God created men and women in his image.

Bible¹ scholars have discussed what that means for centuries, but one thing it definitely means is that God created us with the ability to choose. He gave us a free will. He wants us to choose to have a friendship with Him. He wants us to choose to enjoy His company forever. Adam and Eve, the very first couple He created, experienced happiness and joy in life because they walked and talked with God on a daily basis.

With freedom, however, comes risk and responsibility. It's true for a nation. It's true for a business. It's true in raising teenagers. And it's true for us as individuals. Because God gave us freedom to choose, we can freely choose to live independently of God. That's what Adam and Eve did. They signed on their own "declaration of independence," and in doing so, declared themselves to be "King of the Mountain."