- OH boy, here we go.
- This ties in to "what is love"? Many have expressed their dismay at "how could God have allowed...(fill in the blank)"? The answer is simple. Because he loves us. Huh? The ultimate way for someone to show love is to allow freedom for the person to 'choose' to love back. Any time that love is mandated, manipulated or demanded it is not love. God loves us so much that he allows us to make our own choices. Even if those choices harm us (0r others), kill us or send ourselves to eternal damnation. It is "our" choice. He never demands us to love him, obey him, follow him or for that matter anything. He has set in place a way for us to receive ALL of his gifts that he has. All of them, each one of us. And he is clear on how to receive those gifts, whether it is the gift of life, salvation, the redemption from sin or an eternal life in his presence. He has given us a guild book to do this. We have to 'choice' to do or not do. If we do, than all of his gifts are poured down upon us. If we don't than we get the 'gifts' of our own choosing.
- But what about Saul? (Later to be renamed Paul) that was one of the most prolific Christian writers in the new testament? God literally knocked him off his "ass" on his journey. He clearly spoke to him, condemed him and told him clearly what to do. Whouldn't that be great if that is the way God spoke to us when we are not walking in his footsteps! It didn't seem like there was a lot of faith involved in Sauls rebirth, most of us probably would have done the same thing. Our christian experience involves much more of a "faith based" experience. But ultimately he was given a choice. At any time he could have turned his back on God, esp. when the going got tough, beatings, torture, imprisonment etc, but he chose God.
- God wants us to choose Him. He knows what is best for us. He desperately wants us to follow in His footsteps. But he allows us to choose...ever single one of our poor choices are ours. It's not someone elses fault, it is/was ours. Do some of us have a harder road to follow? Do some of us have more obsticles to overcome, whether from abuse, abandonment, lack of love, money, family etc? Abosoultely. But we still have the choice to follow God or not. That is the one thing that makes us all the same. Jesus stands at the door and knocks, who so ever answers that knock he will let him in. He will NOT reach through the door and pull you in kicking and screaming. It's up to each one of us. By faith.
- So does Jesus want us to choose "life"? It certainly seems so. All life. In the womb, Capital punishment or on the battle field. It seems clear to me that in all circumstances that we are to choose "life". But what about the "morning after" pill? What about really, really bad crimes? What about when they have all the oil? Well, I guess that is where "choice" comes in doesn't it! And God allows US to choose, right or wrong. He never, ever mandates any of our choices. They are ours, to our ultimate demise or redemption!!! Make the right choice, but if you don't, than what you have is truely yours!
Jardin
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