If we are not careful, we can parade ourselves around society as if what we say has significance. The truth is that very few people care about another person’s opinion. In particular, we must be careful of our attitude in relation to God. What he says is the final and absolute answer. Yet we have examples in the Bible and examples in our current time when people thought their opinions were important.
The Egyptian Pharaoh was the cruel king under whom the Hebrews had been held in captivity and used as slaves for some of the most difficult tasks any group or person could ever be assigned. When Moses came before Pharaoh, he told the king to let his people go. Pharaoh’s response was negative many times over.
Jesus had been put on trial before Pilate which ultimately led to his crucifixion. Pilate was warned by his wife not to have anything to do with Jesus. In fact, he did not believe that Jesus deserved crucifixion or punishment. Instead, he agreed for Jesus be crucified. He was backed into a corner by the priests which caused him to submit to their demands. What Pilate believed was of no consequence since he did not stand behind his convictions.
These two examples from the Bible present to us men who thought their opinions mattered, but they both found that not to be true.
There are two famous people on television that have presented to us a similar situation. During one of her shows, Oprah Winfrey openly said that she could not believe that Jesus was the only way to get to heaven. She said it did not make sense to her. Steve Harvey echoed the same sentiment by saying he thought there was more than one way to get to heaven. These were all powerful, rich, and authoritative people whose opinions did not matter. Paul said, “for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18)
It does not matter what is your opinion. If God’s Holy Word is involved, the Bible is the final answer. You may disagree with what is said in the Scriptures. That is your right even though you are wrong. You may find fault in the Scriptures, that is your privilege, but it has no bearing on the validity of the Bible. God said it and that’s the end of it. Without God’s Word there is no basis for morality, ethics, and especially the means to go to heaven. If everyone were to invent an opinion, they would be a zillion opinions, but none of them would be right unless it mattered what God said. It is wise of us to take the Bible as the final word in our lives. It is the truth on which we can stand. It is a love letter from God. It is a map that guides us through this life. None of us can exactly understand every verse of the Bible. The good news is that as we grow in God, the Holy Spirit will step-by-step reveal divine truth to us. Through our being faithful in the Word, we grow to a greater understanding and appreciation for God and his standards. Disagree if you like with historical events or commandments God has made. Instead of being critical or oppositional, the best alternative is to wait until the Holy Spirit will explain it to you sometime in the futu
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