3-12-2023
What is the Opposite?
I recently listened to a sermon where part of the topic was about “opposites”. We say it a lot without really analyzing what it means to be opposite of something. However this topic needs to be nailed down, taken apart and studied in greater detail.
opposite
ŏp′ə-zĭt
adjective
Placed or located directly across from something else or from each other.
Facing the other way; moving or tending away from each other.
Being the other of two complementary or mutually exclusive things.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
And then we have Newton’s third law of motion, “an equal and opposite reaction to every action”.
We mistakenly think that everything or everyone has an opposite. That simply is not true.
Can you name one person who has no equal (opposite)?
The sermon I was listening to turned to certain things not being things at all.
It’s something being the lack or absence of something which we think of in terms of opposites.
Isn’t that a mouth full (don’t answer, it’s rhetorical)?
Here are some of examples used in the sermon:
Darkness isn’t a thing at all it’s the absence of light.
Silence isn’t a thing either it’s the absence of sound.
Taking it further then standing still is the absence of motion.
Left is the opposite of right and vice versa.
Up is the opposite of down.
East is the opposite of west.
North is the opposite of south.
The genders of male and female are quite the opposite of each other, but when joined together in marriage they become one flesh – they are wed.
There are no other genders, only illusions of the mind.
We often think that the opposite of good is evil because they are diametrically opposed, but that’s not true either because only God is good and evil cannot be equally opposite to God who has no equal. Remember I said earlier that there is one person who has no equal and that person is the Creator God.
We are constantly bombarded in life to the point of thinking that politically there are only left or right, wrong or right, haves and have nots.
We have forgotten that in the sight of Almighty God we are all created equal and in His image. There are no favorites with God. Nobody has to or can ever “earn” the love of God. God’s love is unconditional.
In truth Jesus said the greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength and to love your neighbor as you love yourself. Mark 12: 30-31
The trouble is that the man who doesn’t know God doesn’t love himself and therefore cannot love his neighbor as he loves himself.
The way out is found in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
Hate is not a thing, but the absence of love. True love comes only from God. (No God no love) However always, always, always love trumps hate. – RTM
The Real Truckmaster 