We learn all throughout the Bible that following God's will and God's ways always brings blessing in all aspects of life and that disobedience brings curses. Though it may seem difficult and almost impossible even to follow God's will, through Jesus Christ and the empowering of the Holy Spirit, we can live lives that God desires for us.
From the beginning of time, man was made to have free will. Our freedom to choose is a gift from God. Without it, we would be mindless robots with no choice except to compulsively adhere to God's ways. But in His infinite love, God chose to give us free will. God gave Adam and Eve free will when He gave man the option to enjoy God and His blessings through the Garden of Eden or turn away from God in the form of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Sadly, Adam and Eve chose their way instead of God's way, which brought sin into the world and all the curses and consequences that come along with it. The good news is that God has redeemed us through the last Adam, Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:45 says, "...The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam became a life- giving spirit."
Today, God still gives us the free will to choose to receive the free gift of eternal life starting today through Jesus Christ or to walk separate from God's will. God never forces upon anyone Himself, but instead makes the way to Him as available as possible.
The ultimate goal of life for us today, now that we live in Christ, is to align our will with God's will. We are never obliged to partake of God's will, but the invitation is always open. When we align our will with God's, His blessing and empowerment always come along with it. Just as Christ promised in Matthew 28:20b, "...behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
Our free will was, is and will always be there because it is God's gift to mankind. He never takes away our freedom to choose. We can either choose Christ and the righteousness that simply comes through His finished work, or choose our own ways, which can either be through living to fulfil our own selfish desires or living to try to own our own salvation through good works. Either way, we fall short.
Our free will is most maximised when we freely choose Christ and the spiritual blessings that come along with Him (Ephesians 1:8). To choose any other way except Christ will be a complete waste of a free gift given to us by God.
