Choices

“Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living.”

Romans 6:16 NLT

 

From the beginning, man has always faced choices. Unfortunately, He exercised his first major choice unto death. The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was man’s primal choice, which had tremendous cataclysmic effects on his walk and fellowship with God. In simple terms, man fell.

 

The effect of the fall altered man to the extent that he became a far-cry from what God intended. His Spirit was cut off from God. His soul, being devoid of the safety of God’s government and truth, exercised itself further unto reprobacy. His body, at the mercy of the heavy changes in his spirit and soul, followed suit. Slowly, the effects of previous fellowship with the glory of God waned over time, till he settled fully into darkness. Ichabod.

 

This is the death that Adam died. God’s warning was clear. 

 

“In dying, ye shall surely die“

 

Since then, man’s propensity to exercise his will away from God has grown. This is the effect of the fall. Man died; Spirit, soul and body. So, his ability to choose God daily was impaired, because intrinsically, the law of sin and death held him captive. Even when he wills to do good, he would fall short of God’s glory.

 

“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.”

Romans 7:15 NLT

 

However, upon redemption, man’s intrinsically faulty operating system was replaced with a different law;

 

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”

Romans 8:2 KJV

 

God has installed the agency of Grace inside the man that He has saved. It is now possible to will to do good and do it, consistently. The difference between a man pre-redemption and post-redemption is that he has now been specially engineered by God to meet up to God’s will and standards. Pre-redemption, all he could do was wish. Post-redemption, he can now live the life the word of God demands him to live, by the agency of the Spirit of Grace.

 

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:10 NKJV

 

The Lord of Salvation, has sent us the Holy Spirit who animates that which we have received in reality. He ushers us into truth. He works in us.

 

“for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

Philippians 2:13 NKJV

 

However, this does not take away man’s daily choice to either serve God in his body or not. 

 

God has brought man back to that position where he can choose willfully, rather than merely reap the consequences of Adam’s transgression. He must now choose to walk in the Light with Jesus, that He might be saved to the uttermost(not just in nature but in actions). For faith without works is truly dead.

 

He must renew the mind of death he inherited from Adam, and fill himself with the knowledge of Christ. And guess what? He must make that choice how frequently? Daily.

 

“And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

Romans 12:2 NKJV

 

He must choose to give himself to the instruction of the Word for his transformation to be complete, and for his profiting to appear. And he must do so daily.

 

The goal is not just to do good. But to always do good. And the ‘good’ we speak of, is what is pleasing to God at all times. The saved man, who has God working on his desires, will become obsessed with re-educating himself unto righteousness, even as he is righteous.

 

See the operation of the Word in us;

 

“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

II Timothy 3:16-17 NKJV

 

It means even though we are recreated for the purpose of good works, without feeding consistently on the word, it would appear as if we were not redeemed, even though we are.

 

Know this, that whilst the Bible informs us emphatically of the full work of redemption, it does not absolve us of our role post-redemption. We still have a choice to stay diligent in study, in prayer, in good works.

 

There are myriads of scriptures that emphasize man’s role in his transformation, on the premise that he solely rests on the grace of God at work in him, that is. Hence, why there are instructions everywhere on the moral conduct for the believer.

 

The language and tone of the apostolic instructions give a heavy impression that you were designed/engineered to do all they(by the Spirit) instructed. In other words, it is within you to live like Christ did.

 

Unlike the days of the Law, where you were told to do things even in the weakness/frailty of your flesh and could sparsely carry them out, let alone consistently, you are now endowed with abundant grace.

 

The force of the Law could be likened to telling a crippled man to stand up or face the consequences. Telling a goat to fly, or a stone to swim. Man could not keep all of it! And it was given to bring them to the point where they knew they needed a savior.

 

“Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith.”

Galatians 3:24 NLT

 

The Law kept your conscience alive to know the danger of sin. It was diagnostic, not curative. Grace saves, the Law ripens your consciousness to the sin you live in, to the end that you may reach to the Lord to be saved.

 

“Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law.”

Romans 3:27-28 NKJV

 

“Therefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. Has then what is good become death to me? Certainly not! But sin, that it might appear sin, was producing death in me through what is good, so that sin through the commandment might become exceedingly sinful.”

Romans 7:12-13 NKJV

 

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Ephesians 2:8-9 NKJV

 

Now, see Paul’s remark;

 

“What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would not have known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.””

Romans 7:7 NKJV

 

The Law was meant to produce broken hearts and contrite spirits. However, in the hardness of their hearts, they often clung to their self-worth and pride rather than constantly living on God’s mercy and never entered His rest.

 

But now, post-redemption, you can do all God has commanded by the effective working of grace in you. You have been made righteous, so you will walk in righteousness. You have been made holy, so you will walk in holiness. You will exercise yourself unto Godliness, because God is at work in you.

 

Hence,

 

It will be lazy and ludicrous to ‘wait’ for transformation without applying yourself diligently to the principles set down for transformation in the word of God.

 

Growth is never accidental. If someone became proficient in something, there is track record of consistency, diligence and patience behind it. And it will require you to make a choice daily. Choose to grow in God.

 

Even though you are not working for your salvation, know that you must work out your salvation, because it was graciously worked into you. Your desires ought to be directed towards showing the world the possibilities that lie in the salvation and redemption you have received. The power of the cross must be seen in your life. You are a living epistle of God to the unsaved. A living message and a messenger. That is your cross. That is your calling. That is your responsibility.

 

God has given you Light, therefore you must shine﫵. Yes, you!

 

Finally, know that the more you exercise yourself unto Godliness, the more likely you will be consistent in doing so. You can become a slave to righteousness. 

 

“But it’s hard to stay consistent…”

 

The Bible recognizes that. See:

 

“I speak in human terms because of the weakness of your flesh. For just as you presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves of righteousness for holiness.”

Romans 6:19 NKJV

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

Romans 12:1 NKJV

 

There is a continuous “presenting” that must be done daily, that reflects your choice to follow Jesus. God will bring the fire, but you must present yourself consistently as the sacrifice. If you do not, you will sparsely see the good works He created you to do.

 

In doing, you will continue to do. Such is the law of consistency. Start, push through the flesh, remain consistent. Utilize the grace at work in your members. Remember, if God asks it of you, you can give it.

 

Choose to follow Jesus everyday. And in that choice, should you fall short, do not worry.

 

“My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.”

I John 2:1 NKJV

 

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”

I John 1:7 NKJV

 

The Lord will keep us. Amen🙏🏾❤️

I hope this blessed you. Please share and leave a comment❤️

Till next time!😁