Articles
Choose to Serve God
As Moses presented God’s law to the ancient Israelites, he said, “I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants, by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him” (Deuteronomy 30:19-20a).
A few years later, Joshua repeated the challenge: “Now, therefore, fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity in truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. . . . Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:14-15a).
Centuries after that, the prophet Elijah echoed the call: “How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow Him” (1 Kings 18:21).
Several things are evident in view of the repeated call to God’s people to choose to serve Him.
First, serving God is a choice. The Bible does not teach the doctrine of individual predestination, which says that everything you do, whether good or bad, is nothing more than what God predestined that you would do. No, you have a choice, and you are responsible for the choice you make.
Second, serving God is a life-application choice. It begins with an overall decision, then progresses. It requires believing some things. It requires putting some things away and doing some other things instead, “obeying His voice.” We make the choice whether to serve God or not on a daily basis. We make it on Sundays when we decide to worship Him or to do something else; and to worship as He directed or according to our own preference. We make it all the other days of the week too, when we decide in any given moment whether we will think, speak, act, or react as He wills.
Third, serving God is not a once-for-all-time choice. It requires “holding fast to Him.” “Remember also your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1), and continue to do so throughout life. Remember Him both in times of prosperity and in times of adversity. (The Bible contains numerous examples of people who failed in either circumstance.) Choose God’s way when it is difficult to do what He says, as well as when it is easy. And choose to serve Him, regardless of what others around you are doing or advise. Stand with Joshua: “. . . but as for me and for my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
“For the Scripture says, ‘Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed’” (Romans 10:11).
