Boundaries Are Imperative

What is a boundary?

What do you think of when you hear that word?

Do you have a positive or a negative reaction?

Webster’s 1828 Dictionary defines ‘boundary’ as being, “A limit; a bound. This word is thus used as synonymous with bound. But the real sense is, a visible mark designating a limit. Bound is the limit itself or furthest point of extension, and may be an imaginary line; but boundary is the thing which ascertains the limit; terminus, not finis.” So, whether visible or imaginary, there are boundaries set all around us. God is Infinite, but man is finite. God is limitless, but man needs limits. Just like Proverbs 29:15b states, “…but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame,” so man left to himself without boundaries placed, brings destruction.

If we but stop and think for a moment and look around us, we will find many boundaries that we often take for granted. Such as the very boundary of our skin. Without this boundary, all our blood, that we need to live, would just fall out. How about the boundary of the earth to the sun? If we were just a little closer to the sun, we’d all be fried. But if we were just a little bit further away from the sun, we’d all freeze. God placed the boundary perfectly!

All these boundaries listed make life so pleasant if we but choose to see it that way. But too often we view boundaries in a negative light, as restrictive, and therefore bad. True, boundaries are restrictive, but they are there for our good. “…boundaries are essential to freedom.” (Quote from Eve in Exile by Rebekah Merkle)  Wait, what!? Boundaries are essential to freedom! “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1:25. There is a “law of liberty.” There is a boundary for freedom. “True freedom has to recognize boundaries.”(Quote from Eve in Exile by Rebekah Merkle) Boundaries are imperative for without them, only chaos reigns. Just look at our current world.

For example, think of the game of volleyball. The volleyball court has a boundary line to show whether the ball is in or out. There’s a net to divide the two sides of the court. There are rules of how to properly bump, set, and spike the ball, etc. Now, let’s say there was a team that found the boundary line around the court offensive, and because of that, they removed it completely from the game. And then another team sees how that worked for them, so they claim the volleyball itself is offensive to them and therefore it, too, is removed. And now these two teams say, “Alright, let’s play!” All the other teams would be like, “What!? No!” Why? Because it would be utter chaos. No one would know what to do without a volleyball. If the boundaries are removed, there is no game to play. There is no purpose in playing. Every single boundary is necessary to make up the game. The boundaries give you the freedom to play the game and win fair and square.

God has set boundaries in His world He created. But people everywhere are trying to knock down the walls of those boundaries saying they shouldn’t be there. Everybody should believe what they want to believe. Everybody should just do what they want to do. But you know, the funny thing is that no matter how hard they try, each and every boundary that God has placed is still there! “Who laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed for ever.” Psalm 104:5. The earth will continue as God allows—no matter what the world says. A boy cannot be a girl and a girl cannot be a boy—no matter what the world says. God is real—no matter what the world says. God’s Word is true—no matter what the world says. There is a Heaven and a Hell—no matter what the world says. Jesus died for you—no matter what the world says. You must be saved—no matter what the world says. The only way to be saved is through faith in the Gospel—no matter what the world says. The world can deceive themselves into believing a lie that they’ve removed the boundary, but it will always be there until God Himself removes it!

Remember, no boundaries, no purpose. Just like a picture frame. A picture frame completes the picture. The purpose of the frame is to make the picture stand out beautifully, but a broken frame is useless, for it takes away from the picture it is trying to display. Where’s your focus?