AT A MINISTRY MEETING
(i) Boundaries
Eric Burr
I did not have in mind to speak about all of this address of Paul’s, but there is just something in it that I thought the Lord might bring before us. Our beloved brother who preached here on Lord’s Day preached about God being in control, and while the whole of this section is not precisely about that, yet that truth comes out, that God is in control. From the way our beloved brother preached, I think we who listened would have retained the impression that there was something for us in that, that God is in control and therefore nothing happens without Him. I think that is a great lesson to learn, even for believers. Our brother’s word was in the preaching of the Gospel, that God is in control, but he was speaking to believers and telling them that God was in control.
What I particularly wanted to refer to is verse 26, that God had “determined ordained times and the boundaries of their dwelling”. We may think about this historically because the boundaries of many nations have, in our historical knowledge, been fixed by war, sometimes by treaty as a result of war, but things are fixed and the boundaries of dwellings are fixed in that way. You find in the history of Israel in the scriptures, that God has done that. In fact, one day God is going to bring out plainly that He has done that, and that Israel is the centre of all the nations. You could not think of that today, but that is what God is going to do: He says that in Deuteronomy. But what I am particularly struck with in this verse is that God has ordained boundaries. That is a practical word for us all, that God has ordained boundaries. I am not concerned here so much about the boundaries of their dwellings, and the boundaries of the nations, but this general principle runs right through the scriptures, that God has ordained boundaries. You find it even in Eden. It was not so much that God ordained a boundary of the garden, but He ordained a boundary of behaviour; He said you can have everything but not this (see Gen 2: 17). God ordained a boundary. If you go on through the scriptures and especially in relation to the history of Israel, you will find that God was doing that, and if you read the latter part of the book of Joshua, you will find that it is full of boundaries that God ordained, one thing after another. It is not so much for believers to be concerned with these geographical boundaries that God has established, but I was wondering whether the principle does not apply in a wide way, that God has established boundaries. You do not need to think about much detail of scripture to be reminded of that, and to keep it in mind.
I could start with some very widespread boundaries that God has established, God created man, and He made the woman, but God has established boundaries between men and women. You will find in the sermon on the mount that God marks His boundaries even with a look, “every one who looks upon a woman to lust after her”, Matt. 5: 28. God has established that you may not even look over that boundary in a certain way. Think what a difference that would make in this present evil world: if the boundary that God had established between men and women had been regarded, how much would have been saved. These things are practical. Think of marriage itself, God has established boundaries in marriage. It used to be said in the Registry Offices that marriage is the union of one man and one woman for life. The boundary excludes third parties. Do we not view with sorrow the way in which that boundary has been trespassed over, even amongst ourselves? God has established boundaries for children – “Children, obey your parents in the Lord”, Eph 6: 1. There is a boundary. God has ordained boundaries. If we think about the world in which we are, let us remember that God has ordained boundaries and there are boundaries over which you may not step with God’s approval. If you do, you may find that one way and another something of God’s discipline comes up. You will find in the history of Israel that if they went beyond the boundaries that God had ordained discipline followed. It might follow in conflict, even conflict between brethren in the history of Israel, because they went beyond the boundaries that God had ordained.
I was thinking about this because some of us went through a decade in which it was thought to establish boundaries by law. The law does establish boundaries, the whole of the Ten Commandments establishes boundaries -“Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal” (Matt 19: 18) and, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God”, Matt 22: 37. These are boundaries and you cannot step over them. But history shows that you cannot regulate things in that way.
The existence of the law is a temptation to trespass against it, but God ordained boundaries – you are not to do this. Why does He give Paul the word to say, “be not diversely yoked with unbelievers”, 2 Cor. 6: 14? There is a boundary. These things come up and they are not best regulated by law because, as I have said, the very instruction ‘thou shalt not’ is a temptation to try it out; but God has ordained boundaries. Fellowship with unbelievers – the boundary is “be not …”. However, you may find another believer and find that you have a bond with them in the power of the one Spirit. But, we go by our understanding of the scriptures and what the scriptures say, and they make a boundary and you find, to your sorrow, that you are not able to break bread with every other believer. It is because, from the understanding of the scriptures, there is a boundary. These things are in the scriptures and they are intended to guide us, to keep us in our way, so that the verse in Isaiah says, “This is the way, walk ye in it” (Isa 30: 21).
Something that I knew of brought this scripture to my mind. There are different aspects of conduct as to which God has established a boundary. One thing that has come to my notice with sorrow, reminded me that God has established a boundary in regard to drink. Why does Paul say to Timothy, “a little wine”, 1 Tim 5: 23? Why is it that we hear with sorrow of addiction? Because God established a boundary and it was trespassed over. We learn from these things, from the power and the grace that God gives if we keep within the boundaries that He has established.
If you read the latter part of Joshua where the people took up their inheritance under the direction of Joshua you would be astonished at the knowledge of geography that God had. Some of the places that are mentioned in Joshua are still on the map, Elat for example. They are still on the map and there are still matters of conflict, but these were boundaries that God established.
The Supper is an expression of fellowship and that boundary is to be regarded. What I have in mind is that we should have regard to the fact that boundaries for a believer are not made by man, they are made by God. I draw attention to this scripture without wishing to be critical, but the reality is that God intends us to be guided by His word and by the sense of what He is and what He would keep us in. If I refer to these things now I am conscious that I am only reminding brethren of what they well know.
May the Lord help us.