The Bottom Line Choice Series

There can be little doubt about what Joshua is after. The word “serve” appears seven times in verses fourteen and fifteen. Joshua that day called for a decision that would help end the spiritual, intellectual and moral restlessness that marked so many lives. Joshua demands a commitment when he says, “And now fear the Lord and serve him whole heartedly and without reservation.”

Hundreds of years later, the prophet Elijah on Mount Carmel gave a similar challenge. He said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him,, but if Baal, follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21) One translation of this verse renders it, (RSV) “How long will you go limping with two different opinions.”

Joshua urged them to rationally consider the options. Joshua now presents them with four options. 1. They could follow the old gods of Mesopotamia, “the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River,” as Abraham did before his call. 2. They could worship the gods of Egypt which they are so familiar with from 400 hundred years of slavery in Egypt. 3. Or if they preferred they could adopt the gods of the Canaanites whom they had just spend seven year defeating. 4. But the real God was still an option.

Reflecting on all that God has done (vv. 1-13) it is the only reasonable response to overwhelming waves of God’s goodness. The same pattern is repeated in the New Testament, the lavish goodness of God is depicted in Romans 1-11 and then Romans 12:1 calls all men to the only rational response. You know the verse so don’t turn there just listen as I read this verse in a literal translation. “So then brothers, in view of all these mercies that God has bestowed on you, I now make this plea. Present your bodies to God, present them as a sacrifice – a living one, not a lifeless one; a holy one (because it is offered to a holy God), and one in which He will take pleasure. For, when you consider your indebtedness to God, the consecration of your lives in his service is your logical act of worship.”

[F. F. Bruce. An Expanded Paraphrase of the Epistles of Paul. (Exeter: Paternoster, 1965) p. 223,225]

Four ingredients of a true decision for God.

1. We Must Be Willing to Quit Straddling the Fence

There far too many individuals in the church today that are trying to keep on foot in the world and one foot in the church. They don’t want to make a commitment that might change their status in the world. And they don’t want to give up their sin in order to really be right with God. So they end up sitting on the fence, not really a part of the world and not really a part of the church. Joshua challenges us to acknowledge that it is time to make a decision. Either enter the world and live by it standards and collect its rewards, no matter how temporary. Or make a decision to follow God, wholeheartedly and without reservation. One finally has to make a decision.

The answer for some is, “Well I want to but not now, now is not a good time.” The truth is that for some there is never a good time. They will not come to Christ when they are up because they don’t sense the need. They won’t come to Christ when they are down. They are too proud. They won’t come when they are in between because they don’t even take time then to think about it.