THE WILL IN CONQUERING SIN
Mrs. C. H. Llewellyn of Walton, Kentucky, wishes to know about the will in overcoming sinful habits. The questioner is right when she says that no evil habit can be broken except by the “determination of the will power.” Revelation 22:17 reads: “And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And he that heareth, let him say, Come. And he that is athirst, let him come: he that will, let him take the water of life freely.” Let us particularly note the volitional value of the words, “he that will,”—words which essentially count for the attainment of eternal life. He that wills is assured of God’s salvation, for he works in harmony with God’s plan for him. This by no means predicates, however, that it is by our will power that we are saved from sin or evil habits. There is no power within us of any kind whereby we can triumph over iniquity. We were born in sin (Psalm 51:5), and throughout life we are held in its overmastering grip (Romans 3:10-12). We all of us know only too well how true to human experience are the words of the prophet: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil.” Jeremiah 13:23. What our will power does is to connect us with Heaven’s resources of redemption through Jesus Christ. Our wills invite the Master of men to take possession of our lives; and through His power, His presence, sin is conquered, and we are freed from the thralldom of transgression and iniquitous and vile habits. As one truthfully and beautifully puts it, “Many are inquiring, ‘How am I to make the surrender of myself to God?’ You desire to give yourself to Him, but you are weak in moral power, in slavery to doubt, and controlled by the habits of your life of sin. Your promises and resolutions are like ropes of sand. You can not control your thoughts, your impulses, your affections. The knowledge of your broken promises and forfeited pledges weakens your confidence in your own sincerity, and causes you to feel that God can not accept you; but you need not despair. What you need to understand is the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man, the power of decision, or of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. The power of choice God has given to men; it is theirs to exercise. You can not change your heart, you can not of yourself give to God its affections; but you can choose to serve Him. You can give Him your will, He will then work in you to will and to do according to His good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13.) Thus your whole nature will be brought under the control of the Spirit of Christ; your affections will be centered upon Him; your thoughts will be in harmony with Him. “Desires for goodness and holiness are right as far as they go; but if you stop here, they will avail nothing. Many will be lost, while hoping and desiring to be Christians. They do not come to the point of yielding the will to God. They do not now choose to be Christians. “Through the right exercise of the will, an entire change may be made in your life. By yielding up your will to Christ, you ally yourself with the power that is above all principalities and powers. You will have strength from above to hold you steadfast, and thus through constant surrender to God you will be enabled to live the new life, even the life of faith.”—“Steps to Christ,” chapter, “Consecration,” paragraphs 11-13.