Rules, no matter how much we dislike them are Necessary

Rules are a part of life and they exist to help us enjoy and endure the life in which we live.  We must even agree that we will often find rules when placed in a situation where we are unaware of them.  The truth is, rules are set in place to help set up boundaries and these boundaries actually provide us more freedom than they do restrictions.  Many will say just the opposite that rules are restricting until they come to the realization that most of our freedom is based upon rules.  Without the presence of rules there would be absolute chaos.  No one seems to be in favor of many of the rules in their lives yet they are there to help us more than hurt us.

We find that throughout the Scriptures God presented the children of man with rules.  He began the process in the Garden of Eden with one basic rule, and as we all know, man failed.  He tried again with Noah and the Ark, though Noah obeyed them, not all of his family did.  God tried again with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and then with Joseph and the trials they went through in Egypt.  Later in the Word of God we find that He set forth His first major attempt of setting up rules with Moses.  God put forth His foundational set of ten rules written is stone, given to Moses on Mount Sinai and they are called the Ten Commandments.  These Ten Commandments or rules if you will were given by the hand of God for us to live by.  They were given to Moses by the direct hand of God.  This was His foundational set of ten which are still current to all men today.  From these hand written commandments God continue to build upon to build up to a total of over 600.  That is a lot of laws, a lot of rules to follow.  But they are all set in place as helps, as boundaries to improve our lives and relationship with the Lord.

In our day and age we still observe the Ten Commandments (or all at least struggle trying to do so).  We find that there are rules set I place to help, guide and protect us.  All of them are important no matter how much we may dislike them.  Some rules are placed before us and we are fascinated by them.  Many who have watched the TV Series NCIS know that the lead character, Special Agent Leroy Jethro Gibbs has a set of some 69 rules that he lives by.  These rules are also used to help manage and mature those who work for him.  Those whom he is responsible for are well aware of his set of rules and try to work with in them.

The truth of the matter is, for society as a whole to function properly there must be rules.  Even in the possible absence of society there will be rules.  One major fascination in the entertainment world today is the unlikely event of a “Zombie Apocalypse.”  What helps the people survive even in those circumstances are the establishment and following of rules.  We see evidence of this in the spoof movie “Zombieland.”  In this film we find that the lead character has his set of 32 rules.  These are set in place to help him to survive.  In the AMC Television series “The Walking Dead,” there are rules.  Without the existence of rules there is chaos.  When people are gathered together for whatever reason we find that there will soon set up some rules. 

No matter where we are in our lives, no matter what position we hold, there are always rules there are always boundaries that help formulate each step I life.  I know that with some people when it comes to rules there is a lot of disgust, detestation, abhorrence, and loathing going on in the world today, and that often translates down into one word which is hate.  Rules and boundaries are a part of our lives and quite necessary no matter who we are or what we do. 

With this said, I do not know how many times I have spent many hours in my office counseling those who are in need.  All who come in, for whatever reason, are there because of a rule infraction.  The rules have been broken, lines have been crossed and violations have occurred.  One of the most popular statements made when it comes to rules is that the violator hates to be controlled by them.  Hate, is a strong word and is common in the counseling room.  I have often heard that little four-letter word come across my desk in the counseling office.  What I do find that saddens me is that those who come in and sit across from me are often guilty of the same sin that they hate in others.  They have come into the office to discuss their anger and hatred of others totally oblivious that they are equally as guilty.  They are tired of the rules; they are tired of the boundaries.  Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  Here in these seven words we find a perfect statement.  To love is to keep the commandments or the rules.  They wonder why they have problems, they wonder why there is strife and they wonder why God is not blessing them.  From here we must direct them to what is said prior to verse fifteen.  John 14:12-14, “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. (13) And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. (14) If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.”

Their anger and hatred of rules can often be traced to selfishness and the sin of rebellion against God.  Those who are tired of the rules are tired of the boundaries and in essence they are tired of God trying to rule their lives.  As I sat in the office going over my notes for the week’s sessions I could not help but to notice the one common thought that ran like a thread though almost every case.  That thought lay in the phrase “I hate.”  It was associated with almost every session.  The hate that they held for the other was rooted in distrust resulting in anger toward God and the rules of God.  Jesus said in John 15:9-14, “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. (10) If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. (11) ‘These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. (12) This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. (13) Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. (14) You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.’”  We find in this passage that Jesus Himself said that if we keep His commandments His rules that He will abide in us.  Verse fourteen clearly says sums it up in that our keeping His commandments is a sign that we are His friends and that we love Him.  If we are to “abide in Him” we need to follow Him and His commandments.  If we are to prove our love for Him we are to follow His rules. 

The truth many of us need to face is that rules are necessary.  Rules are necessary because we do not belong to ourselves anymore; we do not have the right to succumb to our own selfish desires any more.  We belong to Christ, He has bought us and we are subject to his rules.  I Corinthians 6:19-20, “Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? (20) For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”  To hate the rules is to hate the one who wrote them.  To hate the writer is to hate Christ.