Transform the Word

How many times in life have we made a decision based on the concept of “free will”? How often have we justified our actions by saying, “I have free will, I can do what I want, and God will forgive me”? It is true that God forgives us when we repent of our mistakes, whether they are accidental or deliberate. But why do we so often misuse the idea of free will to live as we please, without regard for the consequences?

In Deuteronomy 30:15-19, Moses speaks plainly about what free will really is. He says:

“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees, and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”

Moses reminds us that free will is not a license to live recklessly. It is a choice—a daily, moment-by-moment decision—between two paths:

1. To follow God, walking in obedience and experiencing life and blessings.

2. To turn away from God, following sin and enduring death and destruction.

Our choices have consequences, both good and bad. The Bible does not teach that free will means we can do whatever we want and still expect forgiveness without repentance. That distorted view of free will leads only to separation from God.

When we accept Christ as Lord and Savior, we commit to living as He did. Yes, we will stumble and make mistakes, but God’s forgiveness is for those who humbly repent, not for those who continue in sin while excusing themselves with the idea of free will.

This choice—to follow God or to follow our own desires—is not just a one-time decision. It is a choice we must make every day, and often in the most difficult moments: when temptation comes, when sin looks appealing, or when obedience to God feels hard.

So, what choice will you make today? When faced with temptation, will you choose life by honoring God, or will you choose destruction by giving in to sin?

Remember, Deuteronomy 30:15 says:

“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction.”

Your choices matter. Choose wisely, because every choice has consequences.