In the Mind of a Fish

An idea about bounded-vs-centered Christianity.

I am borrowing this part from:
Is the question for Christians "Out or In?" or "Farther or Closer?"
by John Ortberg

Bounded is to set up boundaries that define a Christian. If you do this or that you are not a Christian, but if you do this or that other thing you are.
Centered is to have something at the center that defines and all positions around that center define those things as more or less like or a part of the center.

The rest of this is my explanation of what I think that is saying.

I would like to try explain this in a simple way by using love as the center.

Jesus is love. He isn't solely an example of love. He isn't merely one who loves or loved (depending on how you look at it). He is love.

Anyone who loves is closer to the center (Jesus) in proportion to the love with which he is loving. Non-Christians and Christians alike can all love. But not all do and not all love the same.

The destiny of mankind is to be in the center with Jesus. To perfectly love is to be perfectly with him. If a person isn't trusting Jesus, she may still move towards her destiny but will not be able to complete it without trusting Jesus.

When we are trusting in Jesus, he gives us something that is otherwise missing. He puts himself in us in the form of the Holy Spirit. Then, we have the center in us and actively moving us toward our destiny.

The Holy Spirit will produce in us what Jesus is because that is who the Holy Spirit is.

To get closer towards the center than we can naturally is always dependent on our trust in Jesus to conform us to his likeness.