Choices

Walking through the grocery store it is amazing to see all of the selections available for purchase. Who would have thought a hundred years ago that an entire side of one aisle would be dedicated to potato chips? What really amazed me is the number of options of sport drinks. Kiwi-Strawberry, Lemon-Lime, Orange-Strawberry, Fruit Punch-Berry. I have heard there are 40 some flavors from which to choose. What is next? Peppermint-Avocado, or Sirloin-Pumpkin? There are drinks for before a work out, during a workout, after a workout. Sugar free and not. Seems like we cannot just be happy with one choice.

We are like that as well when it comes to religion. Some of us just can’t commit to one certain kind. “I am a Buddhist, but really like the teachings of Christ.” “I am a deist, but embrace humanism.” “I think there are a lot of ways to get to heaven, I am just going to follow my own course.” “I think we are all God, but I practice basic Christ-like principles.”  Some may say, “I am a good person, I think God should just let me into heaven.” The theological term for combining religions is called “syncretism.” It is a buffet type of selection where an individual chooses various elements of many religions hoping to create his or her own way to heaven.

The Bible doesn’t give us the option of a deity smorgasbord. In fact there is only one choice if we desire to make it to heaven. Christ declares in John 14:6, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” That means we can’t choose a little bit of Buddha, a little Hindu and a portion of Pantheism (everything is God). There is just one way to come into the presence of God Almighty, and that is through the redeeming blood of Christ.

Some may say, “It sounds like God is a manipulator on a power trip to force us to come to him only through Christ.” I would answer that God is pretty cool just to let us come to Him at all, by any means, through any way. We certainly don’t deserve anything at all. Henry Ford said, “You could have any color Model A you wanted, as long as it was black.” Did we call him a power–tripper? No, we were just glad he offered us something that was so great.

Our free-market economy has spawned so many options that we feel we are entitled to have multiple choices of everything. We feel we have the right to demand our own way. We can do that at fast food restaurants, so why can’t we do that with how we see God and eternity? Well, the simple answer is that God is the King. It is God’s plan of redemption, his rules. How would a judge respond if you were to go into his courtroom and resist the law by which he abides? What if you were to say, “No, I am not going to jail. I am going to decree myself innocent?” You get the point, we wouldn’t do that in a court of law and we can’t do that before the God of the universe.

God’s universe. God’s standards. God’s plan. One Choice – Jesus Christ.

Choose wisely.