The Questions People Ask: 17

QUESTION 17: “What is the difference between an opinion and a truth?” 

ANSWER: In my many years of experience in sharing the Gospel or sharing the truths of God’s Word from the fields of history, science, and theology with people, I often hear, “Well, that’s just your opinion.” In other words, they dismiss the facts I had shared with them as nothing more than opinions. Such people when they know what they are hearing is true and they don’t like it will often resort to dismissing the truth as an opinion. Despite this fact, such people often view their opinion more superior than the truth that the other person is stating. To put it more bluntly, their opinion is right while yours is wrong. Noted Christian Apologist and author, Paul Copan had this to say about such people who dismiss the truth for their opinion.  

“The view that there is no truth, only opinion—is this true, or just an opinion? If it’s an opinion and there’s no truth, then why believe anything at all? Usually when someone dismisses your view as mere opinion, he thinks his opinion is true while yours is false. “It’s all opinion” isn’t just a matter of opinion; it’s a truth claim.”[1] 

However, there is a distinct difference between an opinion and a truth. An Opinion is “a belief or assessment based on grounds short of proof; a view held as probable; what one thinks about a particular topic or question.”[2] Now a Truth is on the other hand, “a true statement; a report or account consistent with fact or reality.”[3] As the reader can see there is a distinct difference between truth and opinion. An opinion is an unproven theory; whereas truth is a proven fact.  

So when one is confronted with a person who dismisses facts you present to him or her in relation to the Gospel, by claiming that what you are presenting is just a mere opinion, ask that individual what their opinion on the given subject is in regards to God, the Bible, or theology is. This will give you an idea where they are coming from in what they believe about the Gospel. Usually they will have a distorted view on the Gospel based on the popular claims in today’s culture. Before addressing their view about the gospel, first establish the distinction between what they consider to be opinion as opposed to the truth. Make it clear to him or her that if they consider their opinion to be true and yours not. And they insist on saying that everything is subjective that truth cannot be known. Then point out to him or her why you should accept their opinion as the truth. Now they may argue that what’s true for you is not true for them. Counter that by saying, “Are you absolutely sure about that?” In order for their claim to be valid, they will have to say “Yes.” “Ah, so you do believe in absolutes. You do believe in truth, because you just admitted that your claim is true.” If they argue that is not true, then they just cancelled out their claim as pointless. Their argument for truth being relative rules out anything they say or claim to be true is all meanless. In other words, any argument they may use against you is not valid, because truth cannot be known. Again, quoting Paul Copan: 

“At any rate, relativism is a knowledge-denying enterprise. If you say you know something, you’re not really a relativist. When speaking at universities (where, presumably, people go to gain knowledge), I’ve been told that knowledge is unattainable (though one wonders how people know such things). “Objective relativism” tells us no truth is universally, objectively true or false. One person’s “truth”—which amounts to opinion—can conflict with another’s “truth” and still be valid.”[4] 

In summary, what Mr. Copan is saying is if truth is unattainable and that absolute truth does not exist, then neither does knowledge exist. What’s the point going to college or university to gain knowledge if truth does not exist? If truth is only what you think it to be, or conceive it to be, based on what your preference for truth is, whether you are right or wrong; then it is no longer absolute truth. For truth is based on a proven fact, whereas an opinion [relative truth claim] is an unproven theory as mentioned earlier.  

So armed with this truth about what is true and what is only an opinion. You now can  engage a non-Christian person with the Gospel. Establish the truthfulness and trustworthiness of God’s Word (see John 14:6; 17;17) and make simple as possible the wonderful message of the Gospel to the unbeliever (see John 3:3, 7, 16; Rom. 10:9-10).

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[1] Paul Copan, True for You but Not for Me: Overcoming Objections to Christian Faith, (Bethany House, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Revised Ed. 2009), pg. 59.

[2] Katherine Barber, Oxford Canadian Dictionary: Second Edition, (Oxford University Press, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, 2006), pg. 708.

[3] Katherine Barber, Oxford Canadian Dictionary: Second Edition, (Oxford University Press, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, 2006), pg. 1114.

[4] Paul Copan, True for You but Not for Me: Overcoming Objections to Christian Faith, (Bethany House, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Revised Ed. 2009), pg. 21.