<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/christianitymalaysia.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/FREE-WILL.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
At conversion, the believer becomes a new creation<\/strong>. His \u2018spirit man\u2019 becomes new. His mind has to be progressively renewed. His body wastes away and will only become brand new at the rapture. What about his will\u2014the ability to choose between right and wrong<\/strong>?<\/span><\/p>\n Sometimes we think that, as a result of the new birth, every part of our lives becomes brand new.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Corinthians 5:17<\/strong>).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n While it is true that we have died to our old self and now we have new goals, values, worldview and lifestyle, we still retain the privilege of exercising our free will. In other words, our will remains neutral<\/strong> after conversion.<\/span><\/p>\n And we can still fall into sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:8-9<\/strong>).<\/span><\/p>\n The ability to choose<\/strong> is God\u2019s precious and gracious gift to us. Even after we have become believers, we can choose between pleasing self or God. We can choose between good and evil.<\/span><\/p>\n Freedom of choice is something that remains with us even after <\/em>we have become believers. God does not turn us into robots or automatons.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n From the very beginning in the Garden of Eden, the privilege of volition<\/strong> (free will<\/strong>) has always been with man. Adam and Eve sinned because they chose to listen to the voice of satan who deceived them into thinking that they \u201cwill not die\u201d but will \u201cbe like God\u201d if they took the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3:4-5<\/strong>).<\/span><\/p>\n Isn\u2019t it clear throughout the Bible that God grants man the privilege of free will<\/strong>?<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n When tempted, we can either take the path of least resistance or resist evil. Adam was attracted by the forbidden fruit and fell because he took the easy path. However, the last Adam (Christ), through prayer, resisted the temptation of putting His own comfort above God\u2019s will. He chose the excruciating death on the cross for our sins.<\/span><\/p>\n A word of caution, directed especially to youths. When we are young, we have lots of energy. We can make many varied choices in life. We can make good or bad moral choices. We can mix with the right or wrong crowd. We can go to the places which build your character or to sleazy joints. Yes, we have to make sure that we choose well.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth. Walk in the ways of your heart and the sight of your eyes. But know that for all these things God will bring you into judgment.\u00a0<\/span>(Ecclesiastes 11:9<\/strong>)<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n I am not implying at all that we can stay strong spiritually by sheer will power<\/strong>. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak. We need to watch and pray<\/strong> that we may not enter into temptation (Matthew 26:41<\/strong>). In fact, we need the power of the Holy Spirit<\/strong> to resist temptation.<\/span><\/p>\n The book of Proverbs repeatedly warns against sexual promiscuity. It offers fatherly advice to men to resist the enticement of the wayward woman lest they suffer loss both in this world and the world to come. They are to run away<\/strong> from the scene of temptation; to linger on, trying to resist temptation, would be futile (Proverbs 5: 1-12<\/strong>). Choosing to run away would be the best course of action to take, just like Joseph\u2019s fleeing from the temptation of Potiphar\u2019s wife. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n It will be a grievous mistake to assume that the believers\u2019 will is made completely new at conversion and that, in our faith journey, we will never fall away, deny God or give up our faith. To think in this manner is to breed complacency and set ourselves up for deception.<\/span><\/p>\n For many believers\u2014even great leaders\u2014have fallen. And many more believers will continue to fall if they persist in embracing these false beliefs:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n To reiterate, though our \u2018spirit man<\/strong>\u2019 has been made new at conversion (2 Corinthians 5:17<\/strong>), our will remains neutral<\/strong>. We can still fall into immorality just like the Exodus crowd if we are not vigilant (1 Corinthians 10:1-12<\/strong>). Even the great apostle Paul had to exercise discipline in the spiritual race so that he will not be disqualified (1 Corinthians 9: 24-27<\/strong>). We can still deny God even though we have been believers for many years (2 Timothy 2<\/strong>: 12-13, 2 Peter 2:20<\/strong>).<\/span><\/p>\n Whether they are men or angels, all of God\u2019s creation can choose to obey Him or rebel against Him. But this freedom of choice comes with a catch. Those who rebel against His authority will be held accountable. They will have to face judgment eventually (Jude 1:5-7<\/strong>).<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people<\/strong> out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed<\/strong> those who did not believe. And the angels <\/strong>who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day\u2014just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality <\/strong>and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.\u00a0<\/span>(Jude 1:5-7<\/strong>).<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n God has been most gracious to us by giving us freedom of choice. As believers, we still retain this privilege of exercising our free will. We can choose either to obey Him or reject His ways. However, having made our choice, we cannot choose the consequences of our decision. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n RELATED POSTS<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n RESIST, FLEE, CELEBRATE, BE EMPOWERED, RECOGNISE THE HEAVY PRICE OF SEXUAL SIN.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n A clear understanding of the ongoing battle between the \u201cold man\u201d and \u201cnew man\u201d is essential before we can walk in victory.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n In light of the pressure faced by persecuted Christians in the Middle East, this is an important question that needs to be asked.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: Dr Lim Poh Ann is a medical practitioner. He was the former editor of Asian Beacon magazine (Dec 2008 \u2013 Oct 2011).\u00a0He can be reached at his\u00a0Facebook page<\/b>,\u00a0www.facebook.com\/AskDrLi <\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/christianitymalaysia.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/RUN-DONT-LINGER.jpg\")
<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n
![\"\"](\"http:\/\/christianitymalaysia.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Free-to-choose-but.jpg\")
\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n