DECISIONS AND THEIR CONSEQUENCES

 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting” (Galatians 6:7-8).

LESSON 2: PRINCIPLES IN MAKING GOOD DECISIONS

What are the principles of making good decisions?  In some ways, one principle should suffice.  Our question should always be: does what I plan to do please God.  We are called to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, and we need to make decisions that please Him (Colossians 1:9-10).  We are to learn how to walk so as to please God and therefore abound more and more (1 Thessalonians 4:1).  We know that Jesus always did those things that pleased His Father (John 8:29).  Can we follow in his steps? 

As a soldier in the Lord’s army we must work to please our captain and behave like a true soldier of the cross (2 Timothy 2:4).  As a soldier in His army, we must make the decisions that please Him.  Likely everyone would acknowledge that we need to make decisions that please God, but what does actually please Him?  While pleasing Him and walking worthy of our calling are good general principles, we need specifics to help define for us what pleases our Heavenly Father.  So in this second lesson of our study, we’ll look at the first of four principles that help us make good decisions (the decisions that would please our Father). 

First Principle: LIVE FOR GOD, AND FOR FINISHING THE RACE 

Whatever we do, we need to do it heartily as to the Lord (not for men or for any selfish reason); we are His servants and it is Him we should serve (Col 3:23-24). 

We are to live our lives for God (not ourselves, anyone or anything else).  As we make decisions in life, we should ask ourselves: does my decision demonstrate that I am living unto Him, and can I do this heartily as unto Him (2 Corinthians 5:15). 

There can be no straddling the fence; we can only serve one master faithfully.  Our decisions are either in line with living for Him and doing everything heartily as to Him, or they are not.  Our decisions show we are either His servant or that we are serving someone or something else (Luke 16:13). 

Either we are with Him or against Him, gathering or scattering.  We must consider our decisions to be for Him or against Him (Luke 11:23). 

The Lord doesn’t want us to be just lukewarm (Revelation 3:15-16).  He’d rather we were cold than lukewarm toward him.  So does half-hearted service please Him?  Isn’t it just as bad (or worse) than being totally cold?  He wants us to be hot, zealously on fire for Him, living unto Him, for Him, doing everything we do heartily as unto Him.  Are we making the kind of decisions that show this is true of us? 

Jesus, the way, the truth and the life, is our example so that we may walk in His steps.  He lived not to do His own will but His Father’s (John 6:38).  Then how should we live?  Should we do His will or our own?  Should we live for Him or for ourselves?  Should we live for Him or unto some other commitment?  Should we serve Him or some other master?  Our decisions need to be made keeping this in mind.  We should decide, remembering we are to live for/unto Him, doing what we do heartily as unto Him, being His servant only. 

Like a good soldier, as we make decisions that would be for Him and that would please Him, we should not allow ourselves to get entangled with the affairs of this life (2 Timothy 2:4). Instead we should practice temperance in all things, as we fight this fight or run this race (1 Cor 9:24-27).  We should be so intent on winning the race and receiving the prize, that we would make no decision that would deter us.  Instead we would make decisions that would help in running the race certainly so that we might obtain the prize, always practicing temperance, bringing our bodies into subjection. 

In living unto and for God, there is a mark toward which He tells us to press.  We need to make the decisions that would aid us in attaining unto that mark, not deter us (Philippians 3:13-14).  We are to lay aside any weight that would slow us down (Hebrews 12:1-3).  This is what Jesus did.  And we are to keep our eyes on Him so that we will not grow weary and faint.  When we make decisions, we can ask ourselves if they will increase or diminish our ability to run the race, to reach the mark, to obtain the prize.  We are never to look back but constantly be plowing forward toward the mark.  To do anything less would make us unfit for the kingdom (Luke 9:61-62). 

So where is our commitment in life?  Are we committed to God and Jesus and to attaining to the goal, or to something else?  Again, let us apply this principle to our list of potential decisions.  Return to the introduction for a partial list and add your own if there is one you want to suggest.