What are the possibilities? Either our response to the call of the gospel is prompted from within or from without. Either we are the agent of our "decision" to believe on Jesus, or something outside of us must act in order tfor us to respond in faith.
I can understand why it is difficult to answer the question. It's a no win situation for those who resist the doctrines of election and predestination as taught in the Bible.
I know that we have a choice as to who we will serve (Joshua 24:15).
Is this passage in Joshua really speaking of our choice in salvation? No really. The context makes it clear that these people, Israel, already belonged to God. All they were choosing to do was reject His place as sovereign over the nation and follow after other gods. Look at teh opening phrase, "And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord ...". They already had a covenant with God. Joshua was provoking them to be faithful to that covenant, just as he and his family were. Then look at their response, "So the people answered and said: 'Far be it from us that we should forsake the Lord to serve other gods; for the Lord our God is He who brought us and our fathers up out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage, who did ... '" They did what their hearts were already inclined to do. They were not some sort of cosmic fence-sitters weighing which deity to follow.
I'm afraid this passage does not support the free will theory, although many use it that way.
The other verses have similar meaning, since they were directed at people who were already in covenant relationship with God.
In order for there to be harmony in Scripture, man must be able to accept or reject Christ.
Man rejected God at the Fall. His heart was darkened, and he became spiritually dead. The only way he can receive new life is not by willing it in himself, but by a change of heart brought about by the Holy Spirit working the gospel in him. God loves His won. Those He calls by name. Jesus Christ died for the sin of His people (Matt. 1:21). He has set His electing love on them alone. They are His sheep. He knew them by His electing love before the foundation of the world.
Man’s heart is so darkened by sin that if Christ did not choose some to be His own there would be no one in heaven. Folks don’t want to believe that because they don’t really believe man is as bad as the Scripture makes him out to be. They think that our will is immune from the taint of Adam’s sin, as we are free morally to choose Jesus. The Scripture paints an entirely different picture.
“As it is written: ‘There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.’” (Rom. 3:10-12)
Revelation 22:17
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.