Among God’s gifts to His new human creatures, the most impactful was the ability to choose. God could speak with perfect clarity, but humans were free to obey or disobey. The humans understood God’s instructions about the garden’s fruit. Eve chose to believe another creature instead of her Creator. Adam deliberately disobeyed then tried to blame Eve (Genesis 3:12; 1 Timothy 2:14). Their choices had terrible consequences for themselves, for future humans and the entire planet. Why, then, did God give them the power of choice?
No biblical passage gives a short answer, but clues offer a general idea. God set the sun, moon and stars in their orbits (Genesis 1:16-18; Psalm 8:3). As mere objects, without life or thought, they do just what they are made to do. Animals are “creatures of instinct” (2 Peter 2:12). Humans alone are created in God’s image, made for a close relationship with Him (Genesis 1:27; 5:24; Micah 6:8). Real relationships are voluntary, not forced. God loves His human creatures and expects their love. According to Jesus,
The most important [commandment] is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:29-30 cf. Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
By its very nature, love is given, not taken. God could program you like a computer or a robot, but then you would be no different from a planet locked into its orbit. So, God created humans with choice, capable of giving themselves whole-heartedly. He constantly urges His creatures to make the right choice.
I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying His voice and holding fast to Him, for He is your life. (Deuteronomy 30:19-20)
Choose this day whom you will serve…. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. (Joshua 24:15)
Mary has chosen the good portion [learning from Jesus], which will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:42)
Choice, of course, has limits. When God speaks, we can choose how to respond, but we cannot choose the result or the consequence. Despite God’s warning, Adam’s son Cain chose to kill his brother Abel, but Cain could not escape his punishment (Genesis 4). Later, entire generations chose evil, but they could not escape the resulting flood (Genesis 6-7). We, like them, have a limited time to exercise choice. After that, we have no choice but to answer to God (Ecclesiastes 11:9; 12:14; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Hebrews 9:27).