Opinions are good when grounded in Biblical truth
Part ONE of THREE
By Scott Hilgendorff / Cowboys of the Cross
Part ONE in a three-part series about truth and integrity
Having an opinion about information and situations that are true or real is good. It’s especially important that our opinions are shaped by our understanding of scripture.
Having an opinion about information we don’t know is true is bad and likely we aren’t even applying our understanding of scripture when this happens.
It makes us untrustworthy.
If we’re untrustworthy, any message of hope from us about the gospel and a saving faith in Jesus is going to be lost.
1 Peter 2:12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
First, we have to understand our primary purpose for living is to glorify God. Second, we have to understand that Jesus gave all believers the task of sharing the gospel: how a saving faith in him gives us an eternity in Heaven.
If we don’t understand these two points, then this short series will mean little and those who don’t understand, will carry on doing as they please without letting scripture guide them. If that’s the case, then it’s important to re-evaluate your understanding of the gospel and whether or not you’re going to heaven or hell. It’s a harsh reality but too many people call themselves Christian without ever experiencing a desire to be more like Jesus. If you aren’t sure of your salvation, that’s something that gives you personal proof that it’s real. You know whether or not you care to both know and apply what’s in the Bible to your life.
When we do understand these two things, then many of us need to start taking the rest of this message more seriously.
What we’re being told in the verse from 1 Peter is that people have to see us acting with integrity. There are plenty of people who are still open minded and willing to listen to us if we just take the time to talk them about Jesus. There is also a growing part of our population that dislikes and even hates Christians. Some people will never listen to us explain our Christian beliefs. But if we don’t demonstrate integrity and that we are trustworthy, we can’t reach any of them.
Living out what the Bible teaches us are the good deeds being talked about. They are referred to in other verses in the Bible as works—the actions we take because of our faith in Jesus. These actions glorify God and they stand against anything hateful or harmful that non-believers might throw at us.
When our integrity holds, then others can see this, trust us and have a better chance of believing us when we tell them Jesus lived her, lives on in Heaven and is our only path to salvation.
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