If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves. (1 John 1:8)
Expanded Passage: 1 John 1:8
My wife and I were looking to purchase a home, and we had a few non-negotiables. Because we had three young children and some pets, a fenced-in yard was important to us. But as you may have experienced, kids and pets like to climb over—or tunnel under—fences to explore what is on the other side.
Fences exist for many reasons but primarily to keep out the bad and to protect the good enclosed within. The laws of God are like fences. Moses said the laws of God exist “for your own good” (Deut. 10:13). They exist to protect us. When we violate the commands of God, we do so against our own best interests. This is one of the definitions of sin: that which damages our relationship with God, others, self, and society.
All of us, at one time or another, climb over the fences God has erected to keep us safe. When we do so, initially there is a rush of excitement. But ultimately, climbing over fences results in damaged lives and relationships. Nothing good comes from “deceiving ourselves” to believe we have not climbed over God’s safeguards. The evidence that we are living outside of God’s protective laws is usually apparent. There is no way to be safe outside of God’s boundaries.
Name one of God’s fences that you will stay within this week.
Stephen Elliott serves as the national superintendent of The Wesleyan Church of Canada and program director of pastoral ministries and church planting degree programs at Kingswood University in New Brunswick. He and his wife, Helen, have three adult children.
© 2025 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
