“We’re free! We’re free!” Not a day went by that I didn’t hear people shouting that they were finally free. Despite the State Department’s advice against travel, I arrived in Moscow two days after the coup attempt in 1991 that lead to the collapse of the Soviet Union. All over Russia and the Ukraine, people were pulling down and destroying the statues of Lenin. By my second week, I realized the people had absolutely no concept of what freedom meant beyond being free to demolish the symbolisms of their past. When the statues were gone, their facial expressions said, “Ok, what now.”
Christians can go through this same scenario after learning they are free in Christ and have no concept what freedom means. Some falsely believe that Christ abolished the Old Testament Law and Christians are free to do anything because the new covenant ended the need for boundaries. Jesus said, Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill (Matt 5:17). Paul and Peter both warned of an incorrect understanding of freedom. Only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh (Gal 5:13). Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil (1Pe 2:16). Paul even encountered those that believed they were free to sin so that grace may increase. His response, May it never be! (Rom 6:2). True freedom in Christ has boundaries.
The New Testament word for boundary means limits, bounds, borders, and is most often translated region. Daily life is so filled with boundaries that we often take them for granted. Note a few examples that establish limitations or boundaries: walls of our house, fences, traffic laws, social protocol, relationships, schedules, etc. The initiation of boundaries began at creation. God separated light from darkness and water from land. In essence, He established a boundary between them. In the Garden, Adam and Eve were free to go anywhere and eat the fruit of all the trees, except they were not to eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. In other words, God set a spiritual boundary around the fruit of this one tree. Yet, the Lord had also given Adam and Eve freedom to eat of this tree if they chose to disobey and they did, but they then faced the consequences.
As believers, we must be aware of three main sources of boundaries. Not only does the New Testament declare we are free in Christ, it also establishes limits or boundaries we are to live by as Christians. A good example today is the limitations God placed around sexual relationship. God designed sex for procreation and for pleasure between a husband and wife. More and more we see Christians, even ministers, crossing over this boundary with married individuals having affairs, viewing pornography, unmarried couples living together, homosexuality, and teenagers finding nothing wrong with casual sex. Like the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the Garden of Eden, God placed a spiritual boundary, but man is free to cross over if he/she chooses to disobey. However, tremendous consequences follow. One cause for the erosion of boundaries results from Biblical illiteracy leaving believers unaware of the boundaries.
A second source of boundaries is other people such as civil laws, cultural norms, work rules, rights and privileges, or restrictions and taboos. Christian leaders set boundaries, some good, but others can be manmade ideals but beyond the scope of Biblical requirements. I have addressed legalism several times recently. Legalism is like a yoke, which restricts and places one in bondage under the control of someone or something else. Boundaries with freedom in Christ are more like a pasture encompassing a huge area in which we may roam.
The third source of boundaries is self-imposed. Personal boundaries define our identity and what we are and what we are not. My personal Christian boundaries may be different that someone else’s and vice versa. My family knows I place a major emphasis on Sunday as a day of rest not in a legalist way but as a God given privilege and as an expression of worship. They have learned if they plan a family gathering at the lake to fish on Sunday afternoon I won’t be there. I don’t condemn them because this is my personal boundary. Not establishing personal boundaries can lead to temptations and failures in multiple areas; especially in our weaknesses.
God and man have set boundaries for a reason. Imagine you are about to drop your four-year-old child off at a new day care and children are outside playing with no supervision and no fences with busy highways on all four sides. You would probably keep driving. Think about living in a world with no boundaries, no limitations, or no laws where everyone was free to do whatever they felt like. Freedom without boundaries leads to chaos and will end in destruction.
Sustaining Word for the Week: Understand your freedom in Christ through scripture and the leading of the Holy Spirit. You will find yourself in a lush green pasture, free to serve Christ.