Destination and Course Correction: Planned From the Outset
Through Jesus Christ's sacrifice, human beings can be reconciled to
God, and God's forgiveness of their sin will remove the death penalty.
The apostle Paul tells us that God made plans for our marvelous future
even before He created our first parents, Adam and Eve. He planned our
destiny "according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us
in Christ Jesus before time began" (2 Timothy 1:9).
Our eternal future was a part of God's great plan and purpose before
this world came to be. Even then, God had determined that only a perfect
Redeemer could bring His master plan to completion-as He foresaw
that human beings would veer from the course He set for them.
At the creation of the first man and woman, Adam and Eve, God presented
a choice between two ways of life. He clearly instructed these first
human beings to partake of the tree of life. As their Creator, God wanted
them to develop a close personal relationship with Him. The tree of
life in the Garden of Eden symbolized an obedient relationship leading
to eternal life (Genesis 2:9; 3:22).
However, there was another option-one that would lead to disaster!
Instead of choosing life through obeying Him, they could select a life
of deciding for themselves what is right and wrong in disobedience
to God. Another tree in the garden symbolized this choice-the
tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:16-17; 3:1-6). God
explicitly commanded them not to take from this tree, but He didn't prevent them
from doing so. He allowed them free will.
