In Your Own Opinion

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.  Romans 12:16

Surely we know enough by now to make judgments on doctrine and the Bible? I won't speak for you, but I am not qualified to be in that camp. At times we may be tempted to offer up an opinion on the Word of God. You know, one of those statements we make as fact without going to the Bible to look it up because we think we have read that thing somewhere in the Old Testament, maybe, or was it the New Testament? An opinion is a view or judgment on something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge. And of course to be opinionated is even worse. The people of Judea could tell immediately that Jesus did not make mistakes and never offered opinion. He taught as one having authority and not as the scribes did. (Matt 7:29) Jesus could not offer opinion because as God in human form His word was the word of God. Authority indeed! 

Paul tells us to not be wise in our own opinion. If every time we offered up an opinion on the Bible instead of searching God's word for the fact, we spoke to ourselves those words, "In my own opinion, I am wise," we might realize just how silly that opinionated exercise might be to those who know the Word better than us, and how dangerous it may be to the unsaved in the world. 

Be a learner in the Word; it certainly helps to be humble when associating with the humble!

Bucky