The choice between life and choice
The world is split between Pro Life and Pro Choice. This dilemma goes back to the Garden of Eden. Choosing the ability to choose between good and evil forfeits life.
Genesis 2:15 Then the Lord God took Adam and put him in the garden of Eden to look after it. 16The Lord God commanded Adam, “You can eat from every tree in the garden; 17but you mustn’t eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, because when you eat from it you’ll certainly die.”
After this, God showed Adam all the animals, but none were a suitable companion for him, so he created Eve.
Later, Satan spoke through the serpent, convincing Eve, that the knowledge to choose between good and evil would be a good thing. So, Eve embraced liberty and encouraged her husband to do likewise. But the consequences of this choice could not be undone. They were no longer immortal. From that day they began to die.
Their choice removed access to life, eventually leading to their death.
Genesis 3:22 Then the Lord God said, “Look, the man has become like one of Us, knowing good and evil. Now, he mustn’t be able to reach out his hand and take from the tree of life, and eat, and live forever” 23That’s why the Lord God sent him out of the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken. 24So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned in every direction, to guard the way to the tree of life.
I’ve depicted these two trees with the fig tree and the olive tree. Both bear desirable fruit. Prophetically, both represent Israel – God’s people. The fig tree represents Israel that doesn’t follow God’s ways, whereas the olive tree represents godly Israel. It was a fresh olive branch that the dove brought back to Noah, marking the end of the flood. Jesus told us to watch out for his return after the bugging of the fig tree. Israel has returned, but they don’t follow God. On the one extreme, they follow a religion based on the rejection of their Messiah, and on the other, they shun religion to celebrate immoral liberties.
Pro-Choice vs. Pro Life extends beyond the abortion debate. It applies to euthanasia, marijuana, prostitution and alternative marriages. This is generally, split between the progressives and conservatives. The story of mankind’s fall into sin reminds us that while the ability to choose seems desirable and beneficial, it ends in death. Abortion is death; and leads to lifelong psychological problems; its accessibility compels some to the duty of killing their baby. Euthanasia is death, and its accessibility compels some by duty to not burden one’s loved ones. Drugs and sexual immorality also enslave people to serving their addictions, impairing their health and prosperity, and separating them from loved ones. Legally forbidding these protects the choice of those who’d be otherwise caught up in a direly costly freedom.
Proverbs 14:12 There’s a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.
While I was looking up pictures, I found this beautiful modern image of that moment in Eden.
Such an innocent, beautiful picture was the beginning of death.
Shalom
– Brent