Choices have consequences. Our choices mean certain things.
“…as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). When Joshua spoke these words he was calling upon all Israel to make a choice. He had already made his choice. He shared it with them and with us.
His choice meant something. There were things he would avoid doing and things he would make sure he was doing, all because he had chosen.
Take any command or instruction from God and compare it to Joshua’s life. Either he was already doing it or he would soon be corrected by it and start doing it, because he had chosen.
To summarize Romans 5:1-5, faith can be described as what we have chosen to believe. Our faith will be tested to see if we will choose to remain faithful. When we choose to remain faithful, regardless of the trial, we show our faith to be genuine and real. We show tested and proven character through the choice to remain faithful. Tested and proven character gives us hope because we show ourselves to be exactly what God desires us to be. We have chosen to be what He desires us to be.
In this way our love to Him is demonstrated. We show ourselves to be His people.
Have you chosen?