• Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About
Sunny Slope Church of Christ
  • Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About

Coloring Inside The Lines

4/14/2019

 
by: Gary L. Hutchens
​   Many folks don’t like the restrictions, as they see them, placed upon their lives by the Bible.  They see the teachings of the Bible as restricting them to having to color inside the lines.  They view Christianity as a paint by numbers religion because of the structured doctrines that lay its foundation.  Because they don’t want to be restricted, they don’t read the Bible, they rarely attend church services and God is pretty much not in their thoughts.  These reactions are a natural result of such a mindset. 
​   But think about the frames of reference behind these rather trite criticisms of the Bible and Christianity.  As parents we give our children coloring books.  Coloring the pictures helps young children develop several skills, such as perception, hand-eye coordination, motor skills and structured discipline in working on a task.  At first we simply teach our children to color.  But fairly early on we start to teach them the discipline and skill of coloring inside the lines. 
   At first they struggle, but with practice they get better and better, and we praise them for the improvement they demonstrate.  If they never learn to color inside the lines, we become concerned, recognizing that as a sign of a developmental problem, and we do not ignore that problem.  Indeed, we seek a doctor’s help.
   Effective living in this physical world requires structured self-discipline.  Attending school, working on a job, developing a relationship, driving a car, even fixing a meal necessitates that we function in required ways in order to achieve successful results.  It’s a more technical way of saying, we have to color inside the lines.
   Since we accept and live by this principle on such a common basis, why would we think it should not apply when it comes to our spiritual life?  The Bible is God’s word (2 Tim. 3:16).  Because it is His word, the scriptures contained therein carry God’s authority.
   The church is here by God’s design (Matt. 16:18).  It was in His plan before He created man (Eph. 3:8-11).  Part of God’s plan for the church, in relation to His word, is that the church is to teach, proclaim, communicate, stand upon and defend His word (1 Cor. 1:21; 1 Tim. 3:15).  Considering that the church is identified as the body of Christ (Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18), that Christ died for the church (Eph. 5:25), and that He adds those who come to salvation through Him to His church (Acts 2:47), should help us recognize not only the importance of the church but also the importance of our being a part of it.
   A person who doesn’t like structured design should never buy a paint by numbers art kit.  The numbers represent the design.  Producing the designed picture requires following the numbers.  The same principle applies to a jigsaw puzzle.  Every piece has a specific place, and only when each piece is put in its designed place can the puzzle be completed.
   God is the master designer of the church.  Every detail is intricately designed to meet His specifications.  Every bit of the design has a purpose behind it, whether or not we can readily see it.  God simply knows better than we do.  To reject God’s design is to reject God’s authority.  We cannot live effectively in this world without respecting the principle of having to color inside the lines.  It is no different when it comes to our spiritual life.  Call it coloring inside the lines if you like.  I call being faithful until death (Rev. 2:10)…

Comments are closed.

    Author

    Gary L. Hutchens

    Categories

    All
    Dennis Stackhouse
    Gary Hutchens

    Archive

    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    March 2008
    February 2008
    January 2008
    January 2007

Member Login
SUBMIT PRAYER REQUEST
© 2019 Sunny Slope Church of Christ | All Rights Reserved
3606 N. 108th St., Omaha, NE 68164 | (402) 498-8397 | Contact Us
  • Watch
  • Listen
  • Study
  • Articles
  • Links
  • About