Control and Choices

Making Choices

“To choose or not to choose” – That is the choice. How many decisions does a person make each day consciously and unconsciously? Wake or snooze? Oatmeal or cereal? Hat or no hat? Bus or car? Cranky or smiley? Pay bills or wait? Aaarrghgh! So many decisions are processed. In the grand scheme of things, most decisions are relatively simple; however, there are big hairy decisions that are always lurking. From the beginning it has been this way. How long did Adam and Eve go before they ate the fruit? What went through their minds before the decision was made? Did they ever talk about it before it happened?

You are in Control of your choices

You are in control of your choices.

Consider these four questions regarding choice making: First, what is the purpose of choices? Second, how does satisfaction relate to choices? Third, what is the relationship between control and choices? Finally, how should a person prepare for choices?

What is the Purpose of Choices?
Many people wonder why they were created. Two key scriptures sum up man’s purpose well. Ecclesiastes 11:13 establishes man is to revere God and keep His commandments. Ephesians 2:10 establishes man was created to do good works. These two verses work together to give man direction in his life. Still, this does not clarify the purpose of choice. When an individual does not have choice, they are slaves. They might as well be robots. However, God did not want this for man. God loves man dearly (John 3:16). God gave men choices so they might ultimately glorify Him. This is the first purpose of choice. Many would argue God has failed miserably when the vast amount of evil in the world is seen. Consider though, the blessing of the freedom God has given man to choose evil. In choosing evil, man demonstrates the superiority of walking in Godliness (I Peter 2:15). A person loving God chooses to be His bond servant. That is, they voluntarily choose to obey His will knowing it will result in far greater benefit than sinfulness (Isaiah 55:6-9). The concept is like understanding how white something truly is when it has a dark spot on it.

In addition to the freedom of choice ultimately glorifying God, it also enables man to mature. Without choices how would man develop knowledge? Certainly, man can make choices which are holy and pure and grow in Christ. However, if man chooses to do unwise things, he will gain knowledge there as well. If a child puts his hand in the fire, he will be burned. Wisely, he learns not to repeat his action. Sadly, many an adult chooses to engage poor decision after poor decision expecting a different result. To meet the objective of a life of doing well in God’s eyes, God has given the Bible (2 Timothy 2:16-17, Ephesians 4:14-16). This enables man to mature properly. God encourages man to awake to this growth (I Corinthians 15:34). However, the choice is not forced upon man. Glorification of God’s wisdom and the maturity of man is what God desires from man’s choices.

How Does Satisfaction Relate to Choices?
Not many years ago, families had phones which did not travel with them. The phones were attached to the wall. People were grateful to have the phones there. Again, not long ago, many families were able to receive one maybe two channels on their television sets. The pictures were sometimes fuzzy and the stations would stop broadcasting around midnight. Again, there was gratefulness. Today, phones can go practically anywhere and there is no sharing of a phone signal with multiple families. Televisions are an inch thick and get 1000 channels. They broadcast 24 hours a day. It would make sense if satisfaction were at 100% with the modern devices. Yet, this is not the case. Increased choices have not resulted in increased satisfaction.

Choices abound today! From breakfast cereal to laptop, dress material to hair color, and fast food to automobile, there is a never ending variety of decisions to be made. Yet, so many decisions have resulted in increased agony. How many couples drive an hour stressed about what restaurant they should stop at to eat? I know men who have stood shell shocked in the pasta aisle not being sure what noodle they should buy. Children watch television and see the next best toy they should own. They can’t be happy until they get it. Stop and think about how happy they were playing with Tupperware lids in the kitchen before they discovered they had choices? Making a decision is much less stressful when there are few choices. The more variables, size, scent, color, texture, attachments, accessories, etc. the more time consuming and fretful the decision becomes (Ecclesiastes 12:7-8).

How many choices do individuals make with good stewardship in mind? There are millions of practically new and unused items sold at garage sales and given to thrift stores each year because the “must have” turned out to be the “don’t need”. There are two consequences to all decisions: dissatisfaction and contentment. Certainly, all choices have a cost. To choose one item, you give up another. The man who chooses to go worship Sunday morning may miss a round of golf, a football game, or a chance to sleep in. When he chooses tacos for dinner, he misses out on pizza. Perhaps this is why buffets are so popular. So every possible choice can be made. Yet, at the end of the meal, bloated and woogie, dissatisfaction is often experienced. The challenge before man is to find contentment. When the proper choices are made, contentment can reign (I Timothy 6:6). Always prepared, God has given man a path to choose which will lead to contentment in all things. Is there food and clothing? Let there be contentment (I Timothy 6:8). Whatever a man’s position is in life, if he is with God, let him be content (Philippians 4:11). God will not fail those whose eyes are on Him and not the possessions of the world (Hebrews 13:5).

What is the Relationship between Control and Choices?
How many people are backseat drivers? There is a desire for control! What about arm chair quarterbacks? The individual believes if they were in control for a moment things would have turned out differently. Every young person looks forward to the day they will have more control. Senior folks often do not look forward to the time when they must relinquish control. There are three distinct phases to consider when examining control and choices. These phases are 1) obtaining control, 2) maintaining control, and 3) handing over control.

Obtaining control starts with youth. Toddlers will let you know this. “My toys, my game, my rules” has been an oft repeated refrain. Each individual believes they can make better decisions than someone else. However, oftentimes the desire is simply for the freedom to try something on one’s own regardless of consequence. Who wants to follow the recipe? Bah! Let’s throw in more garlic! Control is often associated with power. If you have power, it is assumed you will get reward and pleasure above those without power or be able to clearly display your decision making prowess. Thus, there is frequent struggle to gain control in many areas of life. Even in marriages there are battles over “who wears the pants in the family.” Every individual is given control over certain aspects of their life by God. He has given people complete control over their decisions regarding salvation (Philippians 2:12). Yes, God has established His Will in regard to the scope of control for man, but he does not stop man from choosing his own way (Ephesians 6:1, I Corinthians 11:3).

Maintaining control over choices is something with which many struggle. Once they have obtained the freedom to make choices, the fear is it will be taken away. Someone may sneak the television remote away at a time of distraction. Mom or dad may take the keys to the car. The boss may transfer an individual to another position. The government may force its citizens to buy health insurance. These are all classic concerns that come with maintaining control of choices. The biggest factor in maintaining control over choices is the individual’s own behaviors. Violating family rules results in removal of privileges. Politicians ignoring the voters get voted out or impeached. Trying crystal meth causes one to become a slave to a substance and give up control (2 Timothy 4:5). When man submits to false teachings, he cannot maintain control (Galatians 2:2-5). A Christian must maintain self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Therefore, Christians must be careful by whom and what they are influenced because the pull of the world will bring about the loss of freedom (Galatians 5:1).

To have control, the Christian must hand over control. This is the paradox of control. It is like the Chinese finger trap. You must give up the struggle to find release. Many a senior reaches a point where they can no longer care for themselves and their possessions properly. Yet, a great many refuse to give up control to those who could help. Consequently, their surroundings fall into disrepair, their health fails, and they find themselves in a state of enslavement to weakness built on the decision to not release control. If the same seniors released a little control to those who could aid them, a larger portion of personal control would be retained and for much longer. The man of faith controls which master he serves (Joshua 24:15). He can choose to serve God or his own lusts in the form of sin (Romans 6:16-18). Being a slave of righteousness results in having more control and for eternity, but such control cannot be gained until the choice to hand over control is first made(Romans 2:6-8).

How should a person prepare for choices?
Can a man prepare for the choices ahead of him? Certainly he can. Successful diet choices are much easier when healthy food is stocked and available. The Red Cross is successful in providing blood to others because it chooses to gather donations before disaster occurs. The ant prepares for the hard winter, by making the choice to work when the weather is better (Proverbs 6:6-8). Is a man worried about how he will care for himself when he is old? He can prepare by putting aside a savings. He can prepare by living simply. He can prepare by surrounding himself with those who will aid him when the time comes.

Educating oneself to make proper decisions is important. If a person needs a vehicle, he should research the type of vehicles which will meet his needs. Choosing a college, but have a budget? Research inexpensive colleges! Searching for a woman or man to marry? Research! Educate yourself. Ask questions, talk to people, and consider where you need to look to find the mate for whom you are looking. Concerned about eternity? Educate yourself on what choices need to be made. “Seek and ye shall find!” (Matthew 7:7) The Bible has the answers you need for life and Godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Why would an individual not prepare for the choices ahead of him? (Luke 14:28)

When choices present themselves, prioritize them. The Christian has a mandate to put God first in his life (Matthew 4:10, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 22:37). If a man has the choice to pay his cable bill or pay his rent, he would wisely choose the thing of greater value… YES! THE RENT! Likewise, in prioritizing life choices, God comes before self. Self dies to serve the Lord (Galatians 2:20). A list of prioritization enables one to order their life. It makes the path clearer and sets chaotic stress aside. God is not a God of confusion, nor should a man’s life be one of confusion (I Corinthians 14:33). The passage of I Corinthians 14 discusses the assembly of worship before God. It declares things should be done “properly and in orderly manner”. If this is the proper mode of function for the Lord’s body, why should the life of man be directed in any other way?

Summation of Choice
Making choices is something every coherent individual must engage in. Choices await man from the simple to the grand. Knowing the purpose of choices enables the making of choices which lead to satisfaction. Control over choices is a desired state, but the proper balance must be met, knowing when to maintain control of choices and when to hand control over. If the individual educates and prioritizes his choices according to the principle of “God first”, he will find himself far better prepared to handle choices when they come. The first and wisest choice a person can make is to humble himself before God and clothe himself in Christ (Galatians 3:26-29).

Psalms 25:12 – What man is he that feareth Jehovah? Him shall he instruct in the way that he shall choose.

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It’s The Name!

Is There Anything to a Name?

National columnist Marilyn vos Savant has a claim-to-fame from a worldly prospective that is quite impressive—the Guinness Book of World Records listed her for five years as having the highest IQ. Yet, she has also an interesting quirk—she refused to take the surname of her father and decided to take the surname of her mother. In responding to such years ago, she commented,

name

Is a Name that Important?

Men have long had the psychologi­cal advantage of unbroken identities. By contrast, women usually change their surnames when they get married. This practice deals a subtle—yet tre­mendous—blow to their sense of self. And even when women do keep their names, they seldom pass them on to their daughters. So the female heritage disappears. When enough women keep their surnames throughout life and pass them on to their daughters for life, we will witness an improvement in the stature and independence of women the likes of which has not been seen since women got the vote. [PARADE Maga­zine, March 25, 2007]

By reading such, one can see the not-so-subtle un­dertones of an equality of women that contradicts the role God prescribed for them. In Genesis 5:2, we find concerning God with Adam and Eve: “Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created.” I believe that this shows the bride should take the name of the groom, and I do not feel that this is demeaning to the self-esteem of women, but portrays a submissive virtue that should characterize all wives to their husbands.

Nevertheless, this hinges on the greater subject of the above title—is there anything to a name? Paul evidently thought so (1 Cor. 1:13-15). If there is nothing to a name, then why can we not take the name of Paul or any name of any other man? If there is nothing in a name, then why could we not become baptized in the name of Paul? However, Paul argues against such.

For this reason, we should identify ourselves as the church that bears the name of the one who built it (Matt. 16:18). For this reason, we should identify ourselves as the ones who belong to our Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 11:26; 26:28; 1 Pet. 4:16). In other words, people of God are to call themselves by His name (cf. 2 Chron. 7:14), “…for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

Consider the following:

– I know that we should use method in the work of our Lord, but I am not a Methodist.

– I know that we should have bishops (Greek word episcopos) or elders (Greek word presbuteros) to oversee the work of the church, but I am neither an Episcopalian nor a Presbyterian.

– I know that each congregation is independent, but I am not a Congregationalist.

– I know that immersion constitutes the act of bap­tism, but I am not a Baptist.

–  I know that God has called us to be holy, but I am not a Holiness.

– I know that Christ will come again (Advent), but I am not an Adventist.

– I know that the church is universal (Latin, catho­lic), but I am not a Catholic.

– Therefore, I prefer to stick closely to the word of God and identify myself simply as a Christian.

Even the recognized and talented Baptist preacher, Charles Spurgeon, stated in a sermon of his (May 27, 1855), “I say of the Baptist name, let it perish, but let Christ’s name last forever. I look forward with pleasure, to the day when there will not be a Baptist living… I hope the Baptist name will soon perish, but let Christ’s name endure forever.” Is there anything to a name? I believe that there is!

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What is my Purpose?

Who Am I and Why Am I Here?

Johnny was just an ordinary fellow with ordinary dreams.  His high school years were not especially memorable; most of his friends easily forgot about him after graduation (or at least it seemed that way). He thought about going to college and doing something with his life, but he had no real ambition. He was just going through the motions and he knew it.  More and more he felt like a mental drifter; and while he didn’t like the way it felt, he didn’t know what to do about it.  He even began to wonder if anyone would really notice if he took his own life.  Oh, he wasn’t necessarily serious, but the thought did cross his mind occasionally.  Again and again he would ask the man in the mirror, “Who am I?  Why am I here?” – but the answer never came.

purpose

What is my purpose?

Sadly, there are a lot of people out there like Johnny.  Perhaps you know of such a person. Perhaps you are such a person.  If so, let me tell you that you are never going to find the answer by looking to yourself.  The only One with all the answers to life is God (2 Pet. 1:3).  He’s the One you need to ask, and His answers are only found in His word.

“Who Am I?”  You are God’s creation, that’s who you are (Gen. 2:7).  Furthermore, you are God’s greatest creation (Ps. 8:3-8).  Why, friend, He even made you in His image (Gen. 1:26-27).  You are “somebody” to God!

“Why Am I Here?”  You are here because God delights in your existence (cf. Gen. 1:31).  That’s right.  He didn’t create man for nothing.  He wanted someone to have a Father-child relationship with (cf. 2 Cor. 6:16-18), someone who would serve and worship Him from a pure heart (Eccl. 12:13; Jn. 4:23- 24).  You see, my friend, you have a purpose!

Our heavenly Father is a doting father, and there are some wonderful things He wants for you.  For example, He wants you to have a joyful existence (Eccl. 5:18-20): but that will never be satisfied if you don’t put Him first in your life (Matt. 6:33).  He also wants you to be free from the bondage of sin (Rom. 6: 1-23); this is why Jesus died: but that will not happen if you do not repent and obey (Acts 2:38).  Yet if you will do that, and remain in faithful obedience until the end of your days, you will be with the Lord forever (Heb. 5:9; Rev. 2:10; 21:1-7).  Now, friend, that’s something worth living for!

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Born Again

Born Again

The text for our lesson is found in John 3:1-8

born again

You must be Born Again!

“There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, “Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher come from God; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (NKJV)

Jesus tells a Pharisee named Nicodemus that he must be born again.  Nicodemus is confused at this saying because this is something very new to those living under the law of Moses at that time in history.  Nicodemus knows that Jesus came from God because of the miracles He had been performing.  When Nicodemus heard Jesus say that he had to be born again, he naturally thought Jesus was talking about a physical rebirth which is impossible.  So he asks Jesus about that in verse 4 and then in verse 5 Jesus explains to him that the rebirth is not a physical one, but a spiritual one. One’s first birth is of the flesh, but the rebirth that Jesus is teaching about is of the spirit.   He compares this spiritual rebirth to the wind blowing.  It’s something that cannot be seen but it is real.

And we see in verse 5 that this spiritual rebirth is also associated with water.  In speaking about this rebirth, Jesus says it must be of water and spirit before one can enter the kingdom of God.  One’s first birth is a birth of the flesh.  But the rebirth Jesus is teaching is of water and spirit.  So we know from this text that the rebirth of water and spirit is a necessary condition for entrance into the kingdom of God.

Jesus used the term “born again” in this lesson.  This idea of being born again is found in elsewhere in scripture using different terms.  In Titus 3:4-7, Paul wrote, “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, 5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Paul used the words “washing of regeneration”.  One who has been regenerated has been generated again.  Born again and generated again.  Both of these are terms which signify a new beginning.  That’s what it means to be spiritually born again, or regenerated.  We have a new beginning.   And in order to understand how this new beginning takes place, we need to take notice of the reference to “washing of regeneration”.   Washing is done with water.  The connection between washing and the rebirth of water and of the spirit cannot be ignored.   Water and washing are a part of the rebirth, regeneration, new beginning process.  And Jesus said that unless one is reborn he or she cannot enter the kingdom of God.

What about this washing?  How does one wash oneself?   In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Paul spoke of being washed when he wrote.  “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10 nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. ”  (NIV).

These Christians in Corinth were engaging in all kinds of sinful behavior but they were washed.  They had a new beginning.  So how were they washed?   We are given the answer to that in Acts 22:16, when Paul was setting out in his new beginning.  He had been persecuting Christians and was on his way to Damascus to find more of them and put them in prison when Jesus appeared to him and let him know that he was wrong to oppose Christianity.  Paul had been blinded during this and he was staying in Damascus when a Christian named Ananias came to him and told him how to wash his sins away, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord”.   Paul had a new beginning.  His former life was over and from that point in his life he was one of the most dedicated Christians that ever lived on earth.  “Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins…“.   The Christians in Corinth had been washed and they stopped doing those things that would keep them out of the kingdom of God.

There is a connection between washing, the new beginning, water and baptism.  In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he explained this in detail.

Romans 6:1-4, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (NKJV)

Those who have been baptized are buried with Jesus into death. And when they are taken up out of the water of baptism, they are raised to walk in newness of life. This newness of life is the new beginning. The rebirth. This resurrection from the watery grave of baptism is the point at which one is born again. This is how one is born of the water and of the Spirit as Jesus explained to Nicodemus. It is not a physical rebirth. It is a spiritual rebirth where one’s sins are washed away and then they go on from there to walk a new life with a new beginning.

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Repentance by God?

“God is not a man . . . that He Should Repent” (Numbers 23:19)

When Israel was entering the east side of the Jordan River, King Balak solicited a prophet of God, Balaam, to utter a curse upon them.  In response to this request, God told Balaam to speak these words, “God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Hath he said, and will he not do it? Or hath he spoken, and will he not make it good?” (Numbers 23:19).  God had already promised to bless Israel, and God does not go back on His promises as do men.  We conclude that there is a fundamental difference between God and man.  God’s nature is constant, enduring, and true.  Man’s nature, on the other hand, is fickle, mutable, and changing.

The fact of man’s mutable nature can be both good and bad.  It is bad because man is born into the world morally pure, and any change away from that state corrupts man and brings him into sin, a state in which he is separated from God (Isaiah 59:1-2).  It is good because man need not remain in such a state.  He may change his life by repenting of his sin and living for God.  God, however, is not like this; God does not change moral states, and this is a good thing.  A god who changes his moral state every so often would never be reliable, and would always leave one wondering what actions are morally praiseworthy or blameworthy.  Only an immutable God can provide the foundation for truth and right behavior whereby man can know what actions are always morally right and wrong.

This means that any change that needs to occur in one’s relationship to God must be change that occurs on man’s side of the equation.  So how does one know what one needs to change within his life?  God has provided a standard of behavior for man whereby man may take advantage of God’s unchanging nature, and align his life with God’s immutable character.  Moreover, God has revealed that standard through the life of His Son, Jesus the Christ (John 1:18).  This standard tells us who God is so that we may make the changes in our life that are necessary for restoration with God.  The Bible, God’s word, records God’s standard for all men to read and know.  Like God, the life of His Son Jesus and the standard of behavior that he represents are immutable.  “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today yea and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 ASV).

Songwriter Michael W Smith expressed these same sentiments when he wrote, “Ancient words ever true, / Changing me and changing you. / We have come with open hearts. / Oh let the ancient words impart.”  It is not God who must change; it is us, and we must permit His word to change our lives by observing His word faithfully (Deuteronomy 6:3).  This is what repentance truly means; repentance is not momentary regret (2 Corinthians 7:9-10).  Repentance is a change of mind that effects an ongoing transformation of life (Romans 12:2).  It is a life-long process of learning our sins and weaknesses, putting them to death, and allowing God and His word only to guide us along the way (Romans 8:13, Colossians 3:5, 16).

For an individual who has lived a life of sin, repentance is that point at which he initially turns from His sins and makes a commitment to following Christ.  This issue of the Christian Worker will look at various aspects of repentance as it relates to eternal salvation.  Second Peter 3:9 declares that God is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  God’s immutable nature enables us to transform our lives to His purposes.  This is the change that we need to effect in our lives.  In relationship to a loving and immutable God, may we ever seek to practice repentance.

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