[OPINION] Dictionary meaning; A view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. The beliefs or views of a large number or majority of people about a particular thing. An estimation of the quality or worth of someone or something.]
Lets start with the foundation of Gods word. {Jeremiah 17: 9,10] The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it. I the Lord search the heart and test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings. [NIV BIBLE].
Since man is born in an unsaved condition, his or her opinion is not worth the paper it is printed on. Before I was saved in 1985, I had tons of opinions on everything in an attempt to make sense of life and find some kind of truth and stability to live by. I did not know God’s word yet and what He had to say. After I received Jesus, He started replacing my feeble opinions with His absolute truth. God’s truth has a foundation and is the last word to life. We can trust it to save us, and live this life by. Let’s face it! life should be about getting right with God so we can make it into heaven for eternity. What’s the difference if you live 85 years on this planet living by your own formed opinions that you would call truth only to finally die and find out that you did not make it into heaven and you were wrong. Eternity is where we are headed.
God is not going to ask you what you thought or your opinion when you face Jesus in the judgment. He will ask, “Did you receive my Son Jesus the one I sent into the earth to save mankind. If not, why! If you did-good. That means that you set aside your own opinion and weak beliefs and picked up Gods truth and believed in His Son. Our opinions and judgments that we live by without the foundation of God and His word will condemn us in the end because we placed a higher value on our own opinions than we did on God and His word.
This would mean then that we were our own god. lifting our opinions and thoughts above God instead of humbling ourselves to the word of God. Man when he is born wants to drive his own car, his own life, but never asking the question, “do you know where you’re going?” Only Jesus Himself, God, and the HolySpirit know the purpose for which you were made and know how to navigate you and me in this life and reach the goals of development of our character and dreams and purpose, to ultimately have a relationship with God and make it into Heaven for eternity.
As you can see, our own opinions that we have turned into beliefs can destroy us if it is not founded on Gods word. If we were to face it, if you were in a dire situation such as a tornado, hurricane, cancer, car crash that left you half-dead, etc… what opinion would you pull out of your opinion book and use it to stand on as a foundation of truth in order to get you out of your situation?. But if you are a Christian and know the word of God, we have promises in the bible we can stand on that God Himself will back up and He will be your help in these terrible circumstances because you are His child and He has a covenant with you. Having our own opinions and belief systems makes us feel like we are in charge and we answer to no one. But the truth is We do answer to God. Every day that a person is in charge of his or her own life it is sin. Because in this condition you cannot obey God or know Him. The records of your life at the end that are kept on your life will testify against the person who refused Jesus as savior. That person will have to pay for their own sin for all of eternity in the lake of fire.
[REVELATION 20: 11, 15] NIV. Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat in it, from whos face the earth and heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead small and great, standing before God, and books were opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things that were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it. And death and hades delivered up the dead who were in them, and they were judged each one according to his works. Then death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. {NIV BIBLE}
Jesus blood and the wrath of God that He endured for us, and Jesus staying three days and nights in hell before He was resurrected is for those who will come to Him and receive it and be saved. Jesus’ blood is the payment for that person and satisfies God. For everyone else, it will be judgment because there is now no excuse for anyone to stay in his or her sinful nature because Jesus’ sacrifice is now completed on the earth ready for anyone who will humble themselves and repent and receive Jesus as Lord.
I know a person right now who is a catholic. She is very opinionated, doesn’t want to read the bible, and refuses any attempt to get into the Bible to see if what she believes is the truth. She puts her opinion above God’s word. She was raised catholic and believes that will save her. She cusses and swears, and thinks nothing of telling someone to, GO TO HELL! When attempts are made to do a bible study, all I hear is that that’s your way! I have my way! In truth, there is only one way. She doesn’t mind talking perverted and sexual. She is quick to judge others and not see herself. I love her very much. But do you readers think that her opinion which is not biblical will save her? NO! She is not a Christian but a catholic. She puts her religion in front of Jesus and His salvation that He has for her. If she would see it and receive Jesus as Lord in her heart. She is a friendly lady and a lot of people love her but this is not what God is looking for. She has never asked Christ into her life and been converted and given a new heart and made Jesus Lord. She is calling her own shots. Holding on to her own stubborn opinion. If Jesus was in her, she would not reject the word of God but would love it. Jesus does not reject His own words. This woman as an example only, really believes that she is going to heaven because of her religion and in her own opinion Is a good person.
Here is the scripture for this point. {ACTS 3: 19,20] NIV BIBLE. [Peter Speaking]. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before.
I was raised catholic as well. But in 1985 when I was 25 years old, I heard a preacher on tv talk about receiving Jesus as Lord and being saved. I had never heard that or did that in all of my 25 years of going to church. So I knelt down in my living room and asked Jesus to come into my life and be my Lord and forgive me of all my sins and give me His eternal Life. Just then the power of God went into my heart, I could physically feel it. I had great joy!!!! I knew I was saved. the Spirit Of God entered me and gave me a new heart in place of my stubborn wicked one that I was born with. I was in a different realm for days. I got a insatiable hunger for the Bible which I never had before and life changed after that for me. The super natural power of God began to work in my life from that day on. unlike the 25 years of following a dead religion that produced nothing in me. It was receiving Gods Spirit that did it. So as the title of this chapter in the blog, My opinion turned around 180 degrees about God and the things that I used to believe about him. And as I walk with Him in my life He gives me more and more of His truth that changes my opinions more and more to His truth. As I exercise His truths that He has given me and live by them, life gets better and better. I am able to see the power and value of His word and the worthlessness of my powerless opinions.
Here is the scripture for this point! [LUKE 6: 43, 49] {NIV BIBLE.} [JESUS SPEAKING] ” For a good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. For every tree is known by its fruit. For men do not gather figs from thorns, nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. But why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things I say? Whoever comes to me and hears my sayings as does them, I will show you whom he is like. He is like a man who built a house dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when the flood arose and the stream beat vehemently against that house, and could not shake it, for it was founded on a rock. But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built his house on the earth without a foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great”
What fruit is Jesus speaking of? {GALATIONS 5: 22,23] NIV. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such, there is no law.
Jesus did not die to produce a religion. He died for mankind, in order to save them and bring us all back to the Father. A real Christian is a person who has salvation by having Jesus Christ in them as Lord. Then follows His leadings. I say this with the foundation of scripture and my own conversion. Not by opinion.
What is the bad fruit that Jesus is talking about? {GALATIONS 5:19,21} NIV BIBLE. Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are; adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambition, dissensions, heresies, envy, murder, drunkenness, revelries.
So lets take a look at these sins for a moment. These sins are of the flesh man and Satanic. You are looking at the character of Satan when you read these. This Is what God came to destroy in us to replace these with His Holiness! So what does fallen man do?
1] Adultery.] Hey, Adultery Isn’t a sin. It’s my own personal business. If I want to sleep around with married people! who are you to tell me different? [THIS IS MAN’S OPINION, NOT GOD’S TRUTH.]
2] Fornication.] I can sleep around all I want and have as many partners as I want. I don’t want to get married. It’s too risky, So I will bed as many men or women as I can and won’t be obligated. [ THIS IS MAN’S OPINION NOT GOD’S TRUTH.]
3] Uncleanness.] Morally impure, evil, vile, filthy-minded, and more. I can look at all the porn I want. practice any immoral act I want including homosexuality bestiality, and nothing will happen to me! It’s my own business. [THIS IS MAN’S OPINION, NOT GOD’S TRUTH.]
4] lewdness.] Open public indecency, gross public display, It’s my life and I like to have a good time. I am not hurting anyone. [MAN’S OPINION, NOT GODS TRUTH.]
5] Idolatry.] Placing your own thoughts and opinions above God’s. You are your own god. anything of the Earth that you deem to be more valuable Than Jesus and therefore make it first in your heart. It could be anything, relationship, money, etc.. So then, whatever that Idol is that is first in your heart is really your god and not the living God. [MAN’S OPINION AGAIN, NOT GOD’S TRUTH.] Please remember that anything of the earth is a created thing including all people. God made all things. If you put any created thing of this earth first in your heart, you will die in sin because there is no eternal life in anything of the earth. Jesus must be first in all of us because He is the giver of life and is the only one who can give us eternal life. Anything that you put first in your heart you are asking to give you eternal life. Money will not buy you into heaven. It is a lifeless created thing. Jesus is the author of life.
6] Sorcery.] Using spells, Divination, Speaking to Spirits, fortune-telling, amulets, casting spells, Mind-altering drugs. An attempt to bypass God’s wisdom and rely on satans lies. Attempting to move in the supernatural of the Evil Dark side instead of God’s kingdom of light. This is fun and I want to do these things, nothing will happen to me! I need some good luck! Who are you to tell me it’s wrong! [AGAIN, MAN’S OPINION, NOT GODS TRUTH.]
7] Hatred.] Abomination, animosity, bitterness, disgust, unforgiveness, and more. I am judging that person and I have a right to. They did me wrong! I don’t like the way they look at me or what they said the other day. I hate that ethnic group! [AGAIN MAN’S OPINION, NOT GODS TRUTH.] Jesus said about this; Matthew 5: 21,22] “You have heard that it was said to those of old, you shall not murder and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment. But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment”.
8] Contentions.] Struggle, strife, argument. Likes to fight with people. A contentious spirit. I am always right and will argue with you until you see it my way. Narcissism could fit in here also. [MAN’S OPINION, NOT GODS TRUTH.]
9] Jealousies.] The state of resentment, bitterness, or hostility toward someone because they have something that you don’t. Rivalry. I hate that person because they act like a big shot. [MAN’S OPINION. NOT GOD’S TRUTH.]
10] Outbursts of wrath.] Acting grossly out of proportion in anger to the situation. Repeated episodes of aggressive violent behavior. Road rage, temper tantrums. Well if people wouldn’t be so stupid I wouldn’t get so mad. [MANS OPINION. NOT GOD’S TRUTH.]
11] Selfish ambition.] Vain conceit, Looking after your own interests first. Not caring what the repercussions are to other people or what happens to them. Me first. Hey, I need to take care of number 1. [MAN’S OPINION, NOT GOD’S TRUTH.]
12] Dissensions.] Disagreements that lead to discord. Division. Not preferring your brother over yourself. [MAN’S OPINION, NOT GODS’ TRUTH] I don’t believe this is referring to debate over ideas to come to the best conclusions for what’s best for the family or community. I have debated people with God’s word to get them to see the way to salvation even if they disagree. It wasn’t to promote division.
13] Heresies.] Denial of the core doctrine of the bible. doubting it or denial of it. and more. Well, I don’t believe that bible stuff. I see hypocrites and don’t want to get caught up with that group. I have a certain religion I like, that suits my opinion and they don’t talk about holiness and repentance. I can walk out the same way I walked in. [MAN’S OPINION, NOT GOD’S TRUTH.]
14] Envy.] A feeling of discontent or resentful longing aroused by someone else’s possessions or qualities. Things can be said like, “I can’t stand that person, they act so much better than everybody else. It is not the person they are envious of but a spirit of envy tormenting the envious one. [MAN’ S OPINION, NOT GOD’S TRUTH.]
15] Murder.] Unlawful premeditated killing of another human being. [ 1 JOHN 3:15] ” Whoever hate’s his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him”. So even the word of God tells us that hate is a murdering spirit even when we do not do the act. [LOVE AND FORGIVENESS IS GOD’S ANSWER TO THIS.]
16] Drunkenness an revelries.] Its ok to get bombed out of my skull. [MANS OPINION, NOT GOD’S.]
Here is the good news!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God is well aware of all of our troubles, vices, shackles, and why we do the things that we do. Much of it comes from hurt, pain, abuse’ and trauma. and unresolved issues in our lives that make us like walking volcano’s ready to blow up at any time. We see unresolved injustices happen and can’t do anything about it. so we look to these vices to relieve our pain and give us some sort of satisfaction and pleasure and cope with life. Everything listed above will destroy life and bring death, but God has got an answer. He gives life!!!!!! Do not be afraid of God’s love or be threatened by it. Open your heart to Him and He will come into your life and heal you and fill all the voids in your soul and heart as you let Him work with you. He does not condemn you. He has His arms open for you to come to Him and He will make you whole.
I know what I am talking about because I was one of these tormented souls. I did almost every sin listed above. I was like a cornered animal lashing out at people and was always in survival mode. Full of hate, rage, cussing, alcoholic, depression, hopelessness, fornication, The sin I was doing was always burning down everything I was trying to build. I was frustrated beyond what I could take. I always had a job but couldn’t seem to make headway. My opinions and thinking that I was living by were evidently not working. I had a dad who beat us boys and had a violent temper and he constantly made us feel worthless with his mouth. By the time I was going into grade school I was a wreck. I didn’t really know how to socialize with other boys. I didn’t trust anyone. Then I was forced into fights. no peace at home or at school.
By the age 25, Jesus came to me in my living room by the Holy Spirit. He entered into my life that day in July of 1985. And He started to heal the deep wounds in my life over time. He delivered me of alcoholism within one week of getting saved. I was drinking beer every day on weekdays and hard liquor on weekends. I came out of a lifestyle of being a rock and roll DJ at 5 different nightclubs in the valley for years. I was drinking a lot. Jesus delivered me within a week of being saved. It was not self-will. He filled the void that the alcohol used to fill. I no longer needed it. I never touched it again. This is what He does with all sin and pain. He heals the person by filling you with Himself. Then the wounds are healed and the pain disappears. The voids are filled. I was very wicked at that time and Jesus saved me and washed away all the sins that I did for the last 25 years. Who wouldn’t want to come to a God like that who will love you with open arms, adopt you as His child and heal your pains and trauma to your soul and emotion
WE AS HUMAN BEINGS BEAR FRUIT ALL THE TIME. We see it in our words and actions. people can tell what sort we are by what we say and do. So there are bad fruit and good fruit. But Jesus is saying that none of man’s fruit is good until he or she is converted to Him. We are incapable of good fruit that lasts until Jesus in us produces it. So you don’t earn salvation by being nice to people. and giving away things and cutting your neighbor’s lawn, or even giving to missions All these things we could do without Jesus in our heart just because we have a God-given conscience.
let’s say you give 500.00 dollars to missions. Then someone drives in front of you on the road and you cuss them out. Or a co-worker said something you didn’t like and you hold unforgiveness. You have a hot temper that cusses people out. Then you help your neighbor change a flat tire. Then you commit fornication with someone. Then you borrow a tool to your neighbor because he needs the help. Then you still hate somebody who did you wrong years ago. Then you help your neighbor put on a new roof because he needed the help. Can you see the potential for a person to say, “IM A GOOD PERSON. I WILL SURELY GO TO HEAVEN. I help people. This would be their opinion!!! not based on the word of God.
Back and forth we go of doing good and evil. Jesus said this about this subject. [MATTHEW 7: 17,23] NIV. “Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits, you will know them. Not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and done many wonders in your name? And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me you who practice lawlessness.
John the Baptist said the same thing. [MATTHEW 3:7,11] NIV. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, BROOD OF VIPERS, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves that we have Abraham as our father, For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Even now the ax is laid at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
So as you can see through the scriptures that good works without Jesus as your root is disqualified as acceptable to God. It is a mixture and not pure. We are either a bad tree or a good tree. Jesus as our Lord makes us the good tree with good roots that inevitably will produce constant good fruit. This is what Heaven is and requires.
MAN COVERS UP HIS OR HER SIN AND HIDES IT, BUT JESUS ELIMINATES IT SO THAT WE DON’T REPEAT IT! Thus we produce good consistent fruit that is acceptable to God because we have made Jesus our root and Lord. As you can see that opinion of ourselves and our own goodness is disqualified as any kind of standard that God accepts. Don,t lie to yourself. The Pharisees and Sadducees who fought Jesus in His ministry on Earth lost their lives as a result of a high righteous opinion of themselves.
ALL OF US HAVE OPINIONS BUT WHEN THE LIGHT AND TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL COMES TO YOU, IT IS UP TO YOU TO BELIEVE IT AND ADJUST YOUR OPINIONS TO CONFORM TO JESUS TEACHINGS. THIS WILL SAVE YOU AND BLESS YOUR LIFE AND CAUSE YOU EVENTUALLY TO WALK IN VICTORY OVER THIS WICKED WORLD.
Jesus said [MATTHEW 11:28,30] NIV. “Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, And I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly of heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
JESUS WANTS TO DO THE HEAVY LIFTING IN YOUR LIFE! HE WANTS YOU AT PEACE, DELIVERED OF SIN SO THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO CARRY CONDEMNATION AROUND ALL YOUR LIFE. HE WANTS TO BLESS YOUR LIFE LIKE ANY FATHER WOULD TO HIS KIDS ON THE EARTH. HE WANTS YOU TO MOVE IN THE SUPERNATURAL AND BELIEVE HIM FOR THINGS THAT ARE IMPOSSIBLE WHERE YOUR EFFORTS AND HIS POWER MEET. WHEN YOU ARE SAVED HE WILL SPEAK TO YOU IN YOUR HEART BECAUSE THAT IS WHERE HE RESIDES.
Again as you can see our opinion of ourselves doesn’t carry any water at all. If you have an opinion of yourself that you are lower than the dirt and unworthy and God doesn’t want me and you are lower than the average human. Cast it aside and run to Jesus. He loves you while you are still a sinner. He is waiting for you to come to Him. If other people have cut you down into thinking that you are nothing in life, this is the work of Satan through people listening to Him. Jesus is no respecter of persons like human beings are. Jesus calls us to be like little children. The high and mighty big shots of the world have a hard time with this. Wrong opinions can kill a person because it’s not based on God’s truth.
Ask Jesus into your life today and don’t waste time or take a chance on losing your life. We never know if we have a tomorrow. Spend time in your bibles and search and ask God to reveal Himself to you. You will get your time of visitation from Him.
Jesus told Nicodemus the Pharisee who was searching for answers,” [Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God”. [JOHN 3:3]
Thank you for reading the blog. God bless your searching and drawing closer to Him.