Ezekiel 48:1
“Now these are the names of the tribes. From the north end to the coast of the way of Hethlon, as one goeth to Hamath, Hazarenan, the border of Damascus northward, to the coast of Hamath; for these are his sides east and west; a portion for Dan.”
Around the house in which I live, you will find yellow markers at the four corners of my property. These yellow markers mark the property lines that I own. These lines are the borders for which I am responsible. I don’t look at these borders and get upset with my neighbor for having borders, because we both have borders by which we are to live within, and those borders help us to stay at peace with each other.
For some reason, Christians tend to cringe when a preacher talks about setting up borders in their Christian life. God didn’t think that borders were bad because He mentions the word “border” twenty times in Ezekiel 48. God knew that Israel needed to be divided up into tribes, and the only way they would know where they were to live was through borders. Not only did those borders define the tribes, but they defined Israel’s borders. If God thought it was important for Israel to have borders, I would think He wants the Christian to have borders in their life. Several observations can be taken from God establishing borders.
First, borders are not bad. Everyone has borders; the only difference is how tight different people set their borders. Just because someone has chosen to have tighter borders than you doesn’t make them bad. Life is easier to live when the borders are clearly defined for everyone to live within.
Second, borders define who you are. Each tribe was defined by the borders God established. Likewise, the Christian is defined by living within the borders of the Word of God. It is ludicrous to think you can live without borders, because you do have borders, and where you set them defines who you are.
Third, borders are established by God. Israel didn’t establish their borders; God did. Christian, you have no right to set your own borders, because God has already established them in His Word. God’s Word clearly defines the borders with which the Christian should live within. You may not like them, but you are not the one who defines borders; God is.
Fourth, borders define where you should and should not go. The established borders show each tribe where they should live. Likewise, God’s established borders define what the Christian should and should not do; where they should and should not go. In other words, borders define the standards of holy living. You are living in rebellion and disobedience anytime you allow yourself to live outside of God’s established borders.
Fifth, borders mean nothing if they are not enforced. God established clear borders, and He each generation was to define those borders to the next generation. Christians must clearly define the scriptural borders God established to the next generation. A person’s dislike of borders doesn’t exonerate them from their responsibility.
Christian, when you live within God’s established borders, you will find yourself at peace with God and with yourself. You will never be happy in life until you establish scriptural borders and live within them.