Balancing Personal Preferences and Biblical Principles in Decision Making
Decision-making in a biblical framework involves a deliberate choice to align personal conduct with divine principles, often requiring a conscious effort to prioritize God's will over worldly attractions [6, 8]. The Bible emphasizes the necessity of making clear decisions in service to God, contrasting this with wavering or divided loyalties [3].
Scripture frequently calls for individuals to choose God's precepts and follow His ways. For instance, Psalm 119:173 states, "Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts" [2]. This choice is not presented as a hasty impulse but as a "serious and deliberate choice," as Matthew Henry notes on Psalm 119:30, where the "way of truth" is identified with "serious godliness" [8]. This path is to be chosen not merely out of ignorance of other options, but because it is recognized as the best and only safe way to happiness [8].
The concept of decision-making is also linked to judgment and discernment. Deuteronomy 17:8 describes a process for resolving difficult matters, suggesting that when issues are "too hard for you in judgment," they should be brought to a chosen place for resolution [1]. This implies a need for wisdom and guidance beyond individual capacity in complex situations. The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:15, appeals to the Corinthians' "own powers of judgment" to weigh his arguments, indicating that believers are expected to exercise discernment and not divest themselves of the responsibility of judging for themselves [7]. Job 34:4 also suggests a collective responsibility to "make the decision for ourselves as to what is right; let us have the knowledge among ourselves of what is good" [4].
Balancing personal preferences with biblical principles often means choosing what is right even when it involves hardship or sacrifice. Hebrews 11:25 illustrates this through Moses, who "balanced the best of the world with the worst of religion, and decidedly chose the latter" [6]. This choice involved preferring "affliction" with God's people over the "pleasures of sin for a season," recognizing the temporary nature of worldly enjoyment compared to the eternal nature of religious rewards [6]. Christian conduct, therefore, involves believing, fearing, loving, following, and obeying God, as well as believing in, loving, following the example of, and obeying Christ [5]. This commitment means living "to righteousness" and conducting oneself "soberly, righteously, and godly" [5].
Sources
- Deuteronomy “If there arises a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates; then you shall arise, and go up to the place which Yahweh your God chooses. -- Deuteronomy 17:8”
- Psalms “Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. -- Psalms 119:173”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Decision — Necessary to the service of God -- Lu 9:62. Exhortations to -- Jos 24:14,15. Exhibited in Seeking God with the heart. -- 2Ch 15:12. Keeping the commandments of God. -- Ne 10:29. Being on the Lord's side. -- Ex 32:26. Following God fully. -- Nu 14:24; 32:12; Jos 14:8. Serving God. -- Isa 56:6. Loving God perfectly. -- De 6:5. Blessedness of. -- Jos 1:7. Opposed to A divided service. -- Mt 6:24. Double-mindedness. -- Jas 1:8. Halting between two opinions. -- 1Ki 18:21. Turning to the right or left. -- De 5:32. Not setting the heart aright. -- Ps 78:8,37. Exe”
- Job “Job 34:4 (BBE) — Let us make the decision for ourselves as to what is right; let us have the knowledge among ourselves of what is good.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Conduct, Christian — Believing God -- Mr 11:22; Joh 14:11,12. Fearing God -- Ec 12:13; 1Pe 2:17. Loving God -- De 6:5; Mt 22:37. Following God -- Eph 5:1; 1Pe 1:15,16. Obeying God -- Lu 1:6; 1Jo 5:3. Rejoicing in God -- Ps 33:1; Hab 3:18. Believing in Christ -- Joh 6:29; 1Jo 3:23. Loving Christ -- Joh 21:15; 1Pe 1:7,8. Following the example of Christ -- Joh 13:15; 1Pe 2:21-24. Obeying Christ -- Joh 14:21; 15:14. Living To Christ. -- Ro 14:8; 2Co 5:15. To righteousness. -- Mic 6:8; Ro 6:18; 1Pe 2:24. Soberly, righteously, and godly. -- Tit 2:12. Walking Honestly. -- 1”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 11:25: He balanced the best of the world with the worst of religion, and decidedly chose the latter. "Choosing" implies a deliberate resolution, not a hasty impulse. He was forty years old, a time when the judgment is matured. for a season--If the world has "pleasure" (Greek, "enjoyment") to offer, it is but "for a season." If religion bring with it "affliction," it too is but for a season; whereas its "pleasures are for evermore."”
- 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 10:15: Appeal to their own powers of judgment to weigh the force of the argument that follows: namely, that as the partaking of the Lord's Supper involves a partaking of the Lord Himself, and the partaking of the Jewish sacrificial meats involved a partaking of the altar of God, and, as the heathens sacrifice to devils, to partake of an idol feast is to have fellowship with devils. We cannot divest ourselves of the responsibility of "judging" for ourselves. The weakness of private judgment is not an argument against its use, but its abuse. We should t”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:30: Observe, I. That those who will make anything to purpose of their religion must first make it their serious and deliberate choice; so David did: I have chosen the way of truth. Note, 1. The way of serious godliness is the way of truth; the principles it is founded on are principles of eternal truth, and it is the only true way to happiness. 2. We must choose to walk in this way, not because we know no other way, but because we know no better; nay we know no other safe and good way. Let us choose that way for our way, which we will walk in, though it be narrow. I”