In The Angle – Or Out?

The angle is the same – and it isn’t. It all depends if we’re on the inside or the outside or if we measure the whole. For some reason, this reminded me those who see Christians trapped within 45 degrees of “Do’s” and 315 degrees of “Don’t’s.” I see Christians with the greatest of freedoms – and some guidelines to keep us from danger – a hedge of protection, if you will. I also see that hedge as being biblical verses and examples, not confining rules which subject us to punishments when we cross guiding lines.

For me, it’s positive guidelines, such as:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. (Philippians 4:8-9 KJV)

Those are all positives, just as Jesus outlined the complete positives of God’s laws:

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)

Absolutely positive. Do these two things and we won’t need to list the “Don’t’s” – even those found in the Bible. 

Unfortunately, human nature not being what it should, God inspired writers to include some of those lists and we should be aware of them:

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die. (Genesis 2:16-17 KJV)

They ate, and began to die. There are consequences when we cross guide lines:

Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Galatians 5:19-21 KJV)

Lines are protection. Satan saw a hedge of protection, provided by God, around Job:

Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land. But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face. (Job 1:10-11 KJV)

Job did not curse God in spite of all that Satan was allowed to do to him. Yes, allowed. Just as we are allowed to do willful damage to others if we go past those guidelines laid out for protection – not only for ourselves, but for those whose lives we enter and share, if only for a short time.

I continue to see Christianity as a source of freedom and protection, not a confining prison that obliterates choices. How should it be seen? Confining angles or open areas with guided paths?