Life Ministries

Opinions
Romans 12:9-18…14:1-13…19 and 22

    A man was waiting by the church’s door one night, he was angry and he told several people how angry he was! One came back in the church to tell me how angry this man was. The crowd left, and I turned out the lights hoping the man would leave and I would not have to address what ever issue he was mad about? I got to the door and I saw my beloved church member waiting at the door, so I stepped out and the man started jumping all over me ... he was angry and very loud.  He proceeded to tell me how bad some of the church members were. He said as we were praying that he saw four people peeking. He said that they looked around while we were praying. And the nerve of it, one was even a board member… and one was a board member’s wife. The nerve of them hindering the move of the Spirit by peeking around? He said I know that you never peeked, but 4 people were peeking and this was very bad. He went stomping off, he turned and looked back, and said I will never come to this church again, even a board member peeked!  I asked him to wait a minute. I then told him he was wrong, there was not 4 people peeking while we prayed…He said, Yes there were 4 and he told me their names. I again informed him he was wrong. I told the young man that there were five people playing spiritual peek-a-boo, and I added his name. I told him, how could you possibility know four opened their eyes while we were praying unless you opened your  eyes?….. The mad man was very angry at other people for doing what he, himself, was doing?   He was as guilty as any person he accused?
     I am glad Jesus does not give us black robes of a judge, but that He gives us a white robe. We cannot alter the size of the robe to fit us, rather He alters us to fit the robe. How sad I am when others try on the black robe of judgment and base what they do, or what they will not do based on what others do. Jesus told a parable about some virgins…they were all virgins, just some had a problem with not checking their own oil level.  I wonder what Jesus would do if He only used perfect people like you and me?  Why can’t everyone else be perfect like you and me? Why can’t everyone see their weaknesses like you and me? I will be honest, while  everyone is not perfect like me and you, I do worry about you some times!

     Webster defines “opinion” as “a belief, impression, or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce certainty.” Of course, most people are CERTAIN that their opinion is correct!  Someone once said that “Opinions are like noses, everybody’s got one” In Romans 14, Paul was writing to a bunch of opinion-ated believers.  In fact, they were so opinionated that they began to withdraw from the fellowship. At one time their fellowship was based on Jesus Christ…but somehow, it had shifted to opinions.
    In Rome, the hot topics of the day were “diets” and “days”. The Jewish believers regarded certain days as special unto the Lord, while Gentile believers didn’t.  Rather than take a chance on eating unclean meat or meat that had been sacrificed to Idols, many Jewish Christians became vegetarians.  Rome of course is in Italy, the home of Italian food…So, when they all went out to Pizza Hut after service, the Gentiles ordered Pepperoni with pork sausage and thick crust…while the Jewish believers got the vegetarian pizza on leavened bread!
    Their opinions became more important than their fellowship. Things haven’t really changed much today. We still have our opinions about clothes, movies, dancing, art, jewelry, and even makeup. Some people think it’s a sin for women to wear makeup…some think it’s a sin for some women not to wear makeup! The fact still remains that churches have split over a difference of opinion. They have severed their fellowship over the 3% they disagree on, rather than being unified on the 97% that they agree about!
    How do we form opinions?  ( Background, past experience or teaching, - Certain beliefs can be transferred from teachers to students…parents to children, and incorrect teaching will produce incorrect opinions.) Some of us were “born and raised” with certain beliefs, and nothing can change that. It would be nice if everything we were taught growing up was absolutely correct and perfect, but it’s not likely. People once believed that there was no way to transplant a person’s heart! Our opinions are also determined by our age. What we believed when we were small is not necessarily what we believe today. (The same is true spiritually.)
    There are some wrong ways to handle difference of opinion; such as trying to force our opinion on someone else; or trying to produce guilt trips. “Oh to dwell above with saints we love, how that will be our glory! But to dwell below with saints we know, well that’s a different story!” There is an old saying that says; “A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still”
    There was a cartoon depicting a girl telling her friend; “Do you know that kid who sits behind me in school? I convinced him that my religion is better than his religion.” Her friend asked “How did you do that?” The girl replied, “I hit him in the head with my lunch box!” Isn’t this what the scriptures we read are saying to us?  We can be brothers and sisters in Christ without being TWIN brothers and sisters!
    Let’s not miss the confusing but amazing truth being presented here; Paul says that we can be wrong and be right…and we can be right and be wrong!  “In a day of illusuions and utter confusions, it’s upon our delusions we base our conclusions” You can be right in you mind about what is true, but if you are wrong in your attitude, then you are wrong!
    Let me paraphrase verse 17 - “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of opinions, but rather it is a matter of righteousness, peace and joy in the Lord. So, do not destroy the work of God in someone’s life for the sake of your opinion…be it right or wrong.  Of course we cannot deny the truth of basic doctrines; God as creator, the deity of Christ, the finished work of salvation on the Cross, the resurrection of the dead, the work of God’s grace, and so on… but many of our opinions are like minnows in the ocean of faith… In essentials there must be unity; in non-essentials there must be liberty… but in all things there must be love!