Chapter 2 - THE RIGHT TO CHOOSE

God first created two people. They were Adam and Eve. He
created Adam and Eve in His own image. All men since Adam and Eve are also in the spiritual image of God. Being in the image of God at least means that man is a spiritual being and has the right to make choices. We are beings that can make choices concerningour behavior. Having the right to make choices means that we must be held accountable for our choices. In other words, we will be held accountable in final judgment for the choices we make on this earth.

The Bible says, “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or
bad” (2 Co 5:10).

In order for Adam and Eve to be in a situation or environment that would allow choices to be made, God created this present environment. This is a world that allows choices to be made. God also made natural laws in order to sustain order in this natural environment. This world, therefore, is the best of all possible environments for the dwelling of individuals who have freedom to make choices of either good or evil.

God gave moral laws to us in order to govern our activity or
relationships with one another in an environment where choices must be made. One of these moral laws for Adam and Eve was that they not eat of one special tree in the Garden of Eden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gn 2:16,17). 

Contrary to God's laws, however, both Adam and Eve broke God's law and ate of the fruit of this tree (Gn 3:1-8). By eating of this tree they transgressed (sinned against) the law of God. As a result, sin entered into the world because they were the first people to sin. With their sin came also their separation from God, and thus, spiritual death (Rm 5:12).

Adam personally suffered spiritual death because he personally sinned by eating of the forbidden fruit.

SCRIPTURE READING: Gn 2,3

SCRIPTURE RESEARCH: Choose: Dt 4:32; 30:19; Ja 24:15; Pv 1:29; Is 7:15,16; 56:9; 1 Tm 2:13,14; Act 2:40; 3:19; Hb 11:25; Law: Ps 19:7-11; 119:77,97;1 Tm 1:9; Js 1:25; 2:8, Judgment: Mt 25; Jn 5:22; 12:48; At 17:30,31; Rm 2:8,16; Hb 9:27; 10:27; 2 Pt 3:7, Sin: Rm 14:23; Js 4:17; 1 Jn 3:4