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Writer's pictureJoe Durso

THE OPINION THAT MATTERS MOST

In knowledge man is limited on every subject that he trod                                                                                                                His questions far outweigh all the answers he gets from God                                                                                                         On every topic his wisdom is limited in scope                                                                                                                                   Compared to God he is a colossal dope

Man learns by experience from day to day                                                                                                                                         For his growth there is no other way                                                                                                                                                   Experience is the best teacher                                                                                                                                                         But to grow by experience proves we are a needy creature

Science is a wonderful method of learning                                                                                                                                       In a world that leaves man ever yearning                                                                                                                                           But natural men cannot discover God by any scientific method                                                                                                   He views God with disdain and his worship is only tepid

Feelings are good as far as they go                                                                                                                                                   But many of them proceed from what we don’t know                                                                                                                 God doesn’t exist to fill an emotional void in man                                                                                                                           Man exists to glorify God by fulfilling His eternal plan

Reason is the best wisdom of all                                                                                                                                                    But man left reason at the fall                                                                                                                                                               Reason learns through cause and effect                                                                                                                                            But sin eliminates the first cause by saying God is derelict

God gave us 66 letters of self revelation in a single book                                                                                                                 But most people give it no more than a glancing look?                                                                                                                     Why look to the creator for where our thoughts should go                                                                                                               When we can simply elevate what we think we know

In reality our opinion matters not at all                                                                                                                                                 Because we live in darkness since the fall                                                                                                                                         God however lives in unapproachable light                                                                                                                                       He is the very source of all that’s right

For your opinion to matter as you would like                                                                                                                                       Avoid the pride that takes a worldly hike                                                                                                                                       And bow to Jesus who reveals God in an honest light                                                                                                                     Oneness with Him will make your thoughts very bright

It is not our opinion that matters most                                                                                                                                                  But the holy word of the Lord God of host                                                                                                                                        So abandon the pride that leads to loss                                                                                                                                             And flee to the Christ of the cross

God has always had His prophets who being warned by God went forth and warned the people.  Noah was just such a man, as recorded by the writer to the Hebrews, “By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith” (Hebrews 11:7). Eight people out of the entire world survived God’s coming judgment in those days.  Today, however, all we ever hear about is the love of God.  In truth, God’s love is incomprehensible, however, God is holy, perfect, and complete, therefore, He never compromises righteousness, justice, and judgment out of a false sense of love.  God loves perfectly as He is perfectly just.  All the verses in the Bible that pertain to God’s coming justice and judgment are just as relevant and true as His statements of saving grace, forgiveness, and mercy.

Unrepentant men do not wish to think about God as just, because deep down they know they are condemned, and rather than come to Jesus for forgiveness they prefer to justify themselves by self-righteous means.  Just ask almost any person what they think about their own goodness and they will tell you they don’t deserve God’s judgment, and certainly not hell.  In truth, all the sins that people sin against each other, which are evil in the sight of God, need not even be considered when assessing man’s standing before the infinite and holy God.  In God’s word idolatry is parallel to the sin of adultery, so that when people worship a god through a false religious belief they are actually committing adultery against Him.  Imagine how a spouse would feel if they could be perfectly loving all their life, in every way, and faithful only to find their spouse has been intimate with another person.  Now try to imagine how a perfectly holy and infinite God must feel towards a people that will not acknowledge His existence, adequately thank Him for giving them life, and every blessing they receive, nor give Him the love that He deserves.  Is any other sin really necessary to condemn men to eternal punishment?

The previous poem and my following thoughts are meant to clarify the reality that unregenerate men exalt themselves over God by valuing their own inclinations, feelings, reasoning, science, and philosophy over God’s holy word.  God has already stated the truth, concerning His righteousness, coming judgment, salvation through Christ, and man’s sinful self-righteousness.  To reject God’s truth is to reject God, no matter how good we might feel about ourselves.

“He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,”  (Titus 3:5)

He saved us from His own infinite holiness, justice, and coming judgment.

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