Forcing An Opinion The late Dorothy Canfield Fisher once said, “To force an opinion is like pushing the magnetized needle of a compass around to where we wish the North Star stood.” How abundantly this is demonstrated in religious matters
Webster defines an opinion as: “A belief not based on absolute certainty or positive knowledge but on what seems true, valid, or probable to one's own mind.” An opinion in religion is a belief people hold that is not sustained by a book, chapter and verse.
There are many in religious matters that force opinions because of an improper attitude toward the scriptures. They have formed opinions such as “one church is as good as another”, “instrumental music is acceptable in worship,” “churches may pool their resources to do a work common to them all.” These people do not misinterpret the scriptures – they admit what the Bible teaches, they simply do not feel that they are limited by the scriptures – hence, form an opinion which creates a factious body of people.
Opinions are the largest barrier to unity in the Lord’s church. May it ever be that we as a local church continue to teach and practice that which can be believed with absolute certainty and positive knowledge because it can be found in the book, chapter and verse. We do not force opinions – we stand for “what is written.”