Don’t Choose Hell!   

Our Lord tells us through sacred scripture, as well as through conscience, that we are responsible for the choices we make. Our choices determine who we are, how we shall live, and ultimately whether we end up in heaven or hell!

When God, in the beginning, created man, he made him subject to his own free choice…There are set before you fire and water; to whichever you choose, stretch forth your  hand (Sirach 15:14-16).  

“Fire” and “water,” or “death” and “life” are set before us every day, even every minute of every day, and whichever we choose shall be granted to us.

Throughout the day we face many decisions, some lesser, some greater. Some seem more important than others, but all are important. As St. Ignatius of Loyola tells us in his spiritual exercises we must learn to choose what brings us closer to God and to let go of that which does not:

Be aware of what is stirring in you-in your thoughts and in your heart. Understand what in these stirrings comes from God and what does not. Take action to accept and live by what is of God and to reject what is not (1).

Even small decisions matter. If we turn our backs to God, even slightly, surely it would be to Satan’s delight, and he will do whatever he can to keep us going in that direction, away from God. Our choices are important. They determine who we are. They determine who we will become. And ultimately they determine our place in Eternity. I realize that some naysayers will declare that by grace alone, we are saved, it is only through our Lord and our God, Jesus Christ, that we can obtain eternal life, and that we can’t just “decide” on heaven or hell.

To all of these arguments, I am in full agreement! I don’t see a contradiction. I believe that one “school of thought” complements the other. First and foremost, there must be God’s invitation. His grace extended to us. But isn’t He doing this all the time for every person in one way or another? The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches us that

God desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Salvation is found in truth. Those who obey the prompting of the Spirit of Truth are already on the way of salvation (CCC 851).

If we don’t take note of His love, His grace extended to us, is this God’s fault or our own?

Say not: ‘that it was God’s doing that I fell away…’ Say not: ‘it was He who set me astray’ (Sirach 15: 11-12).

God’s grace is there; it’s always there. If we don’t see or can’t find it, then blame ourselves for closing our eyes, ears, and hearts to Him! How do we do this? How do we become deaf and blind to His love? Sin and all its accomplices keep us from God. Sin has a lot of variety and different manifestations, and seems worse in one circumstance compared to another. But sin is sin. It is not “relative,” and the result is always the same, keeping us away from God.

The previous arguments bring to mind the Parable of the Sower where scripture tells us that there are four different responses to God’s invitation, to His gift of love, and His gift of grace:

A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell on the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky ground, where it had little soil. It sprang up at once because the soil was not deep, and when the sun rose it was scorched , and it withered for lack of roots. Some seed fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked it. But some fell on rich soil, and produced fruit, a hundred or sixty or thirtyfold. Whoever has ears ought to hear (Matthew 13:3-9).

Which person of the four types represents you or me?  The first person heard the word of God and lost it because he didn’t understand it.  The second heard and received the word of God but failed to take it to heart and soon lost it. Or the third who retained the word of God until he became overwhelmed with worldly anxiety and the lure of riches. Or the fourth person who heard the word of God understood it and like the man who found a treasure in a field, went and sold everything he had and bought that field because he realized that what he had was a divine gift, the most valuable thing in life. He accepted the love of God and wanted to keep it.  (Matthew 13: 18-22; 44,).

I believe that in all of our lives, these choices must be made every day, even every moment of every day. We must choose how we respond to God’s grace, His Word, and His love for us. We must decide which path to follow,  know which direction we are headed, and become well aware of where our choices will take us, to the loving embrace of our Lord, or into the clutches of Satan.

It is up to each of us to choose fire or water, death or life. Whichever we choose shall be given to us (Sirach 15:17).

Footnote: (1)  A Family Guide to Spiritual War, by Kathleen Beckman, p.21-22