The Choice

A person is guilty, locked up in a prison cell on death row, no hope. The judge out of His mercy and grace unlocks the prison cell. This cell door is wide open, “You are free.” Now the man has a choice, he can decide to stay inside the cell; he might have gotten used to the cell, or he can walk out of the prison cell and accept this gift of exoneration. If he chooses to stay in the cell, that is of his own doing. If he walks out, it is of his own doing.  If he chooses to walk out, wouldn’t he give all the praise and thanks to the judge that set him free? He didn’t save himself. There was no hope for him if the Judge had not unlocked that door and opened it. The act of him walking outside the prison cell by no means gives himself glory, after all he is still guilty, the Judge has only declared him free by His grace and mercy. He is the only one with the power to do that. 

Now, there are many men/women locked up in that prison…the Judge walks down the hallway…does he choose which doors to unlock and open or does he unlock and open them all? Does he decide only a certain few get the mercy and how would he determine who gets the mercy? If this would be true it would be easy to suspect some are more special than the other, and the prisoner who was chosen might say, “he chose me and not you, I’m pretty special.” It would be easy to boast in this. But, if God opened all the prison door cells, extended the mercy to one and all; isn’t it  a gift to all regardless of anyone’s deeds circumstances, and status, etc. Would we not have any reason to boast but in the Judge that has set us free!

The question is what will  we do; take the gift through the mercy and grace that his been given, or pull the prison cell door shut and stay inside? There is a choice and each one is without excuse. Will you choose freedom or bondage? Will you choose life or death?

“For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16