April 29th 2018
To Think Outside The Box, You Must First Know The Box!
2Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Most of the time when we hear someone say, we or you, need to think “outside the box!” Usually when this is said they mean for you to ignore all rules that exist, and just do what you want to do! Such action is of course done “claiming ignorance” of any rules that are already in place. This type of thinking allows people to do whatever they want and seemingly feel okay about their actions. We see this type of action occurring when people come out and loot stores and houses in times of civil unrest. Apparently, those doing the looting feel somehow justified in their actions. Some of these people claim to be Christians and if they believe they are, then they certainly are not living by the “Golden Rule.” So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12). To do this you must respect other people and respect their right to possess the things of this world. It appears many people in the USA have lost any respect for other people. We appear to have become too self-centered, likely because of the self-esteem teaching in our society.
In the words of Jesus above we read “for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus is referring here to the Bible we now have and hopefully study every day. Note in the selected verses Paul wrote to Timothy and us, about what reading your Bible can result in, “so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Are you equipping yourself to do “every good work?” It is somewhat easy to look at the actions of other people and to be critical about their actions, as is being done in this commentary, but it is difficult to walk in their shoes, to understand why they act out their aggression on other people often in their own neighborhood. It appears these people lack any respect for other people, and it would seem they do not even respect themselves!
Peter wrote about the need for developing a love for life, before you can show a loving attitude for other people. For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." (1Peter 3:10-12). Peter here also wrote about peace keeping, something that seems to be missing in people who are very vocal about the prejudice they believe they are experiencing. Many people today seem to be angry all the time about something. Road rage as an example is increasing! A wise man once wrote about a word many people need to understand, it is restraint. A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. (Proverbs 17:27). Restraint is learned when you were a child, it is unlikely you will learn it as an adult. Parents too often no longer teach their children to share with other children, so a possessive attitude is carried into adulthood.
Okay, now it seems like a good time to shift this commentary from negative attitudes and to how we members of mankind can be changed from a bad attitude to a good one, or at least to a better attitude! Are you truly a follower of Jesus Christ? Is Jesus really the pilot of running your life? If you are running your life, because you believe you must, because you must protect your rights, then Jesus is NOT the in-charge one, you are trying to be! Paul wrote about how this can change. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2Corinthians 5:17). Have you been baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ?” Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38). Did you get that, do you believe it? Where it says, “And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’
Paul wrote more about what having this Holy Spirit can do in your life. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:5). Paul here uses the word hope, as a word of assurance not a leap of faith but instead a knowledge of the truth that this Holy Spirit is real and is available to all those who love the Lord. Jesus told His disciples about this love between God and mankind when He still walked this earth as the God/man. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30). Jesus states all the possible effects in this life of our immortal soul, and ties them together, but then He separates them from our physical functions that keep us alive in this earthly lifetime. When our heart stops beating we leave this lifetime, and the final step in death occurs when our mind stops recording the sights or senses of this lifetime.
This then is a good use of the term, to think “outside the box!” Here we need to look beyond the limitations of this lifetime, and believe there is truly life after death, and place our hope in God to continue to bless those who love Him, because they have experienced His blessing already in this life. In Isaiah we read about how Jesus would come and die as a perfect sacrifice for our (your) sins. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5-6). Jesus took upon Himself all of sins of mankind and paid the price God had set for our salvation. Then all that is left for each of us to do is accept this perfect sacrifice to be saved. Have you accepted the pardon for your sins? In this world we all become sick, as we commit sins against God, however, we are told, “by his wounds we are healed.”
How do you look to the Lord? The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1Samuel 16:7b). Jesus once said, “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners".’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children." (Luke 7:33-35). Do you believe that Jesus came to this earth as a God/man and He became “a friend of tax collectors and "sinners.”? It is true Jesus wants to be your friend, even though you are still a sinner. Now that is thinking outside this worldly box!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
2Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV)
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.
Most of the time when we hear someone say, we or you, need to think “outside the box!” Usually when this is said they mean for you to ignore all rules that exist, and just do what you want to do! Such action is of course done “claiming ignorance” of any rules that are already in place. This type of thinking allows people to do whatever they want and seemingly feel okay about their actions. We see this type of action occurring when people come out and loot stores and houses in times of civil unrest. Apparently, those doing the looting feel somehow justified in their actions. Some of these people claim to be Christians and if they believe they are, then they certainly are not living by the “Golden Rule.” So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 7:12). To do this you must respect other people and respect their right to possess the things of this world. It appears many people in the USA have lost any respect for other people. We appear to have become too self-centered, likely because of the self-esteem teaching in our society.
In the words of Jesus above we read “for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.” Jesus is referring here to the Bible we now have and hopefully study every day. Note in the selected verses Paul wrote to Timothy and us, about what reading your Bible can result in, “so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” Are you equipping yourself to do “every good work?” It is somewhat easy to look at the actions of other people and to be critical about their actions, as is being done in this commentary, but it is difficult to walk in their shoes, to understand why they act out their aggression on other people often in their own neighborhood. It appears these people lack any respect for other people, and it would seem they do not even respect themselves!
Peter wrote about the need for developing a love for life, before you can show a loving attitude for other people. For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil." (1Peter 3:10-12). Peter here also wrote about peace keeping, something that seems to be missing in people who are very vocal about the prejudice they believe they are experiencing. Many people today seem to be angry all the time about something. Road rage as an example is increasing! A wise man once wrote about a word many people need to understand, it is restraint. A man of knowledge uses words with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. (Proverbs 17:27). Restraint is learned when you were a child, it is unlikely you will learn it as an adult. Parents too often no longer teach their children to share with other children, so a possessive attitude is carried into adulthood.
Okay, now it seems like a good time to shift this commentary from negative attitudes and to how we members of mankind can be changed from a bad attitude to a good one, or at least to a better attitude! Are you truly a follower of Jesus Christ? Is Jesus really the pilot of running your life? If you are running your life, because you believe you must, because you must protect your rights, then Jesus is NOT the in-charge one, you are trying to be! Paul wrote about how this can change. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2Corinthians 5:17). Have you been baptized “in the name of Jesus Christ?” Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (Acts 2:38). Did you get that, do you believe it? Where it says, “And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.’
Paul wrote more about what having this Holy Spirit can do in your life. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:5). Paul here uses the word hope, as a word of assurance not a leap of faith but instead a knowledge of the truth that this Holy Spirit is real and is available to all those who love the Lord. Jesus told His disciples about this love between God and mankind when He still walked this earth as the God/man. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (Mark 12:30). Jesus states all the possible effects in this life of our immortal soul, and ties them together, but then He separates them from our physical functions that keep us alive in this earthly lifetime. When our heart stops beating we leave this lifetime, and the final step in death occurs when our mind stops recording the sights or senses of this lifetime.
This then is a good use of the term, to think “outside the box!” Here we need to look beyond the limitations of this lifetime, and believe there is truly life after death, and place our hope in God to continue to bless those who love Him, because they have experienced His blessing already in this life. In Isaiah we read about how Jesus would come and die as a perfect sacrifice for our (your) sins. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5-6). Jesus took upon Himself all of sins of mankind and paid the price God had set for our salvation. Then all that is left for each of us to do is accept this perfect sacrifice to be saved. Have you accepted the pardon for your sins? In this world we all become sick, as we commit sins against God, however, we are told, “by his wounds we are healed.”
How do you look to the Lord? The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart. (1Samuel 16:7b). Jesus once said, “For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and "sinners".’ But wisdom is proved right by all her children." (Luke 7:33-35). Do you believe that Jesus came to this earth as a God/man and He became “a friend of tax collectors and "sinners.”? It is true Jesus wants to be your friend, even though you are still a sinner. Now that is thinking outside this worldly box!
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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