The Bible makes it clear that GOD does not force acceptance of HIMSELF nor obedience to HIM but allows each human to decide whether to choose GOD or choose the devil. There are several Scriptures that say that precisely:
"And THE LORD GOD took the man and put him into the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And THE LORD GOD commanded the man, ' of every tree of the Garden, thou mayest freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it; for in that day that thou eatest of it, thou shalt surely die. " Genesis 2: 15-17
"And it shall come to pass if thou hearken diligently unto the voice of THE LORD thy GOD, to observe and to do all HIS Commandments which I command thee this day, that THE LORD thy GOD will set thee high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou hearken unto the voice of THE LORD thy GOD." . . and it shall come to pass if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of THE LORD thy GOD to observe to do all HIS Commandments and HIS statutes, which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee and overtake thee." Deuteronomy 28:1-2, 15
"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, that thou mayest love THE LORD thy GOD and that thou mayest obey HIS voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto HIM; for HE is thy life and the length of thy days." Deuteronomy 30:19-20
"Now therefore fear THE LORD and serve HIM in sincerity and in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt, and serve ye THE LORD. 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." Joshua 24: 14-15
"they chose new [false] gods; then was war in their gates; " Judges 5:8a
"Set the trumpet to thy mouth: he [the wicked] shall come as an eagle against the House of THE LORD, because they have transgressed MY COVENANT, and trespassed against MY law. . . they have set up Kings but not by ME; they have made Princes and I knew it not; of their silver and their gold have them made them idols; that they may be cut off. Thy calf O Samaria hath cast thee off; MINE anger is kindled against them. . . the workman made it; therefore it is not of GOD, but the calf of Samaria shall be broken in pieces; for they have sown the wind and they shall reap the whirlwind; it hath no stalk; the bud shall yield no meal, if so be it yield, the strangers shall swallow it up. . . because Ephraim hath made many altars to sin, altars shall be unto him to sin. I have written to him the great things of MY law, but they counted it as a strange thing. They sacrifice flesh for the sacrifices of MINE offerings, and eat it; but THE LORD accepteth them not; now will HE remember their iniquity, and visit their sins; they shall return to Egypt. For Israel hath forgotten his MAKER and buildeth temples and Judah hath multiplied fenced cities; but I will send a fire upon his cities and it shall devour the palaces thereof. " Hosea 1,4,5a,6c,7,11,-14
"So Gad came to David and said unto him,'thus saith THE LORD, choose thee either three months famine or three months to be destroyed before thy foes, while the sword of thy enemy overtaketh thee; " I Chronicles 21: 11-12a
"Then shall they call upon ME but I will not answer; they shall seek ME early, but they shall not find ME. For that they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of THE LORD; they would [have] none of MY counsel, they despised all MY reproof. Therefore shall they eat the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices; for the turning away of the simple shall slay them; and the properity of fools shall destroy them. But whoso hearkeneth unto ME, shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil." Proverbs 2: 28-33
"refuse the evil, and choose the good." Isaiah 15c
"For thus saith THE LORD unto the eunuchs that keep MY Sabbaths, and choose the things that please ME, and take hold of MY Covenants; even unto them, will I give in MINE house and within MY walls, a place and a Name better than of sons or daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off. " Isaiah 56:4-5
"But ye are they that forsake THE LORD ,that forget MY Holy mountain, that prepare a table for that troop, and that furnish the drink offering unto that number. Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter, because when I called , ye did not answer; when I spake ye did not hear; but did evil before MINE eyes, and did choose that wherein I delighted NOT. Therefore thus saith THE LORD, behold, MY servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold MY servants shall drink but ye shall be thirsty; behold, MY servants shall rejoice but ye shall be ashamed. Behold, MY servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of grief." Isaiah 65: 11-14
JESUS said, 'he that is not with ME is against ME; " Matthew 12: 30a
"And JESUS knew their thoughts, and said unto them, 'every Kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every City or house divided against itself shall not stand. And if satan cast out satan, he is divided against himself, how then shall his kingdom stand?" Matthew 12: 25-26
JESUS said, 'if a man love ME, he will keep MY words and MY FATHER shall love him; and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." John 14:23
JESUS saith unto him, " I AM the way, the truth and the life; no man cometh unto THE FATHER but by ME." John 14:6
JESUS said, 'if ye abide in ME, and MY words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will and it shall be done unto you. . . if ye keep MY commandments, ye shall abide in MY love, even as I have kept THE FATHER's Commandments, and abide in HIS love." John 15:7, 10
JESUS said, 'behold I stand at the door and knock; if any man will hear MY voice and open the door, I will come in to him; and will sup with him and he with ME." Revelation 3:20
JESUS said, 'and he that overcometh and keepeth MY works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations." Revelation 2: 26
Note : obviously the image you see here is a photograph of my original painting, entitled "The Cross" and signed and dated by me. It is not an image of GOD and not to be bowed down too, in any way, but merely representative of the fact that I am Christian, a believer in JESUS THE MESSIAH who takes away the sins of the world.
Contact Ms Gloria Poole via email at owner at lifemedia-publishing.net or any of the owner emails for Life Media & Publishing LLP or words that WORK LLP, or at gloria at Poole-Family.net; or by telephone at 303-8371261 ext 2707; enter extension 2707 when you hear the prompt about contacting the tenants.