A hungry lion is stalking a herd of wilder beasts.  It notices a newborn  limping behind its mother struggling to keep up with the movement of the herd.  The lion’s instincts jump into stalking mode.  It follows the herd for over a day waiting for the right moment to attack.  Finally, the young wilder beast falls behind the herd; the lion attacks, kills and eats the young animal.

Is God angry with the lion for behaving in such a manner?  Is the lion guilty of murder?  Will God hold the lion accountable and judge it according to its actions?  No, of course not.  Why? Because the lion was simply acting according to its God-created instincts for self-survival.  It had no choice but to act in such a way.  Therefore, God does not hold the lion responsible for its deadly deed.

I think we all understand that.  I can’t think of a single incident where God has held an animal accountable for acting in a certain way, mainly because animals have NO CHOICE.

However, when we “flip that coin over,” from the very beginning of time, we see God holding human beings accountable for their actions.  That can only mean that we have a choice!  If, like the lion and other animals, we had no choice, then God would not hold us accountable for the way we live our lives.

God held Adam and Eve accountable for the sin of eating the forbidden fruit; therefore, they had a choice.  God held Cain accountable for committing the first homicide; therefore, Cain had a choice whether or not to commit murder.  God warned Jeroboam that if he would obey Him, he would prosper in the Northern kingdom of Israel.  Jeroboam had the choice whether to obey God or not.  However, he made the decision to do things his own way, and God held him responsible and overthrew the kingdom.

Literally hundreds of similar Biblical examples could be given.  The necessary conclusion is that we are responsible for the choices we make!  Animals have no choice how to act, *we do,* and we will be held accountable (Romans 14:12;  2Corinthians 5:10).  Whether or not you “strive to enter into the narrow way” (Luke 13:24), is your choice.  But, you will be held accountable for the choice you make because you are not an animal!  You are a precious soul created in God’s own image!  The only way you can know whether or not you are making the right choices in life is by studying your New Testament.  So,  STAY HUNGRY (Matt. 5:6) 

 –Toby Miller