Thinking back on my choices prior to accepting Christ’s gift of salvation, for the most part, I truly knew what was right and what was wrong. Now, with Christ’s indwelling Spirit, I not only know what is right and what is wrong, but I have God’s power enabling me to do what is right. I’m referring to what is right according to God, since He alone is the true standard of right and wrong.
Having God’s power enabling me to do what is right does not always mean that I make the choice to do what is right.
This quote gives me pause to consider before making my choices:
“In all temptations let us consider not what he offers, but what we shall lose.” Richard Sibbes
That quote is a great statement for us to consider in making choices. When we choose to obey God, and follow what He asks of us, we are always blessed. The blessings are not always instantaneous, but God will be sure to bless us.
Disobedience to God always results in loss. We may not always recognize the loss at the time of our choice, but God will bring conviction through His Spirit so that we can confess our sinful choice, and be restored to complete fellowship with Him. The greatest loss we can experience is that of intimacy with our loving Heavenly Father.
Jesus gave His life so that we can have that intimacy. Without a personal relationship with Christ, there is no relationship with God. Our sin has broken that relationship, and it can only be restored when Jesus is our Lord and Savior.
One way we know that Jesus is truly our Lord and Savior is our response to our sinful choices. On this side of eternity we will sin, but God through Jesus has made it possible for us to have a living, active, intimate relationship with our Creator because He paid the penalty for all sin. Therefore, we need to confess our sin on a regular basis.
1 John 1:9 gives us God’s promise for restoration after we have confessed our sin:“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
When you and I made [make] that choice to sin, do we really believe we didn’t know better? Today people can be confused because so much sin is accepted by many in our society. But God has put within each of us a conscience.
Romans 2:12-16 states: “For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them [We do know what is right or wrong.] on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.”
Consider what King David confessed and prayed in Psalm 51:1-17:
“Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight; so you are right in your verdict and justified when you judge. Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.” [Consider this statement. David understood that he was never without sin. He grew to understand that God’s forgiveness for his sin was greater than we can comprehend.]
David continued to write: “Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb; you taught me wisdom in that secret place.” That is the NIV version. The Amplified Version states this verse this way: “Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part [of my heart] You will make me know wisdom.
David sought God for cleansing from his sin: “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity. Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.”[God’s Spirit did not permanently indwell people until after Jesus’ resurrection and ascension.]
What David looked forward to from God: “Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.”
What David would do with his restored relationship with God is stated next: “Then I will teach transgressors your ways, so that sinners will turn back to you. Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God, you who are God my Savior, and my tongue will sing of your righteousness. Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”
What can you learn from Psalm 51 that will help you make Godly choices, so that you can honor our great God and Savior, and be blessed beyond measure? How might you also be able to help someone else make a Godly choice instead of an ungodly decision?
Since we know what is right and wrong, why do we insist on choosing the wrong, harmful choices? What do we believe about the potential consequences of our wrong choices? Do we believe we can make ungodly choices without consequences? Do we think we can ask forgiveness later? Maybe we won’t have that opportunity and will have to live with the consequences of a hurtful decision for the rest of our earthly lives. We may experience God’s forgiveness, but we should also ask forgiveness of the person we sinned against.
Perhaps you are being faced now with the decision to accept or reject Christ. That is the ultimate decision we don’t want to get wrong. The consequences are profound. The consequence of rejected Christ is eternal life separated from God. We don’t even know what that will be like, because His presence is all around us, and in those who love Jesus.
God’s clear expectation for us to make choices that honor Him are plainly seen in the words of Scripture.
Are you struggling with a decision? Can I help? Please contact me at: ButGodCares@gmail.com.
Living for Jesus, Donna
P.S. If this has helped you, please share it with others!
Note: If the verses for Bible references do not appear when you hover over them, go directly to the website, and they should appear for you. Also, please remember to look at the full context of the verses by reading the complete passage.
Copyright 2025 Donna Shappy All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any other – without the prior permission of the author.