Choice Issue.

Today, in the morning I was trying to make a cup of hot tea and stopped for a moment because too many different kinds of tea bags were in front of me. Making a choice is hard, but today I want to talk about how people join the church. Because too many say, "It was my choice". Was it really our choice when we joined the church?

The scariest thing is to keep a fixed concept, or dogmatic thinking. Such a person cannot change, cannot develop, meaning she is "dead". Usually concepts originate based on knowledge or life experience. Some believers, including Christians become stuck in their concepts. For example, concerning choice. In America people tend to associate choice and freedom. "Freedom to Choose", "Freedom of Choice". Many say: “God gave freedom to Adam and Eve”, meaning He gave them the choice to eat or not eat the Fruit.

We encounter the Lord and join the church not because we are good people. It's a gift. God prepared many things, our spiritual parent did his part, and of course don't forget about our ancestors whose good deeds resulted in our nature of goodness. On this foundation, we could hear and accept the message. It's contagious. Therefore, finally it was God Who showed us the way. It wasn't our choice. Moreover, our responsibility is to accept and follow God.

In a similar way, God didn't give a choice to Adam and Eve. When Satan started to tempt our first ancestors, God gave His commandment to protect them. Following that commandment was their responsibility. However, because they didn't follow it they died. Choice appeared when Satan came in. However, this choice is not the same with the choice of a tea bag, or when in “Subway” we choose bread, cheese, meat, veggies, and sauce.

We have creativity and we can choose how to fulfill our God-given responsibility. We can find the method and, like Frankie said, do it our way. Real freedom starts when we accept our responsibility, and then comes choice. Because we want to choose the best way to fulfill it.

If we will continue to think, that we chose ourselves whether to join the church or not, our children who were born in this faith can face with a big issue when they grow up. They would say, you made your choice, but I didn't even have one. They can turn against the church. Therefore, finally if we don't change our mindset, God will lose a precious young generation.

Yuriy Solomakha.

The articles are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent this Program’s official position.