“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 thou and thy seed may live....” Deuteronomy 30:19, Read 15-20
This word of God does not teach that unbelievers are capable of choosing to believe or trust and follow after the LORD God. But it does teach us that those who have been called out of this world, enlightened and brought to faith in Christ Jesus are given the free will to choose between following after their Lord and Savior or turning back into sin and unbelief.
Like the children of Israel in the Old Testament who were redeemed from bondage in Egypt, baptized in the Red Sea, given God’s covenant at Mt. Sinai and led through the wilderness to the land of promise, so we have been redeemed from our bondage to sin by Christ, baptized into His name, instructed in the new covenant of God’s grace in Christ and led safely thus far through the wilderness of this world. And Moses’ sermon - the blessings and the cursings in Deuteronomy 27 to 30 - apply to us as well.
If we turn aside from the LORD God who has so graciously redeemed us and made us His own, if we choose to turn back into sin and pursue other gods of our own making, we will bring upon ourselves God’s curses - His judgments and punishments.
If we, on the other hand, by the grace and mercy of God, continue to hold fast to Christ Jesus and to follow after the Lord, we will receive God’s blessings and life everlasting.
This is what the Apostle Paul also teaches in Romans 6. After expounding on the fact that we are saved by God’s grace and through faith, he writes, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (v. 1-2). He goes on to write, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servant ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (v. 16). If we choose to yield ourselves to sin, it leads to death. If we follow after the Lord Jesus and are obedient to His Word, it leads to righteousness and blessing. He summarizes it all by saying, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (v. 23).
Christ Jesus is our life and the length of our days. He has redeemed us and gives us life everlasting for the sake of His innocent sufferings and death in our stead. Hold fast to Him!
Follow after Him! Continue in His Word and walk in His ways.
Apart from Him is cursing and death. In Him is forgiveness and life everlasting!
O Jesus, Son of God and our Savior, graciously keep us in the true and saving faith unto life everlasting. Let us ever hold fast to You. Amen.
[Scripture from the King James Version of the Bible. Devotion by Randy Moll.]
For the Record, Pages 8 on 09/08/2010