And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life (1 John 5:11-12).
So many choices are made in a round of golf! I will always remember a round of golf I played many years ago on the PGA Tour. It was the last round of the Memphis Open. I know what you are thinking—he only played on Thursday and Friday, but this was an exception.
It was the par five 16th hole, and I had a choice on the second shot to go for the green protected by a body of water. I was in a position to win a good check, and my caddy also knew this. I chose a 3-wood, and as I was lifting the club from the bag, my caddy calmly lifted his hand on top of mine and slowly pushed the club back in the bag, and gently said, “Let’s talk!”
He knew things could go horribly wrong and desired the safer choice to lay up. I had a choice to make. Yes, friends, I followed his advice and secured a nice check for both of us.
How about infinitely more important life choices we must make all the time? Oh, the enormity of God’s will to give us free choice. It is a horrible and beautiful life-altering option. Choosing the One who has already chosen us is a life-or-death choice. There is no other way.
Think about it. Ultimately, life is either nothing more than random acts with no purpose or God heaping amazing grace on his children, enabling us to choose to follow and believe in Him.
The beauty of free choice with God is that He works all things together for our ultimate good. We don’t fully understand now, but He assures us that someday we will.
God’s truth never changes. For Christians, what was true and orthodox about free choice in the first chapter of Genesis is still true today. We have a choice to eat the fruit or not. God’s mighty love for us says that even when we choose poorly and eat the fruit, God’s grace redeems our poor choice.
This may offend some, but the scandal of the Cross has always offended, and the absolute truth of the Cross has always saved those souls who have chosen Jesus.
You have probably heard this question in many different ways: why would a loving God send anyone to hell? The comprehensive answer would require a much longer answer, but let’s just say that God is not only a God of love but equally a God of justice—sin must be punished.
At the end of the day, though, everyone in hell will be there because of their choice to refuse God’s revelation in and around them.
Do you know what Jesus would say? He would say, “If you are going to hell, you will have to step over my dead body!” Sadly, many do just that!
The way of faith is simple—belief in Jesus for salvation. Seeing is not believing; believing is seeing, and we have a choice. Believe Jesus. Don’t bet your life that what Jesus said is not true. Choose wisely, for eternity is at stake.
Closing prayer – Thank God that your Spirit leads the way in revealing absolute truth to humanity.