Q - Is it a sin to offend someone or make them feel bad because you tell them what the Bible teaches?

A - No, if fact we are commanded by the teachings of the Bible to correct people when we see them doing something that is a sin.

If we fail to do this we are not flowing the teachings of the Bible and we ourselves may be sinning.

1 Thessalonians 2:4.
But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth (trieth means 'tests') our hearts

We are not here on this earth as Christians to please other people and be nice all the time, we are here to teach others the word and truth of God as a Christian you have a obligation to do this, it's time to stand up for Jesus and stop worrying about what people might say or think about you and do what God commands you to do. What he thinks about you is all that matters anyone else's option about you is unimportant.

Now, name calling is another thing, we know that Jesus called people names. But why did he do this? What was He trying to prove by entering into this practice? Was He setting a precedent for us - giving us an excuse to call people who get on our "last nerve" - "You fool, hypocrite, or serpent!"? Being the Omniscient God that He is, He infallibly knows what is in man. And so, it stands to reason that Jesus knows when people are sincere or phonies.

Throughout Matthew 23, we find Him renouncing the Pharisees - using various derogatory names. Let's look at the names that come out of Matthew 23:

• "hypocrites" - Matt 23:15
• "child of hell" - Matt 23:15
• "blind guides" - Matt 23:16
• "fools" - Matt 23:17
• "whited sepulchres" - Matt 23:27 (Meaning: A person who is inwardly evil but outwardly professes to be virtuous)
• "full of… iniquity" - Matt 23:28
• "serpents" & "generation of vipers" - Matt 23:33
• "murderers" - Matt 23:34

Now, as I read these verses, and knowing what I know about Jesus, the conclusion I draw is that in calling these religious leaders all these names, the Lord Jesus did not react in anger or malice toward those who opposed Him. Instead, He declared their true character in hopes that they would come face-to-face with the truth about themselves and repent.

So, the big question a person needs to ask of themselves when they use name-calling as a tool, is this: Are you responding out of anger or malice, or compassion? Is your intent to shine a mirror and expose a person's true character, or to make yourself feel better with "one-upmanship"? Are you hopeful that the person will repent as a result of your use of the name-calling technique, or could you care less? And the biggie - do you suppose that you have the same ability to know a person's heart as Jesus did to even attempt name-calling?