George Jones, the famous country music singer, had a song titled “Choices.” The lyrics of the song dealt with all the choices he had made in his life, some good and some very bad.
As Christians, we have to make choices daily. Think about it, before one obeys the gospel they are standing at a fork in the road of life. As they look down one side, they see a broad easy road that many people are traveling. All these people appear to be having a wonderful time. The other side of the fork in the road looks very narrow and difficult to travel and very few are traveling on it. This situation reminds us of Matthew 7:13-14—“Enter ye in at the strait gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in there at. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it” (KJV). This is by far the most important choice a person will ever have to make.
One may think after they made the choice to obey the gospel their difficult choices are over. This could not be further from the truth. The road the Christian must travel is narrow and difficult, and filled with many hard choices.
God could have made man a robot that was programmed to do no wrong. That would make it very easy to live a sinless Christian life, but God did not do that. In the beginning in the Garden of Eden, he allowed Adam and Eve the ability to make choices in their life. This right and responsibility is still ours today; we are free moral agents with the freedom to choose our lifestyle.
In the Old Testament, God was talking to the children of Israel about choices. In Deuteronomy 30:19, he said, “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing, therefore choose that both thy and thy seed may live” (KJV). In Joshua 24:14, Joshua told the people they could serve the false gods their fathers served before the flood, but “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua made the right choice.
I am going to list some choices all Christians must make in their daily lives.
- What kind of friends have you chosen? Remember, your friends can make you or break you.
- What kind of entertainment have you chosen? This includes movies, books, TV programs, computer websites etc. Do you base your choice on the fact that everybody is doing it? (Remember the broad road.)
- How do you use your time? Do you spend many hours watching TV or on the computer, or other hobbies, or do you spend your time in the study of the Bible or other spiritual activities?
- How do you spend your money? Are you spending an inordinate amount on worldly things that give you pleasure, thus leaving very little to contribute to the Lord’s work?
- When the saints gather on Wednesday night, do you reason to yourself, “I have worked hard today, and I am too tired to attend Bible study”?
If one is wavering over which lifestyle to choose, let them consider the rewards being offered. On the one hand, one can choose to reject God and yield to sin, but the final reward will be eternal death in Hell (Revelation 20:14-15; 21:18). On the other hand, the free gift of God is eternal life, but it must be chosen through a faith that obeys Him as would a servant.
God gives you the Choice!!
Sunday Morning In-Person Service is Canceled