Definition and Context:
The term "encroach" generally refers to the act of gradually intruding or trespassing upon the rights, property, or territory of another. In a biblical context, encroachment can be understood as overstepping boundaries set by God, whether they be physical, moral, or spiritual. The Bible often addresses the importance of respecting boundaries, both in terms of land and personal conduct.

Biblical References and Themes:

1. Property and Land Boundaries:
The Bible places significant emphasis on respecting property lines and land boundaries. In ancient Israel, land was a divine inheritance, and moving boundary stones was strictly prohibited. Deuteronomy 19:14 states, "You must not move your neighbor’s boundary marker, which was set up by your ancestors in the inheritance you will receive in the land the LORD your God is giving you to possess." This command underscores the importance of respecting the divinely allotted inheritance and the rights of others.

2. Moral and Spiritual Boundaries:
Encroachment is not limited to physical boundaries but extends to moral and spiritual realms. The Bible warns against overstepping God’s commandments and encroaching upon His divine authority. In 2 John 1:9 , it is written, "Anyone who runs ahead without remaining in the teaching of Christ does not have God. Whoever remains in His teaching has both the Father and the Son." This passage highlights the danger of encroaching upon the teachings of Christ by adding or subtracting from them.

3. Respect for Authority:
Encroachment can also refer to the usurpation of authority. Romans 13:1-2 instructs, "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which is from God. The authorities that exist have been appointed by God. Consequently, whoever resists authority is opposing what God has set in place, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves." This passage emphasizes the importance of respecting God-ordained authority and not encroaching upon roles and responsibilities that are not ours to assume.

4. Personal Relationships:
In personal relationships, encroachment can manifest as violating the trust or boundaries of others. Proverbs 25:17 advises, "Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house, lest he grow weary and hate you." This proverb teaches the value of respecting personal space and boundaries in relationships, warning against the overstepping of social and personal limits.

5. Encroachment and Sin:
Sin itself can be seen as an encroachment upon God’s holiness and the order He has established. James 1:14-15 explains, "But each one is tempted when by his own evil desires he is lured away and enticed. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death." This passage illustrates how sin begins with a desire that encroaches upon the boundaries of righteousness, leading to spiritual death.

Conclusion:
While the Bible does not use the term "encroach" explicitly, the concept is woven throughout its teachings on respecting boundaries, whether they be physical, moral, or spiritual. Encroachment is seen as a violation of God’s established order, and believers are called to honor the boundaries set by God and others.1. (v. i.) To advance beyond proper limits; to trespass; to intrude; as, to encroach on a neighbor's land; to encroach on the highway.

2. (n.) Encroachment.

Letter xvi. Charity.
... worm? Consider also how liable you are to encroach upon the rights of
others, and to try their patience by your infirmities. Do ...
/.../a practical directory for young christian females/letter xvi charity.htm

Modern Movements in Presbyterian Churches Respecting Public ...
... Such a purpose the Society emphatically disavowed, and insisted that there was no
desire on the part of its members to encroach upon the simplicity of ...
/.../johnston/presbyterian worship/chapter ix modern movements in.htm

Conversational Phrases
... Don't be so dismal, please. Don't delude yourself. Don't let me encroach on your
good nature. Don't think I am unappreciative of your kindness. ...
/.../kleiser/fifteen thousand useful phrases/section ix conversational phrases.htm

God Hides his People
... To welcome all that he allots,. And suffer shame with joy. No longer, then, thou
wilt encroach. On his eternal right; And he shall smile at thy approach,. ...
/.../god hides his people.htm

Concerning the Power of the Civil Magistrate in Matters Purely ...
... that are under the same persuasion, as to meet together and worship God in that
way which they judge is most acceptable unto him, and not to encroach upon, or ...
/.../proposition xiv concerning the power.htm

Mother's Love
... Let no man encroach on or defraud his brother in the matter, says St Paul; by which
he means, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife. And why? ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon viii mothers love.htm

Particular Election
... Although the business of the week will very naturally struggle with us to encroach
upon the Sabbath, it is our business to guard the Sabbath from the intrusion ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 3 1857/particular election.htm

God's Barriers against Man's Sin
... tempestuous, is entirely submissive to the behests of God; that when he saith,
"Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further," it dares not encroach""the pride ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 4 1858/gods barriers against mans sin.htm

Whom to Obey, --Annas or Angel?
... zeal,' but it here means, as the Revised Version has it, nothing nobler than 'jealousy.'
'Who are those ignorant Galileans that they should encroach on the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/whom to obeyannas or angel.htm

Faustus Insists that Jesus Might have Died Though not Born, by the ...
... Could a mortal encroach upon the limits of immortality, and could not Christ add
to His immortality whatever experience of death was required? ...
/.../faustus insists that jesus might.htm

Encroach (2 Occurrences)
... 1. (vi) To advance beyond proper limits; to trespass; to intrude; as, to encroach
on a neighbor's land; to encroach on the highway. ...Encroach (2 Occurrences). ...
/e/encroach.htm - 7k

Invade (15 Occurrences)
... Great Britain. 3. (vt) To attack; to infringe; to encroach on; to violate;
as, the king invaded the rights of the people. 4. (vt ...
/i/invade.htm - 11k

Intrude (1 Occurrence)
... 1. (vi) To enter without invitation, permission, or welcome; to encroach; to trespass;
as, to intrude on families at unseasonable hours; to intrude on the ...
/i/intrude.htm - 7k

Trench (8 Occurrences)
... 5. (vi) To encroach; to entrench. 6. (vi) To have direction; to aim or tend. 7.
(n.) A long, narrow cut in the earth; a ditch; as, a trench for draining land. ...
/t/trench.htm - 10k

Encroached (1 Occurrence)
... Noah Webster's Dictionary (imp. & pp) of Encroach. Multi-Version Concordance
Encroached (1 Occurrence). Ezekiel 42:5 And the upper ...
/e/encroached.htm - 6k

Encouragingly (2 Occurrences)

/e/encouragingly.htm - 7k

Press (57 Occurrences)
... 14. (vi) To move on with urging and crowding; to make one's way with violence or
effort; to bear onward forcibly; to crowd; to throng; to encroach. 15. ...
/p/press.htm - 46k

Asa (54 Occurrences)
... Judah (1 Kings 15:32). Baasha continued to encroach and finally fortified
Ramah as a frontier fortress. Asa, faint-hearted, instead ...
/a/asa.htm - 29k

Moabites (26 Occurrences)
... from the passage in Genesis 36:35, but the conquest was not permanent, for Moab
recovered its lost territory and became strong enough to encroach upon Israel ...
/m/moabites.htm - 28k

Fatherless (44 Occurrences)
... Proverbs 23:10 Don't move the ancient boundary stone. Don't encroach on the fields
of the fatherless: (WEB KJV JPS ASV DBY WBS YLT NAS RSV NIV). ...
/f/fatherless.htm - 24k

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