Question:
Answer:
God did indeed create humanity with the power of free choice. Adam and Eve were created perfect, but with free choice, because God is love and they were created in His image. Love could never be forced, so God made them to either love Him by choice, or reject Him by the same choice. He gave them thousands of fruit and nut trees for food, and kept one out for Himself. This was where they would have to prove their love and loyalty to Him, or reject Him and rebel against Him. He told them what the penalty would be. If they obeyed Him, they would live forever, but if they chose to eat the fruit of the tree, they would die. Please note that He did not say, “If you eat the fruit, I’ll kill you!”. That is not a God of love! Instead, He said, “I am the One who created you, who breathed the breath of live into your nostrils. If you reject Me and turn away from me, the Lifegiver, you will certainly die.” Free choice would let them live forever, or would make them the devil’s slaves, and turn the perfect earth into this sinful world we know and live in. God could have created us all like robots, only able to do good, but how can you love a robot?
We know that God knows everything, so yes, He is already sure of which of us will accept the free gift of salvation, and which of us would reject Him and eternal life. But knowing does not mean interfering in our decisions. He gave us free will to choose, and He allows us total freedom, without His interference. As Jesus did, when He knew that Judas would betray Him, it did not make Him love Judas less. He still washed Judas’ feet, shortly before Judas betrayed Him.
And if you think that you can trick God, you must be crazy. God knows your thoughts, your motives, and every sin that you have ever committed. How do you trick Him? Remember, you yourself have the choice of eternal life or death. If you choose eternal life, and completely give your life to God, He will accept you and forgive every sin. But then He wants you to get to know Him in a close personal relationship, which means that you must spend time every day with Him, talking to Him (praying) and letting Him talk to you (reading His Word, the Bible). As you take time to talk and discuss, you will get closer and closer to God, getting to know Him intimately. And it is this knowledge, this personal relationship, that makes you ready for heaven. The closer you come to Jesus, the more you become like Him, and the more your involvement with sin disappears. You become a friend of Jesus, a son of God, and He welcomes you into His kingdom. Remember, you cannot change yourself, God does that, you only have to surrender to God, and He transforms your character to be like Him.
God bless!
