I have always known Joshua 24:15 to be a hallmark text for those who defend a "free will" view of salvation. Joshua tells the Israelites, "Choose this day whom you will serve." The free will position then argues, "If Joshua told them to choose, then man must be capable of choosing between the God of the Bible and others gods."

That argument has never shaken my view that man does possess a freedom to choose as he wills, but his will is never free. Romans 6:20-22 teaches that man is a slave to sin before conversion and a slave to God after conversion. So one way or another, we are always enslaved, our wills are not free. However, we do freely choose.

My question, though, is, "Does Joshua 24:15 promote freedom to choose in a positive light or does it portray choosing for ourselves in a negative manner?" To maintain consistency with the free will view, one would have to see Joshua 24:15-24 as good. I would argue, however, that Joshua 24:15-24 actually demonstrates the failure of our wills to choose the good if we are left to "choose for ourselves." Here's why.

In 24:1-13, Joshua spoke to the people on behalf of the Lord and provided a brief history of how the Lord made the people beginning with Abraham, delivered the people from slavery, and brought the people to the land of promise. Joshua then calls on the people in v 14 to "fear the Lord and serve him in sincerity and in faithfulness." The people rehearse a brief synopsis of their history and then pledge their service to the Lord (vv 16-18).

Instead of affirming their "choice," Joshua tells them, "You are not able to serve the Lord." That's not how evangelicals normally respond to "professions of faith!" Why did Joshua discredit their verbal choice to serve the Lord? I would argue that evidently Joshua knew they were not sincere or truly believing people (v 14).

Joshua continues in v 19 to tell the people that God is holy and jealous and that "he will not forgive your transgressions or your sins!" Wow! The people pledge twice more in this passage to serve the Lord, and it seems that Joshua still does not think them sincere. He tells them, "You are witnesses AGAINST yourselves that you have chosen the Lord, to serve him (v 22)."

These are not the only reasons I hold this position. There are other indicators in this text and in the rest of the OT to verify this position. For example, Joshua is merely agreeing with Moses by saying that these people are not really going to serve the Lord even though they pledge to do so (cf Deut 31:29, after Moses had called the people to "choose life" (30:19), he announced that they would rebel against the Lord).

I am preaching on this text Sunday and plan to bring out all the evidence.

The big picture question is now, "What does this mean?"

Two things: (1) You can profess the right things, but if done for the wrong reason, it is to no avail; it is not saving! (2) Joshua 24:15-24 actually demonstrates the failure of our wills to choose rightly from a believing heart if we are left on our own to "choose for ourselves!" Moses' answer for the people's continued rebellion was the promise of the coming New Covenant when God would circumcise the heart (Deut 30:6).