Who or What Is Your Authority?

Since we have limited knowledge, we need someone or something to depend upon. So, who or what is your authority? What do you rely upon? People depend on parents, siblings, friends, money, relationships, looks, intellect, philosophers, and themselves. 

Who is your "who said so?" What or who is your authority that you go to when you need to verify or find some wisdom? Too much of the time, the answer to the question, "What or who is your authority?" is answered with the pronoun, ME.

If that is the case, it means you may not understand the word "opinion."

If your dependence is on anything other than God, the God of the Bible, then you are in trouble. God is perfect! Everything that He does has no spot or blemish.

Download Your Thoughts

Suppose you could transfer all the information in your mind to a computer. Now everything that was in your mind is on the screen in front of you. As you examine it, you decide to categorize each piece of information as either Truth or Lie.

You start down the list and quickly realize that this is a daunting exercise. If you are objective, choosing which category is difficult because you lack sufficient information to determine where it fits.

The finite limits of human knowledge, and especially what you know, require a third category—opinion, claim, or guess.

Opinion Is Necessary

Thoughts are either true or false. But our finite ability makes it difficult to know the difference. So, opinion is necessary, actually.

The definition of opinion from Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary is:

Judgment or belief not founded on certainty or proof; the prevailing or popular feeling or view: public opinion; belief stronger than impression and less strong than positive knowledge. Synonyms: evaluation, estimation, conjecture, supposition, theory

The definition reveals some vital information—“belief not founded on certainty or proof”, “conjecture, supposition, and theory”.

If you want to enhance your relationships and clarify conversations, then consider this option. Suppose you are in a conversation and about to say something that you do not know as a fact or cannot know as a fact. Stop and say, “My speculation is…” Better yet, what if you said, “I am only guessing here, so be careful with what I am offering. My guess is…”

Let People Know

The point is to let others know when you are “filling in the blanks.” It is okay to have an opinion. Everyone has opinions, and they are a natural part of life. Some have lots of opinions! Just let others know when you are guessing and sharing your opinion.

What or who is your authority is often answered "ME" based on an opinion, which is not much different than a guess.

Here are some great reasons to let others know you are guessing:

• Just because I believe something, that does not make it true. Your belief does not impact truth.
• Am I guessing about life and relationships, not seeking the truth or facts?
• Is my life based on opinions, maybe even lies that have not been verified?
• Do I know the “Who said so”, the facts, the truth that supports my beliefs?
• My opinion may be false. Do I know the consequences?
• Simple probability says that my opinion has a 50% chance of being a lie.

Three Categories for Your Thoughts

There are three options for anything in your mind. It is true, false, or opinion.

If it is true, it is not an opinion, because it is reality, a fact. If it is false, it also is not an opinion, because it is wrong, a fact. For those thoughts and beliefs that are false, obviously, stop using them. Unfortunately, many people are unwilling to acknowledge some of their “pet” beliefs as lies, treating them as if they were in the truth category, simply because they seem “right.”

So, if it is not true or false, it is an opinion! That means you do not know enough about it to determine if it is true or false. Be diligent in searching for the facts and exercise caution when using your opinion, as it may be incorrect. And always remember, God’s Word speaks to you—you do not speak to God’s Word. When you have an opinion about God’s Word, be incredibly careful. His Word is eternal and correct, even if you do not understand it.

Who Is Your Authority?

Peter Scholtes conducted research that demonstrated how easily people rely on opinions and accept them as truth. He provided this insight.

“Without data, opinion prevails. Where opinion prevails, whoever has power is king. The ultimate correlation, therefore, is more likely between assertiveness and clout, not assertiveness and objective truth.”

So, what about you? Do you believe something that you have not checked against God’s Word? Does it have little or no evidence to support it? Are you operating with common statements like “How can we know the truth?” Do you believe that truth is how you see it? Do you think that there are no absolutes? Do you rely primarily on experiences rather than searching for objective data?

You might think that believing in the Bible falls within the realm of opinion. Actually, if you spend the time researching the evidence, the Bible is totally trustworthy and accurate. Faith is always required, but the facts overwhelmingly support the Bible's statements as fact and truth.

Take the time to review some of the evidence by reading some great books like Josh McDowell’s Evidence That Demands a Verdict and his latest, The New Evidence That Demands A Verdict Fully Updated to Answer The Questions Challenging Christians Today.