YOU ARE FREE TO CHOOSE LIFE

If we want to understand the Bible, the best place to begin is by reading the Bible.

The most important person in the Bible is God.

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1 (ESV) 

And God saw everything that he had made, 

• and behold, it was very good... Genesis 1:31 (ESV) 

God is perfectly and infinitely good and there is no evil in him. 

Because God is totally good, everything he made was good in itself and he will never do anything that is not completely good.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17 (ESV) 

However, when we look at our world and our own lives, we see a massive black hole. Where does all this evil come from?

The answer is in Genesis 1, 2 and 3. The answer is not expressed as a theological statement but in the form of a story. 

Then God said, 

"Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion ..... over all the earth ....

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Genesis 1:26-27 (NKJV) 

God created Adam and Eve in His own image, with His own perfect character, good in every way, not contaminated by evil. 

Adam and Eve were to be the representatives of God on earth.

• God was (and is) good. Adam and Eve were good.

• God was (and is)  the ruler of His creation. Adam and Eve were created and appointed to rule over the earth.

• God is eternal, without beginning or end. Adam and Eve were created immortal.    

Not only were they immortal but there was no such thing as sickness or death on the earth in the beginning. 
Nevertheless, God sees the end from the beginning. Before there was evil in the world, God spoke about evil.

And out of the ground the LORD God made to spring up every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. 

The tree of life was in the midst of the garden, 

• and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:9 (ESV) 

Before death came into being, God spoke about it.

And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 

• but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Genesis 2:16-17 (ESV) 

Why did God allow evil to enter His totally good creation.

• There is only one logical answer and it is not mysteriously hidden in the majestic counsels of a sovereign heavenly dictator (as God is sometimes portrayed by confused theologians). 

The logical answer is clearly implied in the creation story and it is so plain that a little child can understand it.

God gave Adam and Eve a choice.

• Either they would trust his word and obey him or they would eat the forbidden fruit and suffer death.

The reason for evil is that God values freedom so much, that he gave human beings the freedom to choose to love Him or to turn away from Him.

There is no conflict between Divine Sovereignty and human free will. 

Why?

Because God created humans in His own image and likeness. God is the ultimate decision maker, so He has also given us the power of free choice. 

• This is the sovereign decree of God Himself.

Creation is the result of His free choice to bring the heavens and the earth into being, together with all the angels and the human race.

When Adam and Eve chose evil, God chose to forgive them and to restore the entire fallen human race.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (ESV) 

But clearly not all are restored, only those who choose to believe and are willing to come back to their loving creator.