The difference between facts and opinions is not easy to discern at times.  News reporters (both print and video) often drop opinion in among the facts of their story.  Pastors and Christian writers often drop opinion in among the facts of their sermon or commentary.  Denominations often elevate the opinions of their “fathers” to fact.

The honest reporter, or the honest Christian teacher, makes a clear distinction between his facts and his opinions.

This is important because it is up to you, the reader/watcher/listener, to formulate your own opinion about the facts at hand.  It may be appropriate to assist you in the task of your formulation by sharing with you my opinions on the matter.  But it will only confuse you if I present my opinions as facts.  It is not my job to confuse you by stating my opinions as additional facts, but to help you see the true facts clearly.

Nowhere is this idea more important than in teaching the Gospel of Christ, or in proclaiming truth from the Word of God.

 
As a “contender” who “earnestly” contends for the faith, I have a responsibility to do two things:

1:  I must fight to make sure that my personal understanding (and personal living out) of  “the faith” matches that “faith which was once for all handed down.”

2:  I must fight to make sure that my promotion of, my teaching about, and my encouragement toward “the faith” matches that “faith which was once for all handed down.”

There it is.  Fight.  Do not passively sit around and hope that somehow the true faith will come to you.  Contend.  Push.  Shove.  Study.  Dig.  Pray.  Seek and desire the real truth.  So how does one contend?  How does one fight to insure that his personal understanding, and public expression, of the faith matches the “faith which was once for all handed down?”

More on that later . . .