Free to Choose

When God placed Adam in the garden of Eden, He gave him a choice. 

Genesis 2:16-17 (NKJV) And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;  but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

He could choose life, or he could choose death.

And so can we.

He has put before us life and death, blessing and cursing. He tells us to choose life, but leaves it up to us to decide. (Dt 30:19)

God will honor whichever we choose.

It wasn’t long before the serpent appeared in the garden, and the first lie in Scripture was recorded. Four words that challenged the consequence of disobedience. “Surely you won’t die..” (Gen 3:4)

It’s the same lie he’s whispering today. “Surely a good and gracious God won’t send people to hell.”

Technically, that is correct.

God doesn’t send anyone to hell, but honors the decision we’ve made to accept, or reject his offer of salvation.

It is God’s will that none should be perish but that all should come to repentance,  (2 Pet 3:9) and he gets no pleasure in the death of the wicked. (Ez 33:11)

But it must be understood that when you stand before Him, the path you have chosen in this life will determine where you will spend eternity. (Matt 7:13-14) There will be no second chances. No one to one to argue your case, and no appeal. Judgment will be final, and eternal.

Choose Life.

Choose Jesus.

Romans 5:17-19 (NKJV) For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.) Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.