Drawing Lines And Little Boxes

And of course we have the line of submission of wives that both Paul and Peter teach. (Eph 5:22-33; 1 Peter 3:1-7) Oh, how we hate that line and find that box constricting. Nevertheless, it is there and we either accept it or reject it, but since His Word is eternal, we will not erase it no matter how hard we try. The roles of men and women are eternal or at least as long as this age continues. In Heaven, many things will change and we are not told of all those changes.

Women are not to be pastors or deacons. (I Tim 2:11-3:16) Personally, I would have no problems with women in these positions except God did not ask for my opinion. He just drew a line and a box. I can trust Him to be wiser than I am or I can exalt myself above Him and end up being a satan in my own pride. I have enough problems. I will trust Him on this matter and not the pseudo-intellectuals and compromisers of my day.

We want a love and grace only Gospel, but Jude is rather judgmental. Peter said that judgment starts with the house of God. (1 Peter 4:17) If that is the case, there must be some lines we aren’t to cross and some boxes we need to stay out of to avoid judgment. Even John, whom Jesus loved and is the temperamental opposite of Peter and Paul called folks antichrists and warned of a sin unto death. (1 John 4:1-3; 5:16) He drew a couple of lines there and refused to enlarge his box.

The churches in Revelation crossed some lines and were warned that they better step back to where they had been if they did not want their lamp stands removed. There were some folks that they had included that they needed to kick out of their box like the Nicolaitanes and Jezebel. The mark of the beast is a line that best not be crossed or there is no return. That will place you in a box that has enlarged itself called Hell. (Isa 5:14) Oops, forgot those who don’t like the OT. OK, a lake is a defined area that holds liquid like a box. So, how about the lake of fire as the box you enter if you cross the wrong line? (Rev 20:15)

This is by no means an exhaustive study of lines and boxes in the Word. Y’all can do your own study, heah? So, do I draw lines and small boxes? Yes, but only as the Word draws them. I am still learning and in the future I may have to actually decrease some boxes that I made too large and there is a possibility that I may have drawn one or two a tad too small. Peter had to enlarge his box in Acts 10, but like him, it will take the Word of God for me to enlarge a box. I would rather have my box too small than too large. From the testimony of Scripture it is far more dangerous to have too large a box than too small a one. More people got into trouble by enlarging their box than those whose box may have been a bit too small.

I have crossed many lines in my life that I deeply regret and I try very hard to stay on the right side of God’s

lines. I am deeply indebted to grace and 1 John 1:9 and know I will be needing them a lot throughout my life.

What lines are you crossing? Hurry up and get back across them to God’s side or the grass you thought was greener will be set aflame and you will be burned in the process. (Heb 6: 7,8) Have you gotten out of your box lately and looked through God’s eyes to see if it might be a bit too large? It may seem spacious and thrilling from the inside, but you won’t see if God is getting ready to pick it up and throw it in the incinerator unless you look outside.