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Do Men Have a Choice? - Part 2
Do Men Have a Choice? - Part 2 By Derek Long
Here are some more passages demonstrating man has the ability to make a choice:
Psalm 119:30 - “I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me.” The Psalmist says he chose the way of truth. Was the Psalmist incorrect in saying such? If man cannot choose, then the Psalmist was wrong.
Psalm 119:173 - “Let Your hand become my help, for I have chosen Your precepts.” The Psalmist speaks of having chosen God’s precepts. Is it possible for a person to choose to follow God’s precepts? Some would say “no,” but the Psalmist said it is.
Proverbs 1:29 - “Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord.” Wisdom is personified as speaking here. Wisdom says some people did not choose the fear of the Lord. If some people are correct, the people really did not have a choice as to whether to fear God or not!
Proverbs 3:31 - “Do not envy the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.” Why does the Bible tell people not to choose the ways of the oppressor if men are incapable of making a choice?
Proverbs 16:16 - “How much better to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver.” The proverb encourages us to choose understanding more than silver. Yet if a person cannot make a choice, the passage is encouraging something which cannot be done.
Proverbs 22:1 - “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, loving favor rather than silver and gold.” One should value a good name more than riches according to this passage. Yet if everything about one’s life has been predetermined, how could a person choose to have a good name instead of great riches? Isaiah 1:29 - “For they shall be ashamed of the terebinth trees which you have desired; and you shall be embarrassed because of the gardens which you have chosen.” Here God is telling His people how they will be ashamed of choosing things like gardens where they practiced idolatry. Yet God would be inaccurate in saying “which you have chosen,” if the people did not really have a choice in the matter.
Isaiah 7:15-16 - “Curds and honey He shall eat, that He may know to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the Child shall know to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land that you dread will be forsaken by both her kings.” Isaiah speaks of an individual reaching a point where he can refuse evil and choose good.
Isaiah 40:20 - “Whoever is too impoverished for such a contribution chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks for himself a skillful workman to prepare a carved image that will not totter.” God describes the person engaged in idolatry who is too poor for something made out of gold or silver as choosing a tree. Was God mistaken when he says the man “chooses a tree”?
Isaiah 41:24 - “Indeed you are nothing, and your work is nothing; he who chooses you is an abomination.” A challenge is being issued to the idols but they are unable to perform. The end of verse 24 speaks of the individual who chooses an idol as an abomination. Does a person actually choose idolatry? According to Isaiah 41:24, a person does choose to practice idolatry.
Isaiah 56:4 - “For thus says the Lord: ‘To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant.’” God speaks about eunuchs being able to choose what pleases Him. Was God correct in saying eunuchs would have the opportunity to choose what pleases Him?
Isaiah 65:12; 66:3-4 - “Therefore I will number you for the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter; because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not hear, but did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight ... He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; he who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog’s neck; he who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine’s blood; he who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delights in their abominations, so will I choose their delusions, and bring their fears on them; because, when I called, no one answered, when I spoke they did not hear; but they did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight.” God spoke about His efforts to call upon some who instead of heeding His call did not answer and instead chose their own ways and what God did not delight in. Did God say something wrong when He
spoke of those who “have chosen their own ways” and “chose that in which I do not delight”? Some would have to say, “Yes”!
Luke 10:42 - “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” Jesus spoke of Mary choosing the good part. Was Jesus wrong? If mankind is created without the ability to choose what is good, then Jesus should not have said “Mary has chosen that good part.”
Luke 14:7 - “So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them.” Jesus took notice of people at a gathering choosing the best places. If people cannot make a choice because God has already chosen everything, then the text says Jesus noted something which actually was not taking place!
Acts 6:5 - “And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch.” Here we find the church choosing certain men to serve the tables of the widows. If the multitude did not chose, then the text is inaccurate!
Acts 15:40 - “But Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God.” The Bible records Paul making a choice and deciding to bring Silas along with him on the second journey. Clearly, men are able to make choices.
2 Corinthians 8:19 - “And not only that, but who was also chosen by the churches to travel with us with this gift, which is administered by us to the glory of the Lord Himself and to show your ready mind.” Paul is telling the Corinthians about a brother who was selected to be a part of the group who would bring the collection to the needy saints in Jerusalem. He speaks of him as one who was chosen by the churches. If men cannot make any choices though, how is this individual chosen by the churches?
Hebrews 11:25 - “Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin.” The Hebrew writer tells us Moses by faith chose to suffer affliction rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin. Apparently God’s word teaches Moses made a choice between serving God or sinning. A choice some would say a person does not get to make.
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