The Illusion Of Freedom
Deuteronomy 30:19 (NKJV) says, “I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.”
We live in a time when it’s an increasingly popular idea that the decision of a persons’s will or desire is always the right choice for them. “Do what’s good for you”, is common advice both in and out of the church. Really what’s being said is, “do whatever you want to and justify it by claiming it’s right for you.” Is this really sound advice? Where’s the proof that this is actually beneficial for humanity? Well, let’s take a look at it.
Consider the animal world. Animals by and large are not concerned about anything but what’s “good” for them. They establish pecking orders by which the strongest one takes care of its own needs before all others. Often, the weaker ones don’t get to partake at all. They aren’t concerned for the environment, over population, the good of anything else except survive at all costs. It’s funny because it’s so extreme that given the opportunity, the same people so devoted to protecting them would become food in an instant given the chance. That’s a true “me-first” way of thinking and though we are supposed to be evolved (their words not mine) humans are seemingly trying to return to what would be considered primal instincts. What happened to the day when a mother so prized the child inside her, she would give up anything to protect it? Today the unborn child is considered just a blob of tissue. They will justify their actions by saying that it’s “my body” though their choice completely affects the body of someone else. See though, “me-first” wouldn’t even recognize that.
Now let’s look at this concept scripturally. The Bible makes it clear that God has given us free will because He desires that we choose to love Him. However, just because you have the choice doesn’t mean that any choice you make is good or helpful. In fact, often the choice is simply a matter of life or death. You can choose to start a fire next to a busy gas station but don’t be surprised by the carnage that follows. Let’s look at the few scriptures before the above and see what God says about choice. Deuteronomy 30:14-18 (NKJV) says, “But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, THAT YOU MAY DO IT. Just look at what it says here, the Word is there for you to do it. Why? Well, I suspect we will see. 15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess.” Do you know what it means to worship other gods? It is literally anything you place as greater importance than God.
Do you randomly take days off church so you can do what you want? Are you so busy with life that you have zero time to read your Word, pray, or serve in your local church. If you spend more church days out of church than you do in church, you are choosing evil. If you allow your children to choose other things instead of church on a continual basis, you are helping them bring curse and evil into their lives.
There is right and wrong, truth and lies. God wants you to be able to choose but He desires that you choose right. The fact is the world was made to work a certain way. In that, blessing and cursing work a certain way. We can obey or choose the Word of God, and be blessed or we can disobey or not choose the Word, and perish. All choices don’t lead to good but all choices do lead you somewhere. Choose the one that leads to life.
Be Blessed,
Pastor Jeff
Join us at Family Church Mayville Sunday mornings at 10:30 or Sunday evenings at 7pm. We’d love to meet you!
