IMHO, Christ is the Truth

Spirituality Column #245
July 19, 2011
Current in Carmel - Westfield - Noblesville – Fishers
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)

IMHO, Christ is the Truth
By Bob Walters

A talented writer friend who occasionally reads this article said to me recently, “You must get tons of scathing criticism. That topic (religion) is so totally an opinion.”

And it immediately struck me and I said out loud, reflexively but gently and kindly (I think), “Yeah, you’d think that might be the case, but I get very little negative criticism. And what’s even crazier is that I’ve never thought of it as an opinion column. I think of it, and write it, as a truth column.”

The truth of Jesus Christ is the core of the Christian faith. And – when I allow the Father, Son, Spirit Godhead it’s proper place in my life – Christ’s truth answers my questions large and small about life, purpose, reason, hope, love, family, the future, relationships, grace, conflict … everything.

The hard part for me (this is the truth) is the “when I allow” part, because I lack the natural patience, humility and surrender to look at every circumstance and think, “Just let the Lord handle that.” No, I want to get in there and fix things, argue points, make a difference and control my little corner of the Kingdom.

I think most believing, serious, praying Christians would agree that’s not a great way to go about one’s walk with the Lord, but (this is an opinion) many can relate to the shortcomings and fears we all experience dwelling in a fallen world.

Religious opinions and doctrines over the years have split Christian believers time after time, despite the truth that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God, Who we must trust as our Lord and Savior. Amen. That brief creed is fairly universal, but for Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Baptist, Evangelical and other strains of Christianity, the person of Jesus Christ may be the only thing they agree on.

We fight viciously over our religious opinions which, I know from experience, too often supersede our trust in the thing we know is truth, Jesus Christ.

Christ’s truth is the lone and absolute antidote to these human shortcomings and fears and, in this sin-riven fallen world, provides grace, hope and the ultimate repair. That’s the truth, the capital-T Truth, and immune to man’s opinion.

My question is, why does man try to make himself immune to God’s truth?

IMHO (In My Humble Opinion), Christ is no opinion. And that’s the truth.

Walters (rlwcom@aol.com) suffers from extreme opinionation (a word he just made up and loves), but revels in God’s truth.