Even though humanity has lost the glory of God and fallen into sin, humans are still capable of observing the law, though not perfectly. There will always be mistakes and failures. In the Old Testament, when transgressions occurred, the blood of lambs served as the means of atonement, which applied specifically to the Jewish people. However, many modern Christians consider themselves believers simply because they belong to the Christian religion, and thus they think their lives are easier than those of the Jews. But that is not the case. Believers must make a conscious decision—they must choose whether to follow Jesus with genuine faith expressed in Christlike actions, or to follow the world. This choice cannot be automatically inherited. Parents can serve as mentors, provide examples, and guide their children, but ultimately, each individual must make their own decision.
Sadly, today’s Christian life is often lived by those who are merely “inherited Christians.” They are Christians not because of a personal encounter with Christ, but because of inherited status. They lack a “Christian experience”—a real, living experience of following Jesus. As a result, this “inherited Christianity” produces weak faith, easily swept away by the current of the world. When the standard of Christianity is no longer Jesus Himself but human measures, believers fall into spiritual passivity. This condition is worsened by misguided teachings, such as the belief that “God determines who will be saved and who will perish.” Such teachings dull one’s sense of responsibility, leading people to think their lives are already predetermined, so there is no need to strive.
The doctrine of God’s absolute sovereignty is often misunderstood. Some claim that God has predestined certain people for salvation and others for destruction, and that no one can resist His grace. The consequence of this thinking is passivity—no spiritual dynamism, no awareness of the need to fight the good fight of faith. Eventually, many Christians become content with this inherited Christianity. They live within an orderly religious system, feeling secure under the assumption that God has already determined their destiny. They attend church, participate in ministry activities, and assume that is sufficient.
Yet such “inherited Christianity” merely preserves the outer form of faith. A person can live a faithful religious life, as religion affords social respectability. But Christianity passed down without personal choice merely produces people who feel they are the chosen ones, without ever manifesting a vibrant spiritual life. As the world changes and its influence grows stronger, such individuals become increasingly fragile. Their faith is not grounded in personal choice but in systems and traditions. Consequently, when the storms of life come, their faith collapses, the church loses its power, and many believers abandon their faith. This phenomenon is evident in the Western world, where Christianity has experienced a sharp decline, and churches stand empty.
True divine sovereignty is not a tyranny that arbitrarily decides who will be saved or condemned, but a sovereignty that grants humans the freedom to choose. From the very beginning, God revealed this when He commanded Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God gave humans the freedom to choose, which is the true greatness of God’s sovereignty—He reigns supreme without coercion. He remains the Almighty without abolishing the free will of His creation.
If God’s sovereignty is misunderstood as an absolute power that eliminates human choice, then no one needs to choose; people would inherit faith and depend on fate. But when we understand that God grants free will, then every individual must take responsibility for their own choices, and this is the majesty of God’s sovereignty—not one that oppresses, but one that invites humanity to participate in His divine plan.
The Word of God clearly says that He does not want anyone to perish, but for all to repent and be saved. Therefore, if anyone ultimately perishes, it is not because God destined it so, but because that person chose that path. Salvation is not something inherited; it is the result of a real choice of faith—the choice to follow Jesus with all one’s heart, mind, and actions, until one’s life becomes a reflection of God’s glory in this world.