It’s a matter of choosing wisely

THAT MAN’S FUTURE is already determined beforehand and that there is nothing he or anyone else
can do about it is a nation that is widely-held yet opposed to the teaching of the Bible. He may not realize it but
man’s future is practically left by his Maker to his own choice. According to the Bible, God has given man the
choice between life and death, between blessings and curses – and the free will to choose between them.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 says: “Today I have given you the choice between life and death, between blessings and
curses. I call on heaven and earth to witness the choice you make. Oh, that you would choose life, that you and
your descendants might live! Choose to love the LORD your God and to obey him and commit yourself to him,
for he is your life…” (New Living Translation).
With the freedom to choose comes responsibility – responsibility for one’s decisions. So man has no one
blame but himself alone if eventually ends in misfortune. God wants only what is good for man. Indeed, though
He leaves it to man to select his future, He encourages him to choose life so that he may live. Man need not
consult with fortune-tellers to find out what the future holds for him. What he needs to do is to love God and
obey Him, and commit himself to Him, and if he commit to Him, and commit himself to Him, and if he chooses
to do these, he shall be blessed and he shall live.
But while God’s plan is for man to prosper and to give him hope and a bright future, the devil’s sinister
design is to undermine all these.
Adam and Eve were the first victims of the devil’s schemes. They were tempted into eating of the fruit
of the tree that God prohibited them from even touching and warned about the consequence if they would
disobey. It wasn’t because God’s prohibition was unclear to them – nor had they forgotten it. In fact, the woman
even repeated it correctly to the serpent. But the serpent that was used by the devil to deceive the couple
twisted God’s warning that those who would eat the forbidden fruit would die. “‘You won’t die’, the serpent
hissed. ‘ God knows that your eyes will be opened when you eat it. You will become just like God, knowing
everything, both good and evil’” (Gen. 3:4, Ibid.). The couple’s conviction proved too weak in the face of the
serpent’s temptation. They thought that a good future awaited them even if they would break the commandment
of God and they chose to trust the devil’s word rather than that of God. “When the woman saw that the fruit of
the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and
ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Gen. 3:6, New International
version).
When they were called upon to made the choice, the first man and woman made the wrong one. They
chose the seemingly desirable offer of the devil whose sole purpose was to ruin their future, instead of what was
being offered by God who was genuinely concerned for their future. They were made to suffer the disastrous
consequence of their sin. God decreed that they shall die. They were driven out of the Garden of Eden and were
deprived of the privilege to live with God because they did not value the commandments that were given to
them by God. Clearly, if there is one thing that God decreed beforehand which is certain to happen and cannot
be changed, it is that man should suffer the consequence of his wrong choice.
Christ was tempted by the devil too. In stark contrast to the choice made by the first man and woman
and its evil result, Christ’s right choice caused His exaltation. After He had fasted for forty days and forty nights
He became very hungry. In that predicament, the devil tried to tempt and deceive Him by offering Him what
many consider to be good fortune, like food and material wealth. But He said to satan: “It is written: ‘Man does
not live on bread alone , but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matt. 4:4, Ibid.) Christ made
the wise choice, fully believing that only God can direct and lead man to a good future and so, He remained
steadfast in obeying the teachings of God. “Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the
name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and
under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:9-11,
Ibid).
We too may find ourselves in the same situation as that of Adam and Eve and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
What must we do in order not to succumb to whatever temptation comes our way? In Ephesians 6:11, the
Apostle Paul exhorts us: “Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s
schemes” (ibid). We must fight the devil because he is bent on ruining our future and does not want us to be
saved.
 Just as in the past, people living in the Christian Era also given a choice between life and death: life if
one enters the narrow gate and destruction or death if he enters the wide gate. Therefore, man’s future depends
on the choice he will make. But even then, Christ taught what man should choose to enter – the narrow gate. For
wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate
and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it” (Matt. 7:13-14, Ibid).
Who is the narrow gate that leads to life? Christ says: “I am the door; anyone who comes into the fold
through me will be safe” (John 10:9, revised English Bible). The fold or the flock referred to wherein those who
enter Christ are gathered is the Church that was purchased or redeemed by His blood. This is the Church of
Christ, as it is written in Acts 20:28, Lamsa’s translation: “Take heed therefore to yourselves and to all the flock
over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, to feed the church of Christ which he has purchased
with his blood.”
Christ Himself assures the members of the Church that He built – and is called by His name – that not
even the power of death shall prevail against this Church (Matt. 16:18; Rom. 16:16). Thus, all those who have
joined the Church of Christ have made the wise choice that will lead to life.
Others who may still be weighing their options – perhaps thinking that salvation will come whatever or
not they do anything about it – still have the chance to choose wisely. They must heed Christ’s call to enter into
His fold or flock because this is the way that leads to life. And this is what both God, and the Lord Jesus Christ,
want to give to us.

--BIENVENIDO C. SANTIAGO
Editor-in-Chief