating yourself. In Scripture, vivid and harsh language often exposes the truth behind destructive teachings. This tactic benefits those who may be deceived by false teachers because it exposes the truth. For example, Jude demonstrates this as he uses striking descriptions of false teachers (1.8-16) but he clearly states his goal is to snatch people from the fire (1.23). If you being are offensive to get attention or to make yourself look better, then you are likely sinning. But if you are motivated by advancing the truth, protecting others, and loving God, then you are likely following the example of Jesus, the prophets, and the apostles.

There is one final crucial item for us to consider—we live in an upside-down age. Every age has its common sins, and in this way, every age is the same. But throughout history, there are cycles of greater and lesser rebellion. The West is in the midst of full-blown rebellion against its Christian heritage, which displays itself in highhanded rebellion against God. In other words, this is an unusually wicked and perverse generation. Our world calls good evil, and evil good. In such a time as this, being offensive becomes both more common and necessary. Therefore, Christians must reject the legalism of these modern speech codes. No matter how many stones the twitter mob throws, we must reject their self-righteousness. The only cure for this legalism is humble repentance, which only comes by reading the Bible on its terms and then submitting to it. The truth is, many popular beliefs deserve insults. This is especially true when doing so makes us uncomfortable.

Levi J. Secord