CHOICES – OUR ABILITY TO MAKE FREE CHOICES – A QUESTION REMAINS.
Do we find outside factors that affect us beyond our control to make our own choice?
Preface: At eighty years young, I write this article as a Scientist and as a Theologian. I was first trained as a Scientist. With a degree in Biology and an area in The Sciences, I spent the next nine years teaching, doing Medical Research, and participating in several Science related Fellowship Programs at a total of five different Universities. Yes, I was subjected to all of the propaganda of the so-called “evolutionary science.” It took me several years to “sort it all out” and resolve the issues to my satisfaction.
After serving for 20 years as a Deacon, Chair of The Deacon Board, and lay Minister; I surrendered to be Christ’s “minister" when HE said to me, “Gil, I want you to be MY MINISTER.” I was ordained by The Fort Mitchell Baptist Church in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky and immediately began a second career as a Bi-Vocational Pastor that lasted for 20 years. In 1991 THE LORD called Jan (My wife) and me into a Ministry of Proclaiming The Good News of The Gospel of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ over three radio stations reaching into portions of four states. As I write this article, we are in our 29th year of proclaiming THE GOSPEL MESSAGE 24 hours of every day through the Spoken Word and Song.
Many years ago I determined in my heart and mind to believe The Holy Bible as The DEVINELY INSPIRED, “GOD BREATHED” WORD OF GOD. An honest reading and study of The Bible leads to this conclusion. Trained as a Scientist, I sought (and still seek) a logical, scientific approach to all things. I have determined that GOD’S THOUGHTS (AND HIS THINKING/REASONING) ARE SO FAR ABOVE OURS THAT THERE ARE SUBJECTS THAT WE WILL NEVER COMPREHEND THIS SIDE OF HEAVEN. Yes, we will one day understand all things, just as GOD UNDERSTANDS them. That will happen when HE has COMPLETED HIS WORK ON AND IN US TO CONFORM US TO THE IMAGE OF JESUS CHRIST. As The Holy Spirit states in Philippians 3:20-21, “For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” (NASU)
GOD does not expect us to “UNDERSTAND" everything at this earthly stage of our existence. In fact, GOD clearly states in Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him." (NASU) GOD is far more pleased when we TRUST HIM and HIS WORD by FAITH. I therefore choose to HAVE FAITH IN GOD AND HIS WORD. When The Bible states things that are currently beyond my (our) human ability to understand at this point in time, I then choose to believe by Faith in GOD and HIS WORD. Again, this is a decision each of us must make for ourselves. I state this here in order that you may know where I stand as you read the following article.
MAKING OUR CHOICES:
As human beings, we are NOT the product evolution. Our so-called “ancestors” were not the descendants of apes, fish, worms, or one-celled organisms. We are not random beings that came into being by some “accident” or “The Product” of some so-called evolutionary process. Don't misunderstand me, I believe in evolution, just not in the misinterpretation that tries to say that “man descended from Apes." Evolution is simply “Change” and change occurs all the time. Change is truly one of the few constants of our world. Change occurs – mutation (which is change in the genetic makeup) occurs frequently. A Cosmic Ray that may have been traveling for many Light Years from a Star that is Light Years away may travel through your body and not strike the RNA or DNA within the nucleus of one of you reproductive cells (or non-reproductive cells) and make no change in your genetic make-up. However, if it should strike a strand of DNA or RNA then it could "knock out" one or more genes and thus cause a mutation (change). If this is in a reproductive cell then the change may be passed along to your offspring and produce a minor (or a major) noticeable change in the physical make-up of your offspring. In this manner, changes can and do occur. In addition, many other factors may cause a change (mutation) within the genetic makeup of our cells. In the true scientific sense, evolution is change. Nothing more.
Instead, we are “Created Beings.” God made us – God Created us and we can read about this creation in our Bible – God’s Holy Word. HE does NOT tell us just how HE did it - nor does HE tell us the duration of time that HE took to do it. (Yes, I know that the Bible speaks of "DAYS." But, are we to understand these as 24 hour days. For all we know, a 24 hour day as we know it today did not exist at that time. So, I choose not to get “Hung-up" on the “nitty-gritty” details. GOD is GOD. Therefore, HE could (and did) creation any way HE CHOSE. For me, I’m OK with that. Not very scientific, you say – that’s OK by me! Science has its place and so does FAITH!
In Genesis 1:26-27 we read these Words, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” Notice that in these two verses the term “ Created in God’s Image” occurs three times. Something about us (mankind) is very special in God’s Eyes.
What does “Created in God’s Image” really mean? I believe that most of us would first think of our “physical image” as being in the Image of God. That may or may not be true. Being “Created in God’s Image” may mean several things beyond our current ability to grasp or understand. However, I have become convinced that one important aspect of the meaning of being “Created in God’s Image” is that He made us with the ability to “freely choose.” Think of it, God made you and me with the freedom to choose HIM or reject HIM – to “Worship HIM” or to “shake our finger” in His Face. This is a “God Like” ability that HE gave us. As HE has the freedom to choose, HE chose to make us that way – in His Image!
After all, He IS GOD! Nothing is impossible with HIM or for HIM! He could create millions of adoring beings with just a Word. Why then are you and I so important to HIM? The answer lies in the manner in which HE Created us. We are called “human beings” made in "His Image.” Once created by GOD in the act of “Conception” we are “Eternal Beings” as is God! He created you and me personally. In the womb of our mother HE skillfully wove our bodies together. Psalms 139:13-17 states, “For you (GOD) created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,16 your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. 17 How precious to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!” (NIV) All human life is “Created” by God and from the point of creation is “Eternal.”
It is interesting that at the end of the day when God created mankind, He stated it is “Very Good.” This is the only time God said, “It is Very Good.” God gave us a mind that can think, a mind that can reason. We have the ability to learn, to remember past experiences, and to make decisions based on these and a multitude of other factors. God made us with the ability to make our own choices.
In Isaiah 1:18 we read these Words, "Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, " Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.” (NASU) Here, GOD invites us to come and “REASON TOGETHER” with HIM. HOW VERY AMAZING THAT THE GOD OF CREATION WOULD INVITE US AS HIS CREATION TO "COME REASON TOGETHER WITH HIM."
With all of this said, a nagging question remains. Are there situations in which we have no power to make a decision that will dictate the outcome? Let’s examine a few situations that raise this question.
First, let’s examine the beginning point of our life. There are many factors connected with our birth that are simply beyond our ability to influence in any way. We cannot make decisions (or choices) on where we are born, who our parents are, to be male or female, or even to be born or not. These are just a few of the decisions that are completely out of our ability to decide. Yet, they affect us in profound ways.
Our parents make these decisions for us either consciously or unconsciously. They may decide to engage in the sexual act with the intention to gain a conception or it may simply be an unintended consequence. The number of abortions in the world would indicate that a pregnancy is often the unintended consequence of the sexual act. The determination of our sex is almost a 50-50 chance of which sperm from our father fertilizes the egg of our mother. A sperm with a “Y” (XY) chromosome results in our being a male and a sperm with an “X” (XX) chromosome results in a female. The physical features we have are all a direct result of the genetic material passed on to us from our father and mother. We play no role in any of these initial decisions that have a lifetime of impact upon us as individuals, and yet all of these circumstances drastically impact our lives and often dictate our circumstances.
There are other factors that influence “who we are” and our physical, mental, emotional, and even the spiritual characteristics we have. Scripture reveals that God is always involved. In Psalms 139:13-16 we read, “For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. 14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them.” Dear one, realize that God “formed” you in your mother’s womb and “knit” you together. God knew of your birth and existence from the beginning of time. Realize that you are part of God’s Eternal Plan. This is true whether you acknowledge God and Jesus Christ or not. The question is, “will you choose” to “fit" into His Plan?
Even after our birth, God is always involved in our lives. In Psalms 139:1-6 we read, “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. 3 You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. 5 You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.” Just like the Psalmist David, we are awestruck concerning God’s complete knowledge of us and everything about us. Even in those times when God seems a “million miles away from us,” HE IS RIGHT HERE WITH US – ALWAYS!
This truth of God’s involvement in our lives is illustrated further in Psalms 139:5-10 where we read, “You have enclosed me behind and before, And laid Your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. 7 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9 If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea, 10 Even there Your hand will lead me, And Your right hand will lay hold of me.” Truly, we are always in God’s sphere of influence and Plan – ALL THE TIME.
For those of us who are Christian – those of us who have chosen Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord – those of us who are “Born Again” into The Family of God – those of us who have been made by God into a “New Creation” – those of us who have been “Sealed” by God with The Holy Spirit, this influence becomes all pervasive. We are asked by God Himself to “Yield” our Will to His Will for our lives. We are asked to allow Jesus Christ to be “The Lord” of our lives – for Him to be our “Head” in control of our lives. This is the essence of what being a Christian really is and becoming a true Disciple of Jesus Christ entails.
It is of great interest that God asks us to submit our will to His Will. He asks us to voluntarily choose to yield our will to His and He tells us that in so-doing we will gain true freedom. This seems to be contrary to our “natural way” of thinking and it is! This is an act of FAITH – it is the act of placing our TRUST in God. In Romans 12:1-2 we read, “Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” To Yield ourselves completely to God becomes easier when we truly realize that God’s Will and Way is really best for us – not just good, but THE “BEST” FOR US. Yes, it takes the exercising of our FAITH to do this. I will state emphatically that it is the BEST DECISION WE CAN EVER MAKE!
We have discussed the beginning times of our lives, let’s take a look at the other end – the time of our physical death. Certainly we have no role in the beginning of our lives – our conception and birth, and we have little control of our early years. Someone else determines where we live, how we eat, how we develop, and how we live. These factors determine how healthy we are, what language we speak, our entire “world view,” and our value system. Almost all of these early life decisions are made on our behalf by someone else. As we grow and mature, we make more of these decisions for ourselves until as adults we are expected to make our own decisions. Still, these decisions are greatly influenced by our family members, our friends, even our enemies, our laws, our culture, and a host of external and internal factors.
As we approach the final days of our earthly existence we find we have a diminishing role in the control of this ending period of our days on this earth. Just as occurs at the early stage of our lives, we find that others are making more and more of the decisions for us and we find that factors beyond our control come into play. Therefore, our ability to make choices for ourselves – to choose our own destiny, is compromised as we grow older. You may have heard the saying, "ONCE AN ADULT, TWICE A CHILD."
The depressing nature of this period in our lives is illustrated by Job in the following scriptures. In Job 7:6 we read "My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, And come to an end without hope.” In Job 7:16 we read, "I waste away; I will not live forever. Leave me alone, for my days are but a breath.” In Job 17:1 we read "My spirit is broken, my days are extinguished, The grave is ready for me.” And in Job 17:11 we read, "My days are past, my plans are torn apart, Even the wishes of my heart.” Let me point out that all of this occurred during the severe trial period of Job's life and a reading of the final chapters of Job reveals a more rational Job.
This cry of despair concerning our “final days” is further illustrated in Psalms 39:4-5 where we read, "LORD, make me to know my end And what is the extent of my days; Let me know how transient I am. 5 "Behold, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my lifetime as nothing in Your sight; Surely every man at his best is a mere breath. Selah.” In Psalms 102:11 we read, “My days are like a lengthened shadow, And I wither away like grass.” This is the “natural” attitude about our final days on this earth.
However, for all of us who are the True Children of God – all of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord – We have “The Blessed Hope” that transcends this “natural” attitude of despair. We have the Promise of Eternal Life with God in Heaven. We have The Promise of a Perfect Life – in a Perfect Place, where there is Perfect Peace and Perfect Joy for all Eternity. Therefore, the Apostle Paul could say in Philippians 1:21-24, “To live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.” Paul knew what lay ahead of him – what was on the other side of physical death. He yearned to go on and be with Christ. He knew that there would be no suffering, no death or dying, no tears, and no pain associated with our “Eternal Life.”
This Promise that we have of “The Blessed Hope” is spoken of by the Apostle Paul in Titus 2:11-14 where we read, “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, 12 instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, 13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.” So many passages in The Bible give us the Promise of Eternal Life in that Perfect Place we call Heaven.
Not only will we live in a “PERFECT PLACE CALLED HEAVEN," we will live there (forever) as PERFECTED BEINGS. GOD is WORKING on each one of us as HIS CHILDREN TO MAKE US FINALLY PERFECT AS HE IS PERFECT. In 1 Corinthians 13:9-12 we read, “For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” (NASU) Further, in Philippians 2:13 we read, “for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (NASU) And finally, in Philippians 1:6 we read, “For I am confident of this very thing, that He (GOD) who began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” (NASU) GOD HIMSELF IS WORKING ON US TO PERFECT US – TO MAKE US JUST LIKE HIM! AND, HE WILL COMPLETE HIS WORK! GOD NEVER FAILS TO KEEP HIS PROMISES.
It is vitally important that we realize that we are "ETERNAL BEINGS." We will spend an ETERNITY (YES, “ETERNITY”) in one of two places. We will either EXIST in “ETERNAL DEATH” in hell or we will LIVE IN “ETERNAL LIFE” in Heaven. This is a choice that every living human being must make. We cannot sidestep this issue. We cannot avoid this vitally important decision. We must, we will, make this decision. God sends no one to hell. We make this choice! We individually choose where we will spend Eternity!
For all of us who choose Jesus Christ – who choose Eternal Life that is in Jesus Christ ALONE we have these “Blessed Hope” Promises. Therefore, we can face these final days of our physical existence here on this earth with a growing joyful expectation of where we are going and the Perfect Life that lies ahead of us. As the song states, FOR EVERY CHILD OF GOD, “Death Ain’t No Big Deal!” IT IS SIMPLY A “TRANSITION" FROM THIS PHYSICAL BODY INTO SOMETHING FAR BETTER – WITH GOD FOREVER! PRAISE GOD!!
Amen! Amen! Amen!
Pastor J. Gilbert Hammond