Tuesday, March 22, 2016

Water And Walls

Lately I have been relating to theology as a thinking environment. Grace thinking is buoyant thinking. You can float and swim in it. If water is to shallow it is difficult to swim but once you get into deeper water you can dive, swim and float.

"Going on eastward with a measuring line in his hand, the man measured a thousand cubits, and then led me through the water, and it was ankle-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was knee-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and led me through the water, and it was waist-deep. Again he measured a thousand, and it was a river that I could not pass through, for the water had risen. It was deep enough to swim in, a river that could not be passed through." - Ezekiel 47:3-5 ESV

But doctrine is also a wall and the people who are filled with doctrine become a wall and that is what I was studying this morning.

"But you, dress yourself for work; arise, and say to them everything that I command you. Do not be dismayed by them, lest I dismay you before them. And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the LORD, to deliver you." - Jeremiah 1:17-19 ESV

"And behold, the angel who talked with me came forward, and another angel came forward to meet him and said to him, "Run, say to that young man, 'Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and livestock in it. And I will be to her a wall of fire all around, declares the LORD, and I will be the glory in her midst.' "" - Zechariah 2:3-5 ESV

Freedom with God's person and character as protection. God himself is our wall of fire and we become walls of bronze.

"In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: 'We have a strong city; he sets up salvation as walls and bulwarks.' " - Isaiah 26:1 ESV

"On your walls, O Jerusalem, I have set watchmen; all the day and all the night they shall never be silent. You who put the LORD in remembrance, take no rest, and give him no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes it a praise in the earth." - Isaiah 62:6-7 ESV

The watchmen would call to each other. They were not silent.

A river is a natural boundary. So is an ocean or a lake. The person on land must be prepared to cross or enter it. They need a boat or they must be prepared to get wet.

People talk about building bridges but I don't want to do that with this water. A person filled with doctrine will be like a bronze wall. I want people to get wet and experience grace thinking first hand without compromising holiness.

--

No comments:

Post a Comment