The Journey of Faith from Darkness to Light
What does thinking outside the box mean to you? When is it important, and when is it to be avoided?
What is the box? The box is the place where we live our lives. The box can be a culture, a set of beliefs, a national heritage, a religion, family relationships, a work environment, etc. Often, people feel safe in the box, even when the box is anything but safe. But it feels safe because some people are delusional or have a fear they don't want to think about.
Why think outside the box? If the box does not reconcile with the teachings of God's holy word, which means it is not in accord with God's will, then thinking outside the box becomes imperative. Thinking and stepping outside of the box is different. A person must think outside the box before deciding to step outside. If a person thinks outside the box, they must consider it valuable enough to step outside. It is a process to step outside the box.
In my Christian life, I have lived in many boxes. Some of those boxes have caused me and others around me avoidable grief. The grief was averted when I stepped out of the box. Sometimes, I have had to choose to step out of the box, which only became possible through tough times through God's discipline. Other times God placed an idea in my head, "Don't turn Christian learning into an idol." I am confident the thought was a gift from God and the grace to follow through.
What is an example of a box? For example, Christians have always enjoyed singing and, in some cases, been blessed. Some may ask, how can you enjoy something without being blessed by it? The quick answer is that not all enjoyment comes from God. Some people use the word blessing without personally knowing Him. In the Bible, a blessing is always from the greater person to the lesser. A blessing is a pronouncement of good upon someone and always by another person. A person can attend a rock concert while doing drugs and thoroughly enjoy it. Do you think their enjoyment originates from God? God does not bless a person with a sinful motive. It is easy to confuse God's blessing with blessing ourselves in our enjoyment of something. A hundred people can agree that singing is always a blessing from God; does that make it so? A box can become a deep, dark black hole of delusion. Deception is making oneself out to be something they're not. A delusion is a person believing themself to be something they're not. Don't confuse God's grace toward evil people with His blessing.
What is a good or evil box? There are good boxes, and there are evil boxes. A good box would be salvation by scripture, grace, Christ, faith, and to God's glory alone. Never wanting to depart from the box of the truth of the Gospel would be an excellent conviction. An evil box would be to live in the delusion that there are no demons or they are of so little consequence for whatever reason that they hardly ever need our attention. To want to leave such a dangerous box would be a good idea, but the hurdles needed to cross, the cultural stigma required to confront, and the fear of facing an alternate reality is challenging. I say so, having left that box long ago.
How to escape the box? Christianity is an act of faith and repentance that leads to seeing outside the box. Paul gives us the action for living outside the box. "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship" Romans 12:1. To become a living sacrifice for God is to live outside the box. The alternative is, "If the dead are not raised, let's eat and drink for tomorrow we die" 1 Corinthians 15:33.
The devil, by three, lies in the Garden of Eden, plummetting the entire race of Adam into the box. "... who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives" Hebrews 2:15. What is the box? The idea is there is no one and nothing to follow death and no accountability. In context, Paul also said, "Bad company corrupts good morals." That means avoiding those propagating the box of the here and now over eternity. Furthermore, he said, 'Sober up morally and stop sinning, for some have no knowledge of God." Stepping outside the box necessitates the knowledge of God.
What is the box? There is no one and nothing to follow death; therefore, no accountability. In context, Paul also said, "Bad company corrupts good morals." That means avoiding those propagating the box of no eternity. Furthermore, he said, 'Sober up morally and stop sinning, for some have no knowledge of God." Stepping outside the box necessitates the knowledge of God.
Discipline from a loving heavenly Father always follows when God's children step into an evil box.
To live outside the box, we must. "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" Romans 12:2. Biblical transformation is thinking outside the box. It is renewing your mind, putting a box to the test, and proving the will of God. It never assumes that the people perpetuating your box are in the right.
What is the Benefit of living outside the Box? Pleasing the living God and seeing a smile on Jesus' face at the Bema Seat of Christ.
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