{
 "id": "basics-canon-decisions",
 "question": "What does the Bible teach about making decisions?",
 "answer": "The Bible teaches that even the smallest of decisions we make are of infinite importance, as every crisis forces us to make decisions and in every decision we face the option of choosing good or evil. Every future decision involves elements of past decisions: every good choice we make opens the door for greater choices, while every wrong choice hinders and limits our future options. Today we make our decisions, and tomorrow our decisions make us. Our decisions form a pattern, the pattern becomes a trend, the trend becomes habits, and from our habits comes character, so that in the end we are the product of our decisions. The Bible emphasizes the importance of discernment, which is the ability to make wise distinctions and decisions between good and evil. We get discernment by feeding daily on the solid food of the Word and putting it to work, until our senses are trained through practice. Love is also a foundation for discernment, as agape, the unconditional love produced only by the Spirit of God, gives us the ability to have discernment and make good decisions.",
 "url": "/faq/making-decisions/",
 "unit": 3,
 "lesson": "3-canon",
 "lesson_title": null,
 "question_type": "canonical",
 "tier": 1,
 "faq_class": "doctrine-canonical",
 "aeo_questions": [],
 "topic_anchor": "Decisions",
 "derivation": "derived-canonical",
 "source_authority": "authoritative",
 "author": "Gene Cunningham",
 "book": "The Basics",
 "source": {
  "doc_id": "btbm-01-TheBasics-8-10-24",
  "ref": "The Basics — Decisions (canonical doctrine)",
  "book_page": [
   135,
   190
  ],
  "segment_id": "the-basics__canon__decisions"
 },
 "scripture": [
  {
   "display": "2 Samuel 15:30-37",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    147
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "2 Samuel 17:14",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    149
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "2 Samuel 17:23",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    149
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Philippians 1:9-11",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    197
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Hebrews 5:23-24",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    197
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Romans 12:21",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    197
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "Romans 12:32",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    197
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Corinthians 1:27-30",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    202
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Corinthians 2:6",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    202
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Corinthians 2:7",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    202
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Corinthians 2:8",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    202
   ]
  },
  {
   "display": "1 Corinthians 2:9",
   "osis": null,
   "book_pages": [
    202
   ]
  }
 ],
 "topics": [
  "Decisions",
  "Discernment",
  "Evil"
 ],
 "topics_context": [
  "Grace",
  "Power and Holy Spirit",
  "conformity to Jesus Christ",
  "stages of Spiritual gifts",
  "Spiritual gifts, temporary gifts",
  "attitude toward Bible"
 ],
 "printed_pages": [
  135,
  136,
  137,
  138,
  139,
  140,
  141,
  142,
  143,
  144,
  145,
  146,
  147,
  148,
  149,
  150,
  151,
  152,
  153,
  154,
  155,
  156,
  157,
  158,
  159,
  160,
  161,
  162,
  163,
  164,
  165,
  166,
  167,
  168,
  169,
  170,
  171,
  172,
  173,
  174,
  175,
  176,
  177,
  178,
  179,
  180,
  181,
  182,
  183,
  184,
  185,
  186,
  187,
  188,
  189,
  190
 ],
 "related": {
  "ranked": [
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-discernment",
    "topic_idf_score": 10.555,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment",
     "Evil",
     "Freedom",
     "Judging",
     "Liberty"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-2-q07",
    "topic_idf_score": 10.555,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment",
     "Evil",
     "Greek",
     "Soul"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-2-q08",
    "topic_idf_score": 10.555,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment",
     "Discipline",
     "Evil",
     "Soul",
     "Testing"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-2-q09",
    "topic_idf_score": 7.726,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment",
     "Paul",
     "Righteousness",
     "fruit of Righteousness"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-learning",
    "topic_idf_score": 6.385,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Decisions",
     "Evil",
     "Learning",
     "Will of God"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u3-l3-2-q07",
    "topic_idf_score": 6.385,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Bible Study",
     "Conscience",
     "Decisions",
     "Emotion",
     "Evil",
     "Fear",
     "Hell",
     "Mentality",
     "Mind",
     "Self-consciousness",
     "Soul",
     "Volition"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u5-l5-3-q10",
    "topic_idf_score": 6.385,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Decisions",
     "Evil"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-2-q10",
    "topic_idf_score": 7.0,
    "why": "topic",
    "shared_topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Discernment"
    ],
    "topics": [
     "Discernment",
     "Evil"
    ],
    "shared_verse_count": 0,
    "same_lesson": false
   }
  ],
  "same_lesson": [
   "basics-canon-hero-of-faith",
   "basics-canon-judging",
   "basics-canon-small-things",
   "basics-canon-mentality",
   "basics-canon-self-consciousness",
   "basics-canon-discipline"
  ],
  "shares_scripture": [
   "basics-canon-mind",
   "basics-canon-spiritual-warfare",
   "basics-impl-five-techniques",
   "basics-canon-inspiration",
   "basics-canon-training-in-righteousness",
   "basics-def-bible",
   "basics-canon-disciplines",
   "basics-u1-l1-3-q01"
  ],
  "shares_topic": [
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-discernment",
    "score": 10.555,
    "topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-2-q07",
    "score": 10.555,
    "topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-2-q08",
    "score": 10.555,
    "topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-2-q09",
    "score": 7.726,
    "topics": [
     "Decisions",
     "Discernment"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-2-q10",
    "score": 7.0,
    "topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Discernment"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-learning",
    "score": 6.385,
    "topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u3-l3-2-q07",
    "score": 6.385,
    "topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u5-l5-3-q10",
    "score": 6.385,
    "topics": [
     "Evil",
     "Decisions"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-canon-judging",
    "score": 4.171,
    "topics": [
     "Discernment"
    ]
   },
   {
    "id": "basics-u4-l4-2-q06",
    "score": 4.171,
    "topics": [
     "Discernment"
    ]
   }
  ],
  "prev": null,
  "next": null,
  "prev_kind": null,
  "next_kind": null
 }
}