CHOICE

CHOICE
Choice is defined simply as the act of selecting. It comes about when there is a range of options to be selected and the freedom to select. In economics, the cost of the alternative that is forgone when a choice is made is termed opportunity cost.

CHOICE AND ECONOMICS

Economics, which is concerned with production, distribution, exchange and consumption of goods is concerned deeply with choice. Economists focus on the way in which individuals, groups, business enterprises, and governments seek to achieve efficiently any economic objective they select. Choice is therefore the most important part of economics.

Economic issues have occupied people’s minds throughout the ages. Aristotle and Plato in ancient Greece wrote about problems of wealth, property, and trade. Both were prejudiced against commerce, feeling that to live by trade was undesirable. The Romans borrowed their economic ideas from the Greeks and showed the same contempt for trade. During the Middle Ages the economic ideas of the Roman Catholic Church were expressed in the canon law, which condemned usury (the taking of interest for money loaned) and regarded commerce as inferior to agriculture.

Economics as a subject of modern study, distinguishable from moral philosophy and politics, dates from the work, Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations (1776), by the Scottish philosopher and economist Adam Smith. Mercantilism and the speculations of the physiocrats were precursors of the classical economics of Smith and his 19th-century successors.

Choice has been the backbone of Capitalism. For all these years as the Capitalists defeated the Communists, the feature of choice has been very vital to their campaign. Capitalists believe strongly that anything not based on choice and freewill will fail.

BIBLICAL AND SPIRITUAL CONCEPTS OF CHOICE

In Genesis 2:16-17, man was given the right to make free choices in the Garde of Eden. This was what God said:

16 And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:
17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.

Most of the things man was supposed to do was to be done in accordance with the instructions of God from above. However, in relation to the tree of knowledge of good and evil, man was free to operate in the framework of free choice and decisions.

After many years that human beings veered away from the Will of God, God called Abraham and made his descendants into a nation. God gave Moses a new set of commandments and told Moses to give them a clear-cut choice between good and evil. This is seen in Deuteronomy 30:19 that “I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life that both thou and thy seed may live:”
From this passage, it is clear that God found it necessary to make the consequences of taking a decision contrary to the laws of God. Therefore one of the major roles of Pastors and Priests is to warn people of the negative effects of taking wrong decisions.

Again, Joshua following this kind of trend called the people of Israel and gave them a choice to choose between serving God and disobeying God. This is found in Joshua 24:15 which says that “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

As the years rolled by, the children of Israel moved into idol worship under the rule of Ahab and Jezebel. They became confused as to whether to follow the principles of God or to worship idols. Elijah then called on a challenge between him on one side representing God and the prophets of Baal on another side. He defeated the prophets of Baal in the challenge and after that, the children of Israel made a choice to serve God.

JESUS CHRIST AND CHOICE

Jesus Christ used the concept of choice and economics to emphasise on the need to make a choice between many options. He said in Luke 14:28 that “For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it?”

This means that in making an investment, one has to:

Get to know the options
Evaluate the options carefully
And then take a decision

In the spiritual aspects of choice, the Book of John describes the need to make a choice in order to gain eternal life. John sets out to talk about the divinity of Jesus Christ in John 1. He said in John 1:12 that there are some advantages in choosing and receiving Jesus Christ “12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

Jesus also said in John 14:6 that “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” This means that Jesus Christ is the only way to God and salvation for all the years to come.

The main condition for making the choice to follow Jesus Christ is found in Matthew 16:24 that says “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” This means one has to drop things of the physical and follow spiritual instructions of Jesus Christ.

OBSERVATIONS

From inception, in the Garden of Eden, man was supposed to choose between God’s instructions or their own personal will.
Everything that happens in the life of a human being is decided by God or man but the choice of man can be manipulated by Satan.
In the time of Moses, God told the Israelites to choose between what His rules and live or go contrary and die. God advocates that prophets and priests spell out His conditions clearly and recommend that they follow the paths of God.
In the days of Elijah, signs and wonders were employed to aid the people to take the decision of following the principles of God.
Jesus is the only way to God. To go to Him, one has to shun the flesh and walk in the spirit by placing more emphasis on things of the spirit rather than the physical.
Accepting Jesus Christ is a choice best taken by one’s own freewill and not by any other method like birth (because God has no grandchildren!) or the use of force.

References:

Microsoft Encarta
Wordweb Dictionary

By Samuel Owusu-Yeboah (Sam Oystein) visit our site www.preacherswithoutborders.faithweb.com