On this website you will read the term “in my opinion” quite a lot. Other comments like “I’m convinced” or “I think” stand in this category. Why do I write this way on a website entitled Hear Jesus? He said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” Should not statements made about Him be firm? Yes, they should. Using the phrase “in my opinion” is firm. How is that?
Consider the state of affairs and the lay of the land.
The fundamentals which constitute believers in Jesus as redeemed by Him and reliable witnesses of Him are fixed issues of faith and are unassailable. The are profound in their depth and effect, yet simple in their comprehension and application in believers. They are incontrovertibly true. For example, “Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.” This is an incontrovertibly true statement of fact. Issues like these can and must be stated by disciples in dogmatic language. There are very many such truths in the Bible.
However, there are also very many things concerning the Bible that are not stated in such a way or even stated at all. Does this mean that these things cannot become known as true? No, it doesn’t. These issues require the honest pursuit of people to arrive at the rightful conclusion. A classic example of such realities is the subject of who authored the four narratives at the beginning of the New Covenant Scriptures? They did not explicitly make themselves known. It is up to us, through honestly seeking, to discover who the authors were.
That is why I use the phrases referred to above. That does not mean that I exercise doubt at my conclusions. It does mean that I cannot dogmatically state as explicitly revealed that which has not been explicitly revealed.
As believers we have this solace; we have been given the Holy Spirit of God Who leads us and guides us into all truth. That fact demands two things; being led by God and following God.
For a related subject, see my note entitled “Interpretation is King”.