The Apostle Paul was inside-the-box (ITB) until his encounter with Christ on the Damascus road. He fully renounced his ITB credentials in his letter to the church at Philippi. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, though I could have confidence in my own effort if anyone could. Indeed, if others have reason for confidence in their own efforts, I have even more! I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. So, he was a straight-up, church-boy, he was at the top of his class…that is until Christ wrecked his poser-life
Jesus was not exactly a member of the Pharisee Boys Club. He didn’t get the invites to the parties at the country club, the best tee times, the best seat in the finest restaurants. Jesus was not ITB! Surprisingly, we find the largest detractors of the Son of God, the Jewish Messiah, to be the masters of the ITB crowd; those running the “church” of His day. Occasionally you may hear a modern-day pastor speak a truth when they acknowledge…
Jesus would be run out of our modern churches
Why are church leaders afraid of people who refuse to color inside the lines? Many times leaders claim some air of responsibility to protect the flock from the wolves-in-sheep’s-clothing. Whose flock is it? Isn’t God big enough to protect His children? God has been doing it for centuries as He constantly pulls out the weeds. “I myself will tend my sheep and have them lie down, declares the Sovereign LORD”
Some of the great reformers of the church colored outside the lines. Use the word “reformers” and the mind is drawn to Martin Luther. He is one of many great people who have moved the Kingdom of God forward.
It does well to remind us all living outside the box, isn’t about stopping Sunday morning attendance, or volunteering, or serving, but more about learning to living alongside the resurrected Christ wherever He places us in his family. It’s time to stop being RELIGIONISTS. It’s about…