My husband and I zipped along I-95 South heading home after a wonderful visit with friends and family in the DC area. We’re pretty sure this section of interstate never sleeps. Occasionally, wanna-be race car drivers cut in and out too close for my comfort, but most drove courteously. I marveled at how a tight space could hold so many speeding vehicles. That changed when we reached an area marked, “Warning: Unmarked Pavement Ahead.”
Without the lines between the last two lanes, the space that had held four lanes of traffic shrank to three. The benefit of marked lanes was apparent. The markings that limited the space of each car increased everyone’s speed and safety. I imagined I-95 without marked lanes and cringed. Then I thought of our culture. In the name of freedom, we’ve erased limits that ensure our liberty and protection. We all suffer as a result.
Defined limits provide safety and ease even in a crowded parking lot. In a populated world we need clear boundaries to prosper.
The Bible provides timeless parameters to protect our travel through this world. When we live within those limits, we avert needless collisions and heartaches.
The Problem with Religion
I’ve seen a problem in the Christian culture that has caused some to rebel against God’s instructions. Some respected leaders add human rules to God’s standards. The principles given to secure life become heavy burdens with these human additions.
‘Don’t handle! Don’t taste! Don’t touch!’? Such rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires” (Col. 2:21-23 NLT).
Jesus understands. He says come to Him and He’ll teach us how to live. Even better, He’ll walk with us.
Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light’” (Matthew 11:28-30 NLT).
The Swinging Pendulum
Perhaps, repulsed by legalism, other leaders have swung to the opposite extreme. They minimize and dismiss God’s instructions.
In contrast, the Bible says, “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty” (2 Cor. 3:17 NASB). God’s commandments serve as guardrails of liberty.
Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome” (1 Jn. 5:3 NLT).
We overcome the downward pull of sin and become the beautiful people God intended when we walk His path in the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s Word clearly marks out our lanes (Ps. 119:105).
Whom Do You Trust?
I’ve observed a principle in life. Liars accuse the innocent of doing what they themselves do. In Satan’s conversation with Eve, he portrayed God as being like himself—a liar and a thief that steals people’s freedom and pleasure (Gen. 3; Jn. 8:44, 10:10).
God’s instructions protect us from harm. The enemy wants to remove this guardrail. As we remember God’s character we won’t fall for lies.
The instructions of the Lord are perfect,
reviving the soul.
The decrees of the Lord are trustworthy,
making wise the simple.
The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.
The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight for living” (Ps. 19:7-8 NLT).
Don’t be duped by our culture—religious or secular. Biblical instructions on right and wrong keep life’s interstates safe.
The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever (Is. 40:8 NLT). #wisdom Share on XSuggestion: Choose any of the ten commandments and look at them from the perspective of protecting your life instead of restricting your pleasure. (See Exodus 20:1-17). I’d love to hear what you discover!
Question: How has knowing right from wrong steered you away from harm?
Blessings,
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Absolutely love your quote that prefaced your words for this week- and your question: “Whose view of Freedom are you living under? “Your message came right after another servant of God’s message: LIFE is Living in Freedom Everyday. Your message has been one more this week that is clarifying and understanding God’s truth- His Truth, not my view of it.
Pat, I love that acronym! I want to remember that because there is truth in it. Great to hear from you.
I find it very comforting to know that God is the same yesterday, today and forever and that what is right or wrong in His sight doesn’t change either. I guess that stability is just comforting to me and knowing His Word is eternal and never changes and that He is love and always good just gives me great peace.
Me too, Ann. So much changes, styles, social media, computer updates. How wonderful that He stays the same!
You are right on the money on this post! A clear sign of a blurring of moral and ethical lines shows the drift in the culture and nations (as well as likely pointing to the last days). I am currently reading in Exodus and am aware that we should not forget that the moral principles God laid down then were not eliminated in the New Testament. Everything He created in the physical world and our internal world shows He is a God of order. When we cease to have boundary lines the enemy delights to pull us in many directions and take us off the narrow path to the narrow gate Jesus speaks of. Clearly, He is not talking about the legalism of the Pharisees, but He also speaks of a moral code that is to govern us with the help of the Holy Spirit.
God of order. I’ll like that Pam. Thank you for your wise thoughts.
What precious truth you share here, Debbie! I am a firm believer in the fact that we are called to stand firm by the unwavering truths of God’s Word and His standards. What a day it will be when we stand before the Lord to give an account of how we handled the freedom He has given us in Christ! I shudder to think of how many Christian leaders are changing God’s instructions to fit the popular demands of an immoral culture.
Love this quote: “Defined limits provide safety and ease even in a crowded parking lot. In a populated world we need clear boundaries to prosper.”
So glad you visited Recharge Wednesday linkup today and shared this.
You are a blessing to the body of Christ!
Thank you, Patricia. I appreciate you!
Hey Debbie, Great blog post again. So true. We need boundaries to live free! It makes my heart sad to think of so many who think freedom means no boundaries. They bring such pain on themselves, and those who love them. If they only knew, if they’d only believe. Thanks for speaking it.
Thank you, Jacque. Yes, if only…
As it turns out, any view of freedom that isn’t His view isn’t freedom at all! They all lead to chains… but it’s for freedom that we’ve been set free! And truly, He breaks every chain!
Well said, Karrilee! Not freedom at all!
Guardrails, pavement markings, and interstates! Debbie this one is an engineer’s delight! HaHa! What a perfect analogy and so helpful in helping to understand what is happening with our nations leaders – among others. Thank you God for the gifts you have given Debbie and thank you for your rules for our protection!!. Amen.
You made me smile! Engineers probably hear complaints too. Thanks, Stephanie.
We definitely need God’s guidance to have the best life. Too often His commands are seen as restrictive instead of protective. Thanks for the great reminder!
How we suffer when we ignore them. Thanks K.A.
Love this direct word for us to thrive within the boundaries God established. And when we choose to live too close or across these boundaries, the Holy Spirit’s conviction is heavy. Much better to enjoy the freedom that comes from living within God’s established markers.
Amen, Dianne. Thanks for your thoughts.
Such a great analogy, Debbie. This is one we can use when talking with unbelievers too. Jesus often used everyday examples to illustrate His Truth.
I am in a bible study on the armor of God (Priscilla Shirer) and one of the discussion questions was about Truth vs. Legalism – which one are we girding ourselves with? The enemy would love us to think God is holding out on us. While Jesus’ truth came to set us free.
Jeanne, that’s a wonderful distinction—Truth vs. Legalism. Because one binds and the other liberates. Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks for sharing. Love this analogy and thinking about the commandments in this way!
Thanks for reading, Jonathan.
I agree, Debbie. We do need boundaries. I’m so glad that we have God’s word to provide us with guidelines. Liked your suggestions to look at the Ten Commandments as a measure of protection rather than restriction. That’s an excellent way to view all of our guiding scriptures.
Debbie, I love knowing that not only will Jesus teach us how to live even better, He walks right beside us as He guides us in those steps! Thank you for that reminder.
(PS I was perusing your blog and saw that you graduated from GS. That’s where my husband and I graduated, undergrad and grad, before he joined the Navy for 20 years, and after we retired back in the ‘boro, our four children have attended Georgia Southern (two graduated; two still in the process!)