Choices Have Consequences
Galatians 6:7
“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap,”
We Reap What We Sow (Galatians 6:7)
One of the landmines in the battlefield destroying Christians is the lie that choices have no consequences. Consequences may not always be immediate, but it will eventually catch up with us. Whatever we sow, we reap. We are free to choose our actions but we are not free to choose the consequences of our decisions. Parents should teach their children that sooner or later everyone pays the price for his or her own doing. Children have to learn this principle for their own protection. We do not know exactly where the landmines are, but Jesus will help navigate life to avoid the mines in the minefield. We should stay close to Jesus for we need His guidance.
Do Not Be Deceived (Galatians 6:8)
All of us have appetites which are not necessarily wrong (sex, money, etc.). Nonetheless, appetites can be so distorted by sin. If that is all that we find ourselves doing and we let our lives be governed by it, the Bible says we are going to reap corruption. The word ‘corruption’ does not mean sudden destruction; the word carries the idea of inner decay. It takes time; slowly but surely we are destroying ourselves and our souls. This is the danger of making wrong choices. Our choices may not have immediate impact. But every time we make a wrong choice, we are surrendering our inner self, and we get wrongly shaped by it.
On the contrary, the Bible says that if we sow to the Spirit and listen to the Spirit of God, from the Spirit we will reap eternal life.
Those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. However, if we are led by the flesh, we are not of God and cannot please Him. If we truly belong to Jesus, then we should be following Him. We cannot say we are Christians if we are not following Christ. The Bible is very clear: we are saved by grace but comes with that grace is the Holy Spirit evidently bearing fruit in our life.
We make multiple choices every day. Whatever we choose to do will surely have an impact on us. Each of us, at each moment, is progressing from one state to another. In the long run, the choices we constantly make shape who are becoming. If we constantly choose to follow Christ, we will also be growing into being more like Him.
We should not also be deceived that God’s forgiveness necessarily cancels the consequences of our choices. It is true that when we come to God, we can be forgiven, but the consequences of our sins may remain.
“We make multiple choices every day. Whatever we choose to do will surely have an impact on us. .”
Esau & Jacob (Genesis 25–26)
The story of twin brothers Esau and Jacob teaches us that choices have consequences.
When Esau was famished from hunting in the field, exhausted and starving to death, he traded to Jacob his birthright and his future for a cheap bowl of soup. As a consequence of Esau’s choice for instant gratification, he completely lost his birthright, the blessing of his father and the privilege to be identified with the God of his fathers who the Bible describes to be “the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob” (Matthew 22:32). He also lost his place to be in the genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1:1–2). It could have been him instead of Jacob, but he lost his place as a consequence of disregarding his birthright. When he desperately wanted to get his birthright back, he was rejected finding no place for repentance (Hebrews 12:16–17).
Jacob on the other hand also made wrong choices when he was younger. He deceived his father by wearing a furry coat and pretended to be Esau in order to receive his father’s blessings. Later on, Jacob would find himself being deceived as well. Laban deceitfully gave Leah to be his wife instead of Rachel. Jacob was also deceived by his older sons. They made him believed that his son Joseph was killed by a wild animal. They presented to him blood-stained the multicolored coat he made for Joseph. But unlike Esau, Jacob realized that all he needed in life was God. Later in Jacob’s life, he wrestled with God and never let go until He got His blessing.
Life Is About Choices
Life is about choices. Not making a choice is still a choice. What we sow, we reap. Similarly, what we do not sow, we also do not reap. In making choices, we either reap blessing or a curse. By not making wise and godly choices, we will not know the blessings God had in store for us. Our decisions should always please God.
If you are about to make a choice today, learn from Esau and Jacob. If you already made wrong choices, it is never too late to turn to Jesus today and avoid further landmines that can destroy you. Like Jacob, choose to follow Jesus with a repentant heart, and let Him restore you with a new identity in Him.
If you are already making wise and godly choices, do not get weary, the blessings will happen in time (Galatians 6:9). Keep on sowing the good things of God by following Him and doing what He wants you to do. You should not give-up and instead keep on trusting Him.