by Barbara Dobbelaire

Created on: May 08, 2009   Last Updated: May 11, 2009

Is Death a Choice or Fate?

If I understand the Bible correctly, I would say that death is a fate that we are all born into. "For the wages of sin is death," Romans 6:23. Because of the disobedience of Eve and then Adam, we are all sentenced to death. God's perfect plan was for us to be able to communicate with Him face to face at all times. But because of the fall of mankind we were sentenced to death.

The same verse that tells me that I am sentenced to death also gives me the escape clause, "but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." So God created me to be perfect but when that didn't happen, God had a back up plan in place.

Can you imagine being able to create a being that you only wanted to be able to love and to receive love from the being in a perfect relationship? Would you create that being knowing that it would reject you and break the one command that you gave it? Would you be willing to create that being knowing that you would have to sacrifice something very precious to you? Would you be willing to give up a child or a parent? We always think of God giving His Son, but Jesus had to be willing to sacrifice a relationship with His Father to save us. They both had to sacrifice.

I can only imagine the conversations they had before creation. Can you picture them weighing out the options? Lucifer had already defiled Heaven with his pride and had to be cast out. Now they were considering the "what ifs" of creation. What if we create this being and it turns it's back on us? What if it also becomes prideful like Lucifer? Do we want to put ourselves through that again? What will we do if the being makes wrong choices? Would One of Us actually be willing to die to save this created being? What would be the sacrifice required to redeem this humanity if they fall?

Back to the original question; choice or fate? I still hold that it is our fate to die for our sins. We make the choice to accept that fate given to us by Adam and Eve or to accept the sacrifice of God's perfect Son, Jesus, to cover our sins. Jesus only listed one condition to this eternal life instead of death and that is the confession of our sins and the receiving of His gift of grace. The command that He left His disciples with was, "if you love Me, keep my commandments and love others as I have loved you.

So what do you think? Do you want to accept the fate handed to you, or do you want to accept the gift so freely given to and made possible by the death of Jesus on the cross and His resurrection and ascension to heaven? Even the infamous "thief on the cross" realized that it was better to cry out to Jesusfor eternal life. Jesus' answer to him? "This day you will be with me in paradise."

Fate or choice what do you think?

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