We have seen in previous meetings that our opinion is simply the embodiment of self. We have also seen that opinion is a great hindrance to the growth in life and also to the proper functioning in the church life. The real experience of dealing with opinion is to be in the spirit. Doctrinally speaking we may say that we need the light, and we also need a kind of surgery. But according to our experience light and surgery do not help much with our opinion. The only way to deal with our opinion is to be in the spirit. Every time that we are in the spirit, the self, or we may say the embodiment of the self, our opinion, is peeled off. Whenever we remain in our spirit there is always a peeling off of our opinion.
We need an illustration showing that when we remain in our spirit our opinion is peeled off. Suppose I am a person so easy to have opinion. Of course everyone among us is easy to have opinion. The only things that do not have opinion are inanimate objects such as chairs. A chair has no opinion. But a living person with a living, physical body always has an opinion. Actually the fallen being is just an embodiment of opinion. Not one person is without opinion. Some are quick to express opinion, and some are slow to express opinion. Some always express opinion and others have a lot of opinion but do not express it. They may not express it due to their experience or their disposition, but it does not mean that they have no opinion. They have a lot of opinion but they are just not so expressive. They keep their opinions hidden, but the opinions are still there. When opinion comes out it causes damage to others, but when opinion doesn’t come out and remains concealed in you, it damages you. Many good brothers and sisters among us have been killed by their concealed opinion. We may consider those who express their opinion so easily as somewhat bothersome, while we may consider those who never express any opinion as good brothers and good sisters. Yes, they are good brothers and good sisters, but all the time they are committing a kind of spiritual suicide. The only good point is that they do not kill others. But in their goodness they kill themselves. The point is that no one is without opinion.
In the past fifty years I have experienced being enlightened, and also I have experienced a lot of surgery. But according to my experience the only effective way to deal with our opinion is to remain in the spirit. Even when we remain in our spirit it does not mean that our opinion would be thoroughly rooted out or cut off. I don’t have that experience. But when we remain in the spirit, some of our opinion would be spontaneously peeled off. Not only would I not express my opinion, I would even let that opinion go. This is the peeling off of opinion.
We have to realize that nearly all the problems among Christians are due to this one thing—opinion. The problems, the confusion, the divisions, the fightings are due to opinion. Recently I received two pieces of mail from one person. These two writings were full of opinion. This person had recently received a booklet or leaflet briefly describing our belief. In his writing to me he pointed out that our way of salvation presented in the booklet is right but that in The Stream magazine we had said there was no need to believe, but just to call, O Lord Jesus! three times and you could be saved. His comment was that what we had spoken in The Stream was not right but now in this leaflet we were right. What is this? It is just opinion. He had many comparisons, all of which were nothing but opinion. In Romans 10 which he also referred to, you have the belief and you also have the practice. The belief is to believe in your heart and to confess. Then there is the practice, that of calling on the name of the Lord. Both are right. In belief, you have to believe in the Lord, and you have to confess your sins and also confess His name; then you will be saved. In the following verses it also says whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. These are not contradictions. You shouldn’t have a comparison of these two items. These are two aspects of one way to be saved. This one way of being saved has two aspects: first you must believe and confess; then you practice to call on the Lord’s name. We have seen some in the past who were not clear about how to believe and were not clear how to confess, but they did have the heart to call on the name of the Lord. They simply called, “O Lord Jesus!” After calling two or three times they really got saved.