It Is Decision That Determines Destiny

[TheMinister]

It Is Decision That Determines Destiny
by: Dr. Adrian Rogers

"... I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey His voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto Him: for He is thy life, and the length of thy days... ." Deuteronomy 30:19b-20a

The text above is an episode in the history of Israel. What would happen to you if you were in the same valley of decision between these two mountains? Let me help by giving you some principles of choice.

First, you are free to choose. Every day, God gives us the freedom to make choices about what we think is going to be good, or even best for us.

Second, you're not free not to choose. To decide not to choose is a choice. Am I making any sense? Let me make it very clear – to decide not to choose good is always a choice to choose evil. Jesus said, "He that is not with Me is against Me; and he that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad" (Matthew 12:30). If you do not crown Jesus, you crucify Him. There is no middle ground.

Here's the third principle – you're not free to choose the consequences of your choice. Let me illustrate.

Stand beside an open window on the tenth floor of a building. You're free to jump. Now, that's a foolish thing to do, but if nobody is there to restrain you, you can choose to do so. Stay in the room or jump out. Now, if you decide to jump, then you must be ready to face the consequences of that choice.

The fourth principle is you are free to choose, but you're not free to achieve. Now, what do I mean by that? Well, suppose I chose to achieve as a professional basketball player. Well, you look at my frame and you say to yourself, "How can he even hope of achieving success?" And you're probably right.

You see, I can make all the choices I want. I can even have all the hopes and dreams I want. But, I have to be realistic to see that I might not achieve success simply because I have chosen to do something.

Now, the fifth choice principle – a big choice will take care of a lot of little ones. Let me give you another illustration of this.

I am a man who has made up his mind that I am going to be loyal to my wife. You see, I don't have to worry when I check into a hotel whether to watch pornography or not. I don't have to be concerned whether I am going to flirt with another woman.

I don't have to keep making that decision to be loyal to my wife. I've made that decision and that one big decision takes care of a lot of the other little decisions.

Sixth, God has already chosen you, that you might choose Him. That's why we're called His elect. "We love him, because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19). Had God not first chosen us, we would never have the inclination to choose Him. Thank God for His sovereignty!

And lastly, the day of choice is passing away. Don't think that you have forever to make up your mind whether you're going to be a follower of Jesus Christ or not. Make your eternal salvation secure today.

CHOOSE JESUS BECAUSE ...

You can know immediate joy. Why wait to have joy when you can have it right now? I'd be a Christian if there were no heaven or hell for the joy that I have today in Christ.
You may die tonight. These may be the last words you ever read about salvation in Jesus Christ. After you die, there are no second chances to get saved. Choose life.
Jesus Christ is coming back. Matthew 24:24 says, "Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh." If you don't think He's coming, then that is a fulfillment of this verse because He's coming when you least expect Him.
Each time you decide against Him, you harden your heart. Hebrews 3:7-8 says, "Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts." A person becomes proficient at anything he does for a long time. You can become a professional Christ-denier.

Monday, April 23, 2001

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[Nonson]

Preacherman,

Obviously, you failed to reflect upon this little piece of hogwash. The quote from Duet 30:19b-20a is, in reality, a telling to the ancient Israelites that they are permitted to practice witchcraft and sorcery. You are beginning to give me a great deal of concern.


-Nonson-

[TheMinister]

Isolated from the more intrusive zealots who thrive in the calamity of their self-fashioned sightlessness, it is fresh to find one Nonson, whom I have long suspected of harboring one or two loose marbles, making a good point that is again; worthy of exchange. In defense of Dr. Rogers' article, it seems to me that he is commenting on the freedom to choose against God, a freedom that seems to be a valid option - one God allotted to you and me. Is a discussion in five point Calvinism in order here sir? What troubles the Nonson?

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Is it my fish?

http://www.lwf.org

[Nonson]

Preacherman,

Many statements in Dr. Rodger's article distrubs me; being too numerous to go into. Maybe at another time we can get into the obvious scriptural distortions of which he is guilty.

It might be a good idea for you to address the Five Points of Calvinism to this article to see what a rational synthesis is yielded. In my opinion, it wont be a thing with either appeal or allurement.


-Nonson-

[TheMinister]

Are you from the Barth or Bultmann camp???

[Nonson]

Preacherman,

Have not looked at either of them in years. Was not impressed by them then, and that likely has not changed. It is my humble opinion, not supported by critical evidence, that neither of their minds were properly positioned in Christianity to make their efforts of much value. This is, of course, a harsh judgment by me of two people who are of near heroic proportions among some Christians.



-Nonson-

[TheMinister]

Indeed! Neither of their minds were properly positioned in Christianity to make their efforts of much value!

Dr.Rogers?