God is love
The Bible says, “God is love” (1 John 4:8). Love isn’t just something God does. It’s who he is, and he has always been that way, even before he made the world.
God created people so he could share his love with them, and so they could love him back. But real love can’t be forced. If you programmed a robot to say “I love you,” it wouldn’t really mean it. Love only counts when someone chooses it. That’s why God gave people free will, the freedom to make real choices.
Two trees and a choice
In the Garden of Eden, God planted two special trees: the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:9). God told Adam he could eat from any tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16–17). With both trees there, Adam had a real choice to make.
God wanted Adam to choose the tree of life. But the serpent tricked Eve into eating the forbidden fruit, and she gave some to Adam, who ate it too (Genesis 3:1–6). The serpent had promised they would be like God, knowing good and evil for themselves (Genesis 3:5).
So what Adam really chose was independence. He decided he didn’t need God to tell him what was right anymore. He would figure it out on his own. The Bible describes sin this way: like sheep, we’ve all wandered off to go our own way (Isaiah 53:6).
Laws like guardrails
After they disobeyed, Adam and Eve felt ashamed and hid from God (Genesis 3:8–10). Later, God gave his people laws, like the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20). The laws were meant to go with their new knowledge of good and evil. They worked like guardrails on a mountain road. They helped people stay away from evil, so they wouldn’t sink so deep into wrong that shame would ruin their friendship with God.
God sends his Son
When the time was exactly right, God sent his Son, Jesus, into the world (Galatians 4:4). Jesus came to rescue people from the way of life they had chosen: running their own lives apart from God. Even then, God didn’t force anyone. People still had free will.
Jesus finished his work by dying on the cross for our sins (John 19:30; 1 Corinthians 15:3).
Jesus goes to Sheol
After he died, Jesus went down to Sheol (“SHEE-ohl”), the place where the dead were waiting. The Bible says he preached there (1 Peter 3:18–19; 4:6). He explained the Scriptures and showed how he had opened the way back to the tree of life, a life joined with God. Then the people waiting in Sheol got to use their free will and choose. Those who chose wisely received eternal life and rose with Jesus (Matthew 27:52–53).
Two paths
Ever since then, everyone gets to choose which path to follow:
- Independence: running your own life and trying to be good enough by keeping rules.
- Walking with God: joining your life to the Lord and letting him lead you every day (1 Corinthians 6:17; Colossians 2:6).
God still doesn’t force anyone. The choice is ours (Joshua 24:15).
Two laws of love
God built his own desires right into the way he made us. Deep down, everyone wants to love and to be loved. In God’s Kingdom, there are only two laws, and every other good rule fits inside them (Matthew 22:37–40; Romans 13:9):
- Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind.
- Love your neighbor as yourself.
These laws don’t weigh us down. They make our hearts content and full of joy (John 15:10–11).
Learning to love
When we stop trying to run our own lives and choose to walk with the Lord, God helps us every day. Little by little, we learn to love him and to love other people better (Romans 5:5). Our life here on earth is like training for forever. It gets us ready for eternal life with the Lord.
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