Mankind, from the beginning of his existence on the earth, has had the responsibility that comes with the opportunity to choose the way he would live his life. It seems that, for the most part, mankind has made the wrong choice!
Eve, when confronted by the serpent, Satan the devil (who originally was the cherub Lucifer), to take of the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or to continue to remain obedient to God and His way of life, made the wrong choice. Adam followed the example of his wife (Genesis 3). Until this wrong decision was made, no sin existed in the earth on the part of mankind. But with their decision, a whole new approach to life on the earth came into existence for man.
That wrong decision made by Adam and Eve led to a world of violence. In Genesis, chapter 6, verse 5, God reveals that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually.” God came to regret that He had created mankind, and actually made the decision to destroy man from the earth (verses 6-7).
But, we are told that one man had made the choice not to follow the direction of those around him, and thus, found grace in the eyes of the LORD (verse 8). This man, Noah, “…was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God” (verse 9). Because of the choice made by this one man, God decided that He would allow life to continue on the earth for mankind, starting over with this one righteous man and his family (plus, of course, the animals brought onto the ark).
Because of the right choices of Abraham, God chose Israel as the nation He would work through to continue to carry His Way on the earth, insofar as the literal obedience to His Law was concerned. In Deuteronomy 30, after the LORD had delivered Israel from the hands of the Egyptians and had revealed to them once again His righteous and perfect Law, He said to them, in verse 15: “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 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….”
He told them in verse 19, “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 descendents may live….”
God tells us He does not change (Malachi 3:6). His directive to mankind is the same, today, as it was then! All people of the world make choices, every day, whether they will live righteously or not. But there is one critical difference. While the world continues to go its evil way, God has called a group of people to Himself; a people called by His name; to come out from the evil ways of the world, and to live their lives based upon His laws, His statutes, and His judgments!
Each of us being called to this way of life, make choices every day. Will we obey God or not? Will we walk in His Way or not? Will we attempt to worship Him in a false way, by following ideologies or doctrines He did not give us, thus effectively worshipping false gods? Will we bow down to gods made with human hands, wooden or stone images? Will we dishonor God by being irreverent to His name? Will we faithfully keep and properly observe His Sabbath and His Holy Days?
Will we kill another human being, for instance in war, or even murder him in our thoughts through the sin of hatred? Will we allow lust and the evil of adultery to consume us? Will we steal that which belongs to others, including our brethren, or steal that which is rightfully belonging to God in our failure to give to Him the tithes and offerings He requires? Will we lie or bear false witness against our neighbor or God? Will we covet that which does not belong to us, thus sinning against our God?
The world finds itself today once again in the throes of evil, continually. But God has His eyes on those in the earth called by His Name! Judgment is now on the house of God! And with every decision we come to; with every choice we make; God is taking notice! He is ready and able to help in times of need (Psalm 34: 15, 16-20, 22). Will we do what is right in reference to Him, in reference to our mates and our children, and in reference to our neighbor? Each time we break a law of God, it is the result of a wrong choice we have made!
Noah was righteous before God, as were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. David was a man after God’s own heart. Jesus Christ walked upon the earth in the flesh and lived a perfect life. Each of these men had to make choices every day. God was pleased overall with the choices they made, and of course, in the case of Christ, He was always pleased.
God has called you and me at this time; He has given us His Spirit and His Law; and He has said to us: “Choose life!” What choices will you make, today? Will God be pleased? Judgment is now — on the house of God!
