Love Demands Choice

“And just as Moses elevated the snake in the uninhabited region, in like manner is it necessary in the nature of the case for the Son of Man to be lifted up, in order that everyone who places his trust in Him may be having life eternal.”
John 3:14-15 (Wuest - The New Testament: An Expanded Translation)
 
The people sin, and God provides. This is the theme and story throughout history.

Many wonder why God allows sin. Why doesn't God create people who obey Him? Does the fact that man can sin show that God is not capable of creating a perfect world?

This thinking is absurd. God could create robotic individuals who always obey, making all humanity's choices meaningless. He could make it so that everyone does right all the time. However, if He removed the idea of real choice, He also eliminates purpose, praise, and accomplishment.
 
Love demands choice, a real choice, which means that mankind experiences real consequences. If there were no consequences, all of our choices would be meaningless.
 
Jesus recalled, for Nicodemus, a historical moment that Nicodemus well understood. The people in the desert made poor choices that yielded undesirable consequences. The consequences were devastating apart from God's intervention, and God did intervene. If the people wanted healing, all they needed to do is look at the snake.
 
Nicodemus needed to realize his sin, his consequence, and God's provision for him. Then, he needed to look to the one hoisted on the "pole" to experience healing. It's the only way then and today.






Dave Wager https://nightime.podbean.com/ https://davewager.podbean.com/ https://youngerolder.podbean.com/

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