The Choice in Christianity
The Choice in Christianity
The Choice in Christianity
The Choice in Christianity
Article
SOURAN MARDINI Ph.D
The choice in Christianity
The notion of the choice in the Evangel
The notion of the choice in the New Testament (the Evangel,
the Gospel), offers man three different types of choice. The
first choice is between belief and disbelief in God, Son of God
and the Holy-Spirit; the Doctrine of Trinity. The second is the
choice between belief and disbelief in the discourse of Christ.
The third is the choice between obeying and disobeying the
message of Christ, according to the Gospel.
John precises the purpose of the Gospel, in the following
terms:
But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the
Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you
will have life.' John 20: 31.
Temptation of Jesus-Christ by the Devil and the choice of
Christ:
The Gospel informs us of the three temptations administered
by the Devil to Jesus and that Jesus resorted to the choice
between obeying and following the Devil's temptation and not
succumbing to the temptation.
In the Book of Matthew and after the Baptism of Jesus by
John the Baptist in the Jordan River we read the following
verse:
Then Jesus was led out into the wilderness by the Holy Spirit
to be tempted there by the Devil.' Matthew 4: 1
The three temptations were administered by the Devil after
forty days of fasting where the trial became hardest:
For forty days and forty nights he ate nothing and became
very hungry.' Mat. 4: 2
The first temptation
Temptation of bread:
The Evangel of Matthew informs us:
Then the Devil came and said to him: "If you are the Son of
God, change these stones into loaves of bread." Mat. 4: 3
Jesus had the choice between changing the stones into bread
or not to change them into bread. He chose to disobey the
Devil and not to change the stones into bread rejecting the
commandment of the Devil:
But Jesus told him, No! The Scriptures say,
People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on
every word of God.'" Mat. 4: 4
The second temptation of Jesus and the second choice:
Matthew tells us of the second temptation of Jesus by the
Devil and the choice he had made:
Then the Devil took him to Jerusalem, to the highest point of
the Temple, and said, "If you are the Son of God, jump off!
For the Scriptures say, He orders his angels to protect you.
And they will hold you with their hands to keep you from
striking your foot on a stone.'" Mat. 4: 5-6
Jesus reacted to the second temptation by choosing to disobey
the Devil:
Jesus responded, "The Scriptures also say, Do not test the
Lord your God.'" Mat. 4: 7
The third temptation of Jesus and the third choice:
Matthew informs us of the third temptation of Jesus by the
Devil and his third choice to disobey the Devil:
Next the Devil took him to the peak of a very high mountain
and showed him the nations of the world and their glory. "I
will give it all to you," he said, "if you will only kneel down
and worship me." Mat. 4: 8-9
Here the Devil offers Jesus a pact of precised conditions, the
kingdoms of the earth and their glory in exchange for
prostration to the Devil and worshipping him. This means
denial of prostrating before God and denial of worshiping
God.
But Jesus refuses the offer of the pact offered by the Devil and
chooses to reject the worship of the Devil and chooses to
worship God and serve God:
Get out of here, Satan," Jesus told him. "For the Scriptures
say, You must worship the Lord your God; serve only him."
Mat. 4: 10
Although the offer of the Devil was precised in terms of
terrestrial gains the purpose was to dissuade Jesus from
worshipping God.
We observe that at every temptation the devil offers the
freedom of choice and the will to accept or to reject it. No
compulsion is exercised in any of the three temptations. Only
two options were proposed and Jesus chose for himself one of
the two.
Jesus, in the three temptations was alone by himself to receive
the temptation, to understand the conditions of the temptations
and to think about the offer made by the Devil. He alone had
to deliberate his final decision with all the responsibilities and
consequences of his choice. The example of Jesus, addressed
in terms of the specific particular, is addressed to every man,
in absolute terms. It is denotative of the Devil's role in the
temptation of Man, man's decisive decision and the facility of
dismissing the Devil who has no power unless given that
power by man himself. If man refuses the temptation and
chooses to demand of the Devil to get away then Man has the
power to do so. It is when man succumbs to the temptations of
the Devil that the Devil has the mastery of Man. The Devil is
an expression, according to the Evangelic text, of all evil and
bad actions which he is set out to do.
In all these three temptations there is no reference to divine
intervention, or to other human aid.
The choice of Jesus to reject the offer of the Devil terminated
by the departure of the Devil:
Then the Devil went away.' Mat. 4: 11
The Evangelic reference to the Devil indicates the role of the
Devil to sway man from the path of God. It is expressed in
terms of a Pact with the Devil', where the Devil proposes to
Man an offer to acquire his soul in exchange for worldly
benefits. These benefits as the terms of the pact of temptation
namely, position, power, dominance, glory, status, riches and
possessions; in short, everything that goes with kingship and
rule, wealth and worldly gains.
Responsibility of Man:
The New Testament gives the freedom of the choice as well
as the will to choose to Man himself, charging him with the
responsibility of his choice. Man, according to the Evangel,
produces good or bad words, signifying good or bad deeds.
He is held responsible for his good or evil deeds (sins). The
Evangel indicates a day of judgment where every individual
shall be held to account for his own deeds. The consequences
of one's deeds are precisely dictated. The Evangel
admonishes mankind to take heed. It fixes a day of judgment
where all people shall be resurrected, held in account for their
deeds and then, as a consequence, be rewarded or punished.
In the Evangel we are told, in the words of Jesus:
"A good person produces good words from a good heart, and
an evil person produces evil words from an evil heart. And I
tell you this, that you must give account on judgment day of
every idle word you speak, the words you say now reflect
your fate then; either you will be justified by them or you will
be condemned." Mat. 12: 35-37
In the following verses we have a global vision of belief in
terms of the responsibility of the individual choice and the
subsequent consequences that follow resulting from men's
actions:
"All right," he said. "I, the Son of Man, am the farmer who
plants the good seed. The field is the world, and the good seed
represents the people of the Kingdom. The weeds are the
people who belong to the evil one. The enemy who planted
the weeds among the wheat is the Devil. The harvest is the
end of the world, and the harvesters are the angles. Just as the
weeds are separated out and burned, so it will be at the end of
the world. I, the Son of Man, will send my angels, and they
will remove from my kingdom everything that causes sin and
all who do evil, and they will throw them into the furnace and
burn them. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Then
the godly will shine like the sun in their Father's Kingdom.
Anyone who is willing to hear should listen and understand!"
' Mat. 13: 37-43
The Evangel offers, in these terms, a concrete reality of the
consequences of man's choice and actions. It predicts an end
of the world, a final judgment and punishment and reward
according to one's own actions. These verses express clearly
the notion of the choice given to everyone. Two categories of
people are produced by their own choice, whether following
the good example or following the bad example. The
consequences of the choice, which is free and willful, have a
persuasive-dissuasive function on the decision of choice taken
by the individual.
The principle commandments of the Christian belief:
A Jewish Scribe asked Jesus the following question, during a
discussion about resurrection:
One of the teachers of the religious law was standing there
listening to the discussion. He realized that Jesus had
answered well, so he asked him, "Of all the commandments,
which is the most important?" ' Mark 12: 28
Jesus responded:
Jesus replied, The most important commandment is this:
Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is the one and only Lord.
And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all
your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is
equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself'. No other
commandment is greater than these.' Mark 12: 29-31
The message of admonition that Jesus administered
concerning the choice of man between good deeds and bad
deeds is associated primarily with the message of love, which
is the fundament of Christianity as the purpose of man'
namely to love God' and to love others'. In the Book of
John we are informed of the second fundamental
commandment in Christianity addressed to the Jews in
particular and ultimately to all mankind:
So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each
other. Just as I loved you, you should love each other. Your
love for one another will prove to the world that you are my
disciples.' John 13: 34-35
The choice between belief and disbelief:
The messianic message of Jesus-Christ to humanity is
resumed in the following Evangelic verse:
"At last the time has come!" He announced. "The Kingdom
of God is near! Turn from your sins and believe this good
News!"' Mark 1:15
Jesus invites mankind to take the right path and to avoid the
way of perdition. The choice between the two ways is clearly
demonstrated in the following verse:
You can enter God's Kingdom only through the narrow gate.
The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many
who choose the easy way. But the gateway to life is small, and
the road is narrow, and only a few ever find it.'
Mat. 7: 13-14
The choice between belief and disbelief in Jesus is precised in
the following verse:
If anyone acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will
openly acknowledge that person before my Father in heaven.
But if anyone denies me here on earth, I will deny that person
before my Father in heaven.'
Mat. 10: 32-33
And the verse,
Anyone who isn't helping me opposes me, and anyone who
isn't working with me is actually working against me.' Mat:
12: 30
The ultimate choice
The Evangel makes reference to belief and the consequences
of both belief and disbelief in terms of perdition:
And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the
wilderness, so I, the Son of Man, must be lifted up on a pole,
122
so that everyone who believes in me will have eternal life.'
John 3: 14-15
The Evangel invites men to believe in God, admitting at the
same time the possibility of doubt in the human heart. Jesus
Christ invites mankind to believe in God and to believe in
him. No proof for God's existence is given in the Evangel.
Belief is founded on man's own convictions. The Evangelic
argument of the existence of God, the Day of Judgment,
reward and punishment and eternal life, is based only on the
word (the Gospel) administered by Christ.
But the choice between belief and disbelief can be identified
in the Evangelic text. The pledge is founded only on trust in
belief:
Don't be troubled. You trust God, now trust in me.' John 14:1
Philip, one of the two Disciples of Christ who doubted the
proclamations of Jesus, asked him for confirmation of his
belief to see the Father:
Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and we will be
satisfied.' John 14: 8
The response of Jesus was in the negative:
Jesus replied, "Philip, don't you even yet know who I am,
even after all the time I have been with you? Anyone who has
seen me has seen the father! So why are you asking to see
him? Don't you believe that I am in the Father and the Father
is in me? The words I say are not my own, but my Father who
lives in me does his work through me. Or at least believe
because of what you have seen me do."' John 14: 8-11
In the reply of Jesus there is no sign of evidence, or proof,
offered in support of the existence of God. Even Philip, who
has witnessed, according to the Gospel, the miracles
performed by Jesus-Christ , had his doubts for
lack of evidence. Jesus did not comply by what Philip had demanded.
It is the opposite; he re-questioned the faith of Philip and
demanded him to believe in the unseen'. The argument of
Jesus rests entirely on his confirmation that there is God. The
terms of belief are founded on the word of Jesus, "Anyone
who has seen me has seen the Father."
The Evangel continues to affirm the idea of the end to the
world' where every individual shall be held to account for his,
or her, deeds and the consequences of such a final judgment
shall be then administered:
All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will
separate them as shepherd separates the sheep from its goats.
He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his
left. Then the King will say to those on the right, "come, you
who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world"Then the King
will turn to those on the left and say, "Away with you, you are
cursed ones, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his
demons!" Mat. 25: 32-34, 41
Choice between obedience and disobedience
Jesus, confirming his mission to accomplish the Law,
declares:
Don't misunderstand why I have come. I did not come to
abolish the Law of Moses or the writings of the prophets. No,
I came to fulfill them.' Mat. 5:17
Jesus gives the choice to the Israelites between following, by
obeying, the Law and not to follow, and to disobey, the Law:
I assure you, until heaven and earth disappear, even the
smallest detail of God's law will remain until its purpose is
achieved. So if you break the smallest commandment and
teach others to do the same, you will be the least in the
Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who obeys God's law and
teaches them will be great in the Kingdom of Heaven.' Mat.
5: 18-19
The choice given by Jesus to the Jews is clearly depicted with
the subsequent consequences.
The effort of the believers to obey the commandments must
excel that of the Scribes and the Pharisees who merit entering
the Kingdom of Heavens:
But I warn you- unless you obey God better than the teachers
of religious law and the Pharisees do, you can't enter the
kingdom of Heaven at all!' Mat. 5: 20
In the following verse we have ample example of the
individual choice between listening and obeying, on the one
hand:
Anyone who listens to my teachings and obeys me is wise,
like a person who builds a house on solid rock.' Mat. 7 : 24
And disobeying, on the other hand:
But anyone who hears my teaching and ignores it is foolish,
like a person who builds a house on sand.' Mat. 7: 26
The choice is given by Jesus to every individual between
committing sins, and grave sins like blasphemy against the
Holy Spirit, and not to commit these sins, with the
consequences of committing blasphemy against the Holy
Spirit. In the following verses the choice of sins, even
blasphemy, is clearly indicated:
Every sin or blasphemy can be forgiven- except blasphemy
against the Holy Spirit, which can never be forgiven. Anyone
who blasphemes against me, the Son of Man, can be forgiven,
but blasphemy against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven,
either in this world or in the world to come.' Mat. 12: 31-32
life, and those who have continued in evil will ris
Day of Judgment and the consequences of choice:
The Evangel invites to believe in God, Son of God and the
Holy Spirit, in the Trinity. The Evangel considers God as the
creator of the world and that there shall be a day of judgment
at the end of worldly life.
Christianity proclaims, like Judaism and in Islam, the idea of
resurrection of the dead and that humans shall be brought to
judgment before God according to their choice between good
and evil, obedience and disobedience, in their worldly life.
The record of deeds ends at the individual's death. This record
will be the criterion of one's judgment. The responsibility is
man's own responsibility and the choice is a free choice with
the will that is determined by reason. The Evangel informs us:
Don't be surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the
dead in their graves will hear the voice of God's Son, and they
will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to the eternal to
judgment.' John 5: 28-29
The Evangelic concept of the Day of Judgment where humans
shall be judged according to their deeds appears as a reality
followed by the consequences in terms of reward and
punishment:
God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to
save it. There is no judgment awaiting those who trust him.
But those who do not trust him have already been judged for
not believing in the only Son of God. Their judgment is based
on this fact: The light from heaven came into the world, but
they loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions
were evilBut those who do what is right come to the light
gladly, so everyone can see that they are doing what God
wants.' John: 3: 17- 19, 21
Two categories of people are created by the very choice of
men between belief and disbelief:
All the nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will
separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the
goats.' Mat. 25: 23
Then, two types of reward and punishment will be
administered according to the choice of men between belief
and disbelief:
And all who believe in God's Son have eternal life. Those
who don't obey the Son will never experience eternal life, but
the wrath of God remains upon them.' John 3: 36
The criterion of judgment and the criterion of reward and
punishment are founded on the choice between belief and
disbelief left to man. The Evangel precise this very choice:
Anyone who believe and is baptized will be saved. But
anyone who refuses to believe will be condemned.' Mark 16:16
Precision of reward and punishment in terms of the
choice:
The Evangel informs us that on the Day of Judgment all
humans will be judged according to their choice.
Reward by eternal life in felicity:
The Evangel tells us of this reward accorded to those who are
righteous:
"Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the
Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world"
Mat. 25: 34
But the righteous will go into eternal life.' Mat. 25: 46
Punishment by eternal fire in hell:
Those who have chosen to disbelief and do evil will be judged
according to their choice and will be punished by eternal fire
of hell.
The idea of punishment in the Evangel is an eternal torture in
eternal fire for those who chose disbelieve and to perform evil
deeds:
It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your
whole body to be thrown into hell.' Mat. 5: 30
The Gospel informs men that they ought not only believe in
God, serve and love him, but to fear him as well. God, in the
Evangel, as well as in the Torah and the Qur'an, is made an
object of love and fear at one and the same time. The idea of
the absolute power of God is emphasized and the eternal hell
fire is displayed as a persuasive-dissuasive factor in the
making of the choice:
But I'll tell you whom to fear. Fear God, who has the power
to kill people and then throw them into hell.' Luke 12: 5
Don't be afraid of those who want to kill you. They can only
kill your body; they cannot touch your soul. Fear only God
who can destroy both soul and body in hell.' Mat. 10: 28
The Evangel specifies the term of punishment in hell fire:
That is the way it will be at the end of the world. The angels
will come and separate the wicked people from the godly,
throwing the wicked into the fire.' Mat. 13: 49-50
And all who do evil, and they will throw them into the
furnace and burn them.' Mat. 13: 41
The study of the Evangelic text, and according to the meaning
spelled out by the four Books, indicates clearly the motive of
choice. The choice to either believe in God or to believe in the
devil is offered to Jesus-Christ himself. Then Jesus offers this
very choice to mankind. Man has the freedom of choosing
between belief and disbelief, obeying and disobeying the
divine message and doing good or doing bad. The role of
Jesus-Christ is to admonish the message and invite mankind
to believe in God and the Day of Judgment.This choice between belief and disbelief is
left to the individual himself. The consequences of such a
decision results in the promised consequences of the choice.
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