Chapter 5 - Graced by Rules

Years ago I heard James Dobson speak about how a child is bent to push the boundaries. It is built into a child. He talked about how you never have to teach a child to be selfish or throw a tantrum. Those things come naturally to them. It was funny to hear him say that once we set boundaries that a child will put "one hairy toe" over the line just to see what we as parents would do. It wasn't as funny the first time my 2 year old decided to show how right Dr. Dobson was.

The truth be told, many poor behaviors come naturally to us. Now before you start looking around and pointing out examples, take a look in the mirror...

~ Have you ever made a decision that was a bad decision because it crossed a boundary you had been taught?

~ Was there a time in your life when you thought the boundaries you were given by those in authority were not "good" boundaries?

~ Did those "boundaries" turn out to be good boundaries once you looked back at them in a more mature minute?

~ Are there "boundaries" that you felt were important years ago that now seem to have little or no significance?

As I type those questions, lots of "rules" come to mind. Some of them were for a time in my life when I was too immature to make my own decisions. Others are no longer even a thought, such as wearing a tie to church each week (which was a cardinal rule in my day).

Here are some thoughts from Andy from the past two chapters. They are ideas he has shared for us to ponder this thought, God loved us enough to grace us with rules.

Take a look at these and then take a few minutes and share your thoughts through a comment...

~ "One of the most misunderstood relationships in all of Christianity is the relationship between God's law and God's grace." (pg 51)

~ "...the Ten Commandments do not stand in contrast to grace; they are introduced within the story of God's grace." (pg 53)

~ "The Ten Commandments reassure the Israelites that their God was not only powerful but good." (pg 56)

~ "God initiated a relationship with his people before he even told them what the rules were." (pg 58)

~ "What's more important to me (Andy "saying" what God is saying) than your mere obedience is your believing that I AM and that you trust my character." (pg 58)~ "God's law is never given to establish a relationship; God's law is given to confirm an existing relationship." (pg 64)

~ "...if we misunderstand the purpose of God's law, his grace will forever remain a mystery." (pg 64)

~ "...maximum freedom is always found under the authority of God." (pg 67)

~ "When we trust and obey, it becomes clear that the law of God is actually an expression of the grace of God." (pg 68)

~ "Beyond the practical, temporal purpose of forming a nation and guiding its people, god gave his law to humanity to accomplish an eternal purpose: to confront out sin and to demonstrate our need for a Savior. As the new testament writers would later explain, God didn't give the Law to make us good, He gave the Law to expose our sin." (pg 73)

~ "Looking back, it is pretty easy to see that God's law was at the center of his grace. It's in the moment of temptation that this powerful truth slips away. In that moment, like Adam and Eve and Israel, we embrace the lie that God is trying to keep something good from us. that he is against us rather than for us. If, in those moments, we could see those prohibitions as expression of God's liberating and protective grace, perhaps we would resist less and submit more. and in doing so, we would allow grace to do its work in us. And we would remain free." (pg 75-76)

Ok now, quickly move your mouse to the lower portion of this page and leave a comment. I am sure there is something on your mind after all those thought provoking statements...

Till next week,