Freedom of Choice?

An interesting thought that can be perplexing. If we have the freedom of choice, ultimately, which choice would we make - life or death? God or sin? eternal blessing or eternal damnation? Which would you choose as you have them placed side-by-side?

Let me approach this from another angle. If Adam and Eve had the perfect world, no sin, no death, no mourning, no sickness - and they had perfect freedom of choice - what choice did they make? These folks walked in complete fellowship with God before the Fall. They had only one decision to make or not to make, with the full presence of God before them. What did they choose?

It seems that the idea that we can choose better than Adam and Eve is just difficult to swallow. That in our sin-laden world where we have more than one choice to make or not to make (or perhaps it is just that simple still), and yet without the full fellowship that they knew, how can we choose God instead of sin? What gives us the ability to choose better than our ancestors?

Thoughts?

The cost of freedom

Meditating on the passage from Galatians on freedom tonight... 'For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery...For you were called to freedom brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another." (Galatians 5:1, 13)

Think of the cost Christ paid on the Cross so that we might have "freedom". Do we take this "freedom" to lightly? Do we truly treasure this freedom that came at so high a cost? This freedom that exists for us that gives us life to the full (John 10:10) is one that so often is forsaken and forgotten. We allow ourselves to be enslaved again by the rules of humanity that burdens us as to what it means to be "righteous", or "holy in the sight of God".

Is this to say that there are no standards in God's "freedom"? No, but what makes us "free" is the ability to no longer have to find a way to make ourselves righteous in God's eyes, or in other words, how we can be good enough to find acceptance in God's eyes. Instead, because of the price paid at the Cross by Jesus, we are now able to accept the grace of God through Jesus to be rescued from the law of death that separates us from God due to our sin, that is a result of our disobedience of God's righteous requirement that is found in the law (Romans 8:4).

So this day, and the days to come, consider the price paid by our Lord that allows those who call Him, "Lord", to be free from the overwhelming burden of seeking God's approval.
Peace and Grace,
Jon

Free Indeed!

Are we truly free? What is holding us back? Why don't we just make the decision to do what we will; not considering the consequences? What does it mean to be free? Free to choose from the dollar menu at McDonalds? Free to choose the career field into which you will commit yourself for between 20 and 40 years? (if you are truly luck these days...or is that really luck?) Or is true freedom that which frees us ultimately from the bondage that keeps all men (and women) from experiencing a revolutionizing and all encompassing freedom? Where can this freedom be found? How do we know that it will last? By turning to the One from Whom all truth flows. Jesus said, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." Who is this that can by simply saying the word can make men free? How deep does this freedom flow? Is it freedom from the daily cares and worries of this world? Is it deep enough to satisfy the hidden, but powerful longing in our souls to know the depth of life and what the future holds? Yes, and more! Again Jesus said, "Truly, truly I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever, the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." Are you ready to begin exploring this kind of freedom? Are you ready to follow the One who can promise the kind of spiritual freedom that can only exist and can only be given by the One who not only created us, but the cosmos as well? The trail begins with something as small as a mustard seed...faith.