There’s something about choices that sticks with me. It’s not the everyday decisions. It’s not even the ones we make in the grocery store or deciding what’s for dinner. Nah, it’s the ones that really matter, the ones that stretch across eternity. We all make choices every day, but some decisions, whether small or grand, are life-altering in the deepest sense. And when it comes to choosing love, rejecting fear, the consequences ripple through both our earthly lives and eternal destinies.
I’m talking about the very choices that have eternal consequences. It’s easy to forget that the choices we make in this life, are not just for the here and now—they echo into eternity. And let me be real with you: that’s a hard truth to sit with, but it’s one we must face.
In Matthew 25:31-46, we’re given a snapshot of what judgment looks like at the end of time, and it’s not a soft scene of cloud-kissed angels singing in the background. This is a reckoning, a moment where everything we’ve chosen in our lives, by way of our actions, streaming from the depths of our hearts, will be exposed. The decisions we’ve made will not just determine how we lived on Earth, but where we will spend forever in eternity.
Jesus is sitting on His throne, separating the sheep from the goats. The sheep are those who acted out of love and kindness, the ones who saw the suffering of others and responded with mercy. The goats, however, are those who ignored the hurting, who were self-absorbed, who lived for themselves without ever considering the needs of others. And here’s the twist: it’s not about how much money they gave or the accolades they earned; it’s about how they treated others, how they lived out the love of Christ.
Our Choices Are Eternal
Matthew 25:40 (NIV) says, “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
This is the plot twist, you ready? It’s not just about looking good on the outside. It’s about the heart and the choices that come from it. Are we acting in love? Are we showing kindness to those who can’t repay us? Do we recognize that every interaction, every opportunity to serve, is not just a moment being lived out now, it’s an eternal one?
When you serve others, when you love the least of these, you are, in fact, serving Christ Himself. And when you ignore them, when you refuse to extend compassion, Christ says you are ignoring Him, not them. That’s a serious revelation.
The Consequences of Ignoring the Call
Now, we don’t like to talk about consequences much, especially the kind that have eternal implications. But Revelation 20:12-15 (NIV)paints a sobering picture: “And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books.”
In this final judgment, those who have lived in disregard of God’s truth will be held accountable. The consequences of their choices will not fade with time; they will be written forever. There’s no erasing what’s been done. The idea that you can just live however you want and “hope for the best” at the end is a lie that leads to destruction. You can’t ignore Christ’s call and expect eternal life. The choices we make now echo louder than we can ever imagine. They shape where we’ll spend eternity.
When the Choice Is Between Life and Destruction
In 2 Thessalonians 1:9 (NIV), Paul writes, “They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might…”
That’s not the kind of judgment we like to dwell on, but it’s the one that’s true. Choosing a life without God’s love, rejecting His truth, is a choice that has eternal consequences. It’s a rejection of life itself.
But here’s the thing that will blow your mind: even in the face of that reality, God is still offering us the opportunity to choose Him. He doesn’t want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9 NIV), and so He gives us every chance to turn from the path of destruction.
But the truth is, our choices matter. They matter deeply. If we ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit, if we keep saying “no” to God’s love, we are choosing death over life. And it’s not just about a “final judgment” at the end of time. It’s about what we’re doing right now, today, with the time and choices God has given us.
Practical Ways to Live with Eternal Perspective
Let me bring this back to something practical. How do we live with eternity in mind in the midst of our everyday choices? It’s easy to get caught up in the rush of life and forget that every moment is a choice, a small piece of the bigger picture that God is painting.
- Live with compassion and intention. When you help those in need, anytime you love others, when you forgive, you are actively choosing life. Don’t let the distractions of life blind you to the eternal significance of your choices.
- Be mindful of how you spend your time. Are you prioritizing your relationship with God? Are you allowing Him to shape your choices, or are you trying to build your own kingdom? The way you spend your time reflects your heart’s true desires.
- Repent daily and choose God’s ways. We all fall short. But repentance isn’t about condemnation—it’s about a recalibration. Every day is a new opportunity to choose life, to choose God’s love over fear, and to align ourselves with His will.
- Serve others as an act of worship. When you serve others, you’re serving God. You are sowing into eternity, and God sees every act of kindness, every word of encouragement, every time you extend grace.
- Check your heart. Are you living from a place of fear or love? Fear will have you stuck in your comfort zone, unwilling to make the hard choices. Love will push you forward, even when it’s uncomfortable, knowing that you are laying up treasures in heaven.
Powerful Choices
It is clear that the road for fear is very, very wide. Why you say that Tash? Because it symbolizes how easy and tempting it is to choose fear. It’s familiar, comfortable, and often the default for many people. The wide road is the path of least resistance, where we let anxieties, doubts, and insecurities rule us. It’s the easy way out, the road we often travel without even thinking, because we’re conditioned to fear the unknown or believe the worst.
On the other hand, the road for love is narrow, it represents how challenging it is to live by love, but also how transformational and pure that road is. It’s the path of intentionality, requiring us to step outside of our comfort zones, to walk in trust, to embrace vulnerability, and to surrender our lives to the love of God. The narrow road is countercultural! It doesn’t follow the easy patterns of the world. It’s a road of courage, humility, and sacrifice, and it’s worth walking even if it’s hard, because that’s where true peace, joy, and purpose are found.
But here’s the plot twist: while fear might seem easier because it’s wide and accessible, it’s ultimately a dead end, and it leads to destruction (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV). The narrow road of love may seem daunting, but it leads to life. Love is the road that doesn’t just keep us safe—it heals, restores, and sets us free. When we walk the narrow road of love, we are choosing Christ, and as 1 John 4:18 says, “Perfect love casts out fear.” The wider we make the road for love in our lives, the less fear can rule us.Let me leave you with this: The choices you make today are not just shaping your life now, they are shaping your eternity. Your choices have eternal consequences. And God, in His mercy, has already made a way for us to choose life through Jesus Christ.
The question is, what will you choose today?
Will you choose the life that God has offered you, full of love, grace, and transformation? Or will you continue to walk in the ways of the world, living as if this life is all there is? The choice is yours.
But know this: Heaven is ready to embrace those who choose life. When you choose love over fear, you’re choosing God. When you choose God’s way over the world’s, you’re not just choosing something for today. You’re choosing eternity!
Now go and live like the kingdom is within you.
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All Scripture quotations are from the English Standard Version (ESV), unless otherwise noted.