“The fundamental truths of the Gospel are landmarks to keep us safely
within the boundaries set by God.
Suppose your grandfather owned some property,
which at one time had been carefully surveyed. He was there when they set the
stakes and could have paced it off blindfolded. But he never took the time to
show anyone else the markings. Over the years, the markers rotted, were rooted
up, or washed away. Now your grandfather has died and left the land to you. But
a dishonest neighbor claims it is his, and as proof of ownership points to the
burgeoning crop of corn he has planted. You discover the deed and land
description have been lost. Since you do not really know the proper boundary
lines yourself, how will you defend your case in court? You will probably end
up losing your property because no one ever told you where it ends and your
neighbor's begins.
The spiritual
parallel is this: Every fundamental truth has some evil neighbor (i.e., heresy)
butting up against it, eager to plant a crop of lies upon the sacred ground of
God's Holy Word and thus fool the saints. And the very reason that a spirit of
error has encroached so far upon the truth in the last few years is because
ministers have not walked the boundaries of the Gospel with their people and
acquainted them with these primary truths.
We have both staples and luxuries in our religion,
just as in our homes. Luxuries are wonderful and often enhance our appreciation
of the staples, but they quickly lose their appeal when our basic needs go
unmet. What pleasure is there in dining from fine china if you have no food to
put on the plate? Of what value is a silk blouse in the winter if you have no
coat?
Reflection: If a systematic study of God’s Word is a part of your life you will know
God’s boundaries.
Conclusion: Knowing about God through the Bible is the
first step to knowing Him. We cannot fulfill our best in life if we do not know
Him well enough to understand the boundaries He has placed for our benefit.
Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete
Armour Daily Readings in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.
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