Everyone wants the ability to choose in life and what is amazing about the Lord is that He gives the opportunity to choose and to make choices. In fact, our thoughts, our actions, our destiny and our life are determined by the choices we make. Our ability to make choices begins at a very early age. We begin to choose good or evil as a very young child. After a child is old enough to be weaned from his mother then he is old enough to choose between right and wrong.
He will eat curds and honey at the time He knows enough to refuse evil and choose good. Isaiah 7:15
The difficulty that we have is that we are born with a foolish heart and we are inclined to do what is wrong. We may want to do what is right but we will find ourselves doing wrong at times.
Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; Proverbs 22:15a
The Lord has made people to know Him and to live in His love. It is man who turns his back on God. It begins with a choice to do something wrong. It may be a “little lie” or something else we may consider “little” but the effect is the same in that it is wrong and our conscience has been defiled. At this point we can either admit the wrong or deny it and try to justify it.
For a fool speaks nonsense,
And his heart inclines toward wickedness:
To practice ungodliness and to speak error against the Lord, Isaiah 32:6
The foolish person denies the wrong and it inclines him toward doing it again. When he does this then he sets himself on a path that is not good and the outcome will not be good. Rather than refusing evil and choosing good, he has refused to do good and chosen what is bad. His thoughts and words are nonsense which means that they make no sense. They lead him down a path of practicing what is against the Lord and to justify himself even further he will say things about the Lord which are not true. He will not only go astray but will lead others astray. He will add more sin to his sin.
Listen to counsel and accept discipline, That you may be wise the rest of your days. Proverbs 19:20
A wise person is one who listens to the Words of God and accepts God’s correction. He will correct us through His Words as they speak to our conscience through His Holy Spirit. He forgives our sins and cleanses our conscience when we ask His forgiveness.
If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9
God’s correction leads to confession and confession leads to repentance and repentance is turning from our sin to God. When we repent and turn to Jesus Christ then we will receive the Holy Spirit.
Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 2:38
We receive the Holy Spirit when we are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. This is not a water baptism but a turning to the Lord with all of our heart and a turning away from sin. When a person turns to the Lord then He receives you and you receive Him, through His Holy Spirit. His Spirit comes to live within your heart.
Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you—not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, I Peter 3:21
The blood of Jesus Christ, which was shed on the cross, cleanses you from all of your sin and cleanses your conscience when you turn to and receive Him as your Lord and Savior.
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience… Hebrews 9:14
You become a “new person” and the “old person” is crucified with Christ.
I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. Galatians 2:20
What then is the choice that the Lord gives to us? He gives us the choice to choose the Lord Jesus Christ. We can freely choose Him now and follow Him. He does not force anyone to follow Him. Christianity is a love relationship with Jesus Christ where a person trusts Him because they have turned to Him with the result that they hear, know and experience His love. His love is perfect and He can be trusted completely.
choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15
Those who choose “not to choose” the Lord will also have an outcome of the choice they made.
…when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed… II Thessalonians 1:7-10
Instructions To A Young Life 