MOSES' CHOICE

George Jones, the popular country singer, has recorded a song about living with the choices we make. It seems to me that every person in the world should know that all human beings make choices. Some of our choices are not of eternal consequence. For example, we make choices about what and where we shall eat, the color and style of our clothing, the make and model of the car we drive and whether we shall live in the country or in the city. These choices may in some way affect our earthly well being, but I know of no one who thinks these choices influence our eternal welfare. There are many choices in this life that affect our happiness and effectiveness and that determine our eternal destiny. Is that not what Paul had in mind when he asked the Roman Christians: "Do you not know that to whom you yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants you are to whom you obey: whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that you were the servants of sin. But you have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine that was delivered (unto) you. Being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness" (Rom. 6:16-18).

I have some questions based on this reading from Romans 6. Was the obedience of the Romans their decision or was their obedience ordained from the foundation of the world? Could they have chosen to reject the gospel plan of salvation? If the Romans did not consciously choose Christ and the gospel, why was Paul thankful for their obedience? The reason I ask these questions is to pinpoint the truth that all of us make choices either good or bad—that affect our lives both temporally and eternally.

As the ancient Israelites were making preparation to leave the wilderness and enter the promised land, the Lord informed them: "See, I have set before you this day life and good, and death and evil; in that I command you this day to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments, and his statutes and his judgments, that you may live and multiply: and the Lord your God shall bless you in the land whither you go to possess it. But if your heart shall turn away, so that you will not hear, but shall be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I declare unto you this day, that you shall surely perish, and that you shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither you pass over Jordan to go to possess it." Now please listen carefully. "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both you and your seed may live: that you may love the Lord your God, and that you may obey his voice, and that you may cleave to him: for he is your life, and the length of your days: that you may dwell in the land that the Lord swore unto your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them" (Dt. 30:15-20). How can anyone read these words and maintain that we have no choice about our lives?

That men have the freedom to choose cannot be disputed if one really accepts the fullness of God's revelation. To maintain, as radical Calvinists do, that men do not have free will makes absolutely no sense. But do radical Calvinists really teach that? Dave Hunt and James White conducted a written debate on Calvinism. Their debate was published under the title, Debating Calvinism: Five Points, Two Views (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2004). James White affirms: "The truth is that the Bible speaks much of free will—God's free will, not man's" (p. 36). Dave Hunt quotes these words from Edwin Palmer, a well-known radical Calvinist: "By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels are...foreordained to everlasting death...to the praise of his everlasting justice." Dave Hunt asks: "Where is God's love in this scheme" (p. 257)?

Hebrews 11 provides a long list of heroes of the faith—Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham and Moses. The inspired writer says concerning Moses: "By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of pharaoh's daughter; choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompense of reward. By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. Through faith he kept the Passover, and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them" (Heb. 11:23-28). The words of this passage show conclusively that Moses had the free will to choose. He "refused to be called the son of pharaoh's daughter"; he chose "rather to suffer affliction with the people of God"; he esteemed "the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt"; he "forsook Egypt”; and "he endured" and "kept the Passover." Did he have a choice in these matters or were his actions ordained before the foundation of the world?

The Old Testament furnishes many examples of men and women who made choices—some good and some not so good. I shall give you one example of each. During the sixth century B. C. the children of Israel were in Babylonian exile. The prophet Daniel had risen to power and honor in the Babylonian government. Some the Babylonians were jealous of Daniel's prominence. Those men knew they could find no fault with Daniel except in his religious beliefs and practices (Dan. 6:5). They persuaded king Darius to "establish a decree, and sign the writing" that no one could make a petition to any God or man for thirty days, except to king Darius. If anyone violated that decree, he would be cast into a den of lions (Dan. 6:7-9). They knew Daniel could not honor the king's decree. "Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he knelt upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did before." The Babylonians spied on Daniel and reported his behavior to the king (Dan. 6:10-23). You know the rest of the story. God almighty delivered Daniel from the lion's den. King Darius cast Daniel's accusers in the lion's den (Dan. 6:24). Did Daniel choose to disobey king Darius's decree or was it ordained before the foundation of the world? If Daniel did not choose to defy the king's decree and remain faithful to his God, does he deserve praise for his conduct?

King Saul, Israel's first king, had all the qualities to become one of Israel's greatest kings. But he was jealous, violent and unscrupulous. God instructed him to take the Israelite army and utterly destroy the Amalekites. Incidentally, there was no ambiguity in God's instructions to Saul. "Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and spare not; but slay both man and woman, infant and suckling, ox and sheep, camel and donkey" (1 Sam. 15:3). King Saul chose to ignore the Lord's instructions. "He took Agag the king of the Amalekites alive, and utterly destroyed all the people with the edge of the sword. And Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fallings, and of the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them: but everything that was vile and refuse (or "despised and worthless"—ESV), that they utterly destroyed" (1 Sam. 15:8-9). Samuel told Saul: "Because you have rejected the word of the Lord, he has also rejected you from being king" (1 Sam. 15:23). Did God reject Saul because Saul had made a bad choice or was it because God had predestined Saul's behavior? If God had predetermined Saul's conduct, it is not honorable or just to condemn his rebellion.

Almost from the time we come into the world until our departure into eternity we constantly makes choices. As we reach the age of maturity, we have to decide if we are going to college after our high school graduation or if we are going into the workforce or if we are going to loaf for a living. We also have to decide whether we shall marry or remain single. Once we have decided to marry, we choose the kind of person we want for a mate. In addition to these decisions, we must decide if we shall use illegal drugs, become a drinker and engage in sexual immorality. You have no doubt heard the expression, "Decisions, decisions, decisions." When we pretend we will not make decisions, we have just made one. There is absolutely no way avoid making decisions.

I am not arguing that all our choices are completely free from influences in our lives. Many of our choices are influenced by our parents, by our schoolteachers, by our peers, including brothers and sisters, by what we watch on television, by what we hear on the radio and by what we read in books and magazines. I have absolutely no doubt that I became an English teacher because I had great high school and college English teachers. I am sure my parents and other members of the body of Christ where I grew to manhood had an impact on my obeying the gospel and becoming a gospel preacher. We cannot avoid being influenced by others. But are all of our choices predetermined—either by our immediate associates or by the economic system under which we live or by God's sovereignty? If they are all predetermined, we cannot be held accountable for our behavior.

If you have carefully read the scriptures, you know that faithful teachers and preachers formulated arguments to convince their hearers to accept the gospel of Christ. John 5 provides one of the most impressive examples of that truth to be found in the New Testament. Jesus Christ told some Jews: "My Father works until now, and I work" (John 5:17). The Jews knew that Christ was claiming to be equal with the Father. They prepared to stone him because he claimed equality with God. I cannot outline all the arguments Jesus used in trying to convince the Jews that he was indeed equal with the Father. Please listen to these arguments. "For the Father raises up the dead, and quickens them; even so the Son quickens whom he will. For the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father" (John 5:21-23). Christ tells of the testimony of John the Baptist. He then affirms: "But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works that the Father has given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father has sent me. And the Father himself, who has sent me, has borne witness of me. You have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And your have not his word abiding in you: for whom he has sent, him you do not believe" (John 5:36-38).

Why did Matthew, Mark, Luke and John go to all the trouble to record the great miracles Jesus performed? Were those spectacular miracles designed just to impress the readers or were they recorded to aid men in making a decision to commit their lives to Jesus Christ? In the following familiar words, the apostle John tells us why the New Testament reports the miracles of Christ. "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, that are not written in this book: but these are written, that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name" (John 20:30-31).

All serious students of the word know the extended argument Paul used in the Roman letter. He uses eleven chapters to establish this theme: "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes; to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For therein (that is, in the gospel of Christ) is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written. The just shall live by faith" (Rom. 1:16-17). Paul was teaching, in effect, if men and women are going to choose the gospel over the law of Moses, they need to make an informed choice. Romans, Galatians and Hebrews furnish all the information we need to commit ourselves to the gospel—not to the law of Moses.

Have you ever noticed how many times the book of Acts speaks of persuading people? I have time to give you just a few examples. "Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas: who, speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God" (Acts 13:43). The apostle Paul "reasoned in the synagogue (at Corinth) every Sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and Greeks" (Acts 18:4). While Paul was at Ephesus, "he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God" (Acts 19:8). While Paul was in a Roman prison, many people came to his lodging. To those people, the apostle "expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning until evening" (Acts 28:23). I have one question regarding these passages on persuading. If the people who heard Paul were already predestined to go to heaven, of what value was Paul's persuasion?

Many of the choices I have mentioned today are of great significance. For example, choosing to become an English teacher has opened many doors for me to serve God and my fellowmen. Without that English background, I probably would not have had the honor and privilege of being the speaker on the International Gospel Hour. But no choice we make can compare with our choice to serve our Lord and Savior. Jesus did not use the word "choice" in the passage I am about to read to you, but you cannot miss his meaning. "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall loose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul" (Mt. 16:24-26)? Is not Jesus saying, "If you choose to follow me, you will receive eternal life, but if you choose to reject my gospel, you will be lost forever?"

I have shown from the gospel of John that men have a solid basis for believing in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. Jesus said to some of his fellow Jews: "If you believe not that I am he, you shall die in your sins" (John 8:24). There is no reason under heaven why anyone would choose to ignore what Christ has done for us and the great promises he has made to all who believe in him and obey his word. Paul explained: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that you through his poverty might be rich" (2 Cor. 8:9).

On one of his missionary journeys, the apostle Paul visited the city of Athens, Greece—the most intellectual city in the world. He was privileged to speak to some of the Grecian philosophers. Paul's sermon to the Greeks is a masterpiece of reasoning and persuasion. He appealed to the creation as evidence of the existence of a living God. "God who made the world and all things therein, seeing he is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; neither is he worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he gives to all life, and breath, and all things." He quoted some of the Greek philosophers to show that God is a living being. At the conclusion of his great speech, Paul provided the ultimate reason for his sermon. "And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commands all men everywhere to repent: because he has appointed a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he has ordained; whereof he has given assurance unto all men, in that he has raised him from the dead" (Acts 17:24-25, 30-31).

Earlier in this lesson I mentioned Paul's preaching in the synagogue at Corinth. He persuaded both Jews and Greeks that Jesus was the Christ. "Then Crispus the chief ruler of the synagogue believed on the Lord with all his house; and many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized" (Acts 18:4, 8). The Corinthians made the right choice: to believe on Jesus Christ and to be baptized for the remission of their sins.

I conclude our lesson today with three verses from Paul's second letter to the Corinthians. "For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens....For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that everyone may receive the things done in his body, according to that he has done, whether it be good or bad. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men" (2 Cor. 5:1, 10-11).

Winford Claiborne

The International Gospel Hour

P.O. Box 118

Fayetteville, TN 37334

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