Opinions

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Jullianna

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Are we "entitled to our own opinions" or are we to have the mind of Christ regarding a thing? Where does such an entitlement come from?
 
1 Co. 6:12 says "All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable." We are not required to think as Jesus would. We have the freedom and free will to choose to think as we would. But it's not profitable to be out of line with Christ. So while it's not true that we must have the mind of Christ, it is more beneficial to do so. The entitlement comes from our free will.
 
Being conformed to the mind and image of Christ is optional for a christian?

I Cor 2: 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words.[c] 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. 15 The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, 16 for,
“Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?”[d]
But we have the mind of Christ.

PHI 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus

ROM 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

We can put our will above His as christians?

Luke 22:42 - “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.”

Matthew 6:10 "your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven."

John 18:11 Jesus commanded Peter, "Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?"

Acts 21:14 When he would not be dissuaded, we gave up and said, "The Lord's will be done."

Ephesians 6:5-9
"Bondservants, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in sincerity of heart, as to Christ; not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, with goodwill doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good anyone does, he will receive the same from the Lord, whether he is a slave or free. And you, masters, do the same things to them, giving up threatening, knowing that your own Master also[a] is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him."
 
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Opinions give us some foundation in our lives. A kind of firm footing so we don't "sink in the sand" every time a mental perspective shifts.
If nobody had opinions, we'd constantly be flip-flopping back and forth in our heads, everything a chaotic, confusing mess. Each morning you'd wake up not really knowing who you are. At some point, we need opinions of some kind, just so things can make sense. Even if that opinion is to decide not to cause conflict with other people.
 
I'm not saying we don't have them. :) I have them too. I'm asking if we have the "RIGHT" to have them (especially as christians), as I have heard many people claim to have this right. I'm attempting to determine where they got this information or whether this is just another assumption mankind has made regarding entitlements.

The scriptures I'm finding seem to refute this and indicate that our thoughts and opinions are to become subjective to Christ's. Does anyone have scripture to the contrary?
 
I think there's a little bit of both. I think we can have the right to our opinion. I don't think it goes like that when it comes to the Bible or spiritual matters. Everything Biblical and spiritual we should have the mind of Christ on, and ask God for guidance on.

Is that basically the question? >.> Or are you also talking about other opinions on like, what career we want to do in life, what music we like to listen to, etc.?
 
I think there's a little bit of both. I think we can have the right to our opinion. I don't think it goes like that when it comes to the Bible or spiritual matters. Everything Biblical and spiritual we should have the mind of Christ on, and ask God for guidance on.

Is that basically the question? >.> Or are you also talking about other opinions on like, what career we want to do in life, what music we like to listen to, etc.?

Maybe I'm not phrasing this well or something. :)

As far as opinions go, I mean regarding pretty much every aspect of our lives. But my questions have more to do with alleged personal "rights". Do we have as many rights as we think we have or are these simply assumptions on our part? IF we have the right to our opinions, as many christians claim, I just want to know where this right came from, as it appears to be contrary to scripture. :)
 
I'm not saying we don't have them. :) I have them too. I'm asking if we have the "RIGHT" to have them (especially as christians), as I have heard many people claim to have this right. I'm attempting to determine where they got this information or whether this is just another assumption mankind has made regarding entitlements.

The scriptures I'm finding seem to refute this and indicate that our thoughts and opinions are to become subjective to Christ's. Does anyone have scripture to the contrary?

Well in my post I said reasons we need to have opinions to function. And I suppose we have a "right" or "entitlement" to our needs (although it seems odd to word it that way).

If we didn't have opinions, we couldn't protect ourselves from a nasty person's opinion if one were to come along. We have a right to protect ourselves from that, and be strong against that. So I say yes. :)
 
If someone were to decide that we do not have the right to have an opinion (for whatever reason), that would still be an opinion in itself. :p
 
Well in my post I said reasons we need to have opinions to function. And I suppose we have a "right" or "entitlement" to our needs (although it seems odd to word it that way).

If we didn't have opinions, we couldn't protect ourselves from a nasty person's opinion if one were to come along. We have a right to protect ourselves from that, and be strong against that. So I say yes. :)


Why do we need to protect ourselves or defend ourselves against a wrong or nasty opinion? Why wouldn't simply recognizing it as such be enough? Do we put too much stock in the opinions of others?

I'm thinking of all of the false accusations and opinions others had of Christ, but He didn't feel the need to answer them all (unless there was wisdom to be imparted to others from the incident) or respond in kind.

These are questions in my mind, along with so many others. I have an ever growing desire to think more like Him :)
 
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Why do we need to protect ourselves or defend ourselves against a wrong or nasty opinion? Why wouldn't simply recognizing it as such be enough? Do we put too much stock in the opinions of others?

I don't mean arguing back or telling them off out loud. I am talking about the opinions or views we hold private in our heads. We have a right to those, as we have the right to change them upon further enlightenment.

I'm thinking of all of the false accusations and opinions others had of Christ, but He didn't feel the need to answer them all (unless there was wisdom to be imparted to others from the incident) or respond in kind.

These are questions in my mind, along with so many others. I have an ever growing desire to think more like Him :)
I see someone who's not feeling the need to defend their views as having a strong enough opinion that they don't need to reinforce it with being right in the eyes of others. I don't think our points of views on this are that different, I think we just define opinions differently. :p
 
You could be right. :) What some appear to see as opinions, I see only as thoughts. I sometimes wonder whether we can ever know enough about a thing to actually have a fully informed opinion anyway, as our thoughts seem ever changing as we grow and learn. Opinions are so subjective and abstract, aren't they?

For that reason, the opinions I'm usually willing to go to guns for are those of God rather than my own. I don't always understand HIS, but at least I know He's always right and I'm not. :)