FAITH DEPENDENT ON THE WILL.
By R. F. Cottrell
A man said to me, “I would not believe your doctrine if I knew it was true.” I am satisfied that faith is more dependent upon the will of a person than many think. It is true that faith must be founded on evidence; it comes by hearing; but the will may resist the evidence however strong it may be. Unbelief stubbornly refuses to accept the best testimony, and builds itself up on objections the most absurd and unreasonable. It closes the eyes to the plainest and most manifest truth, and hides under a refuge of lies too flimsy to afford protection; and then concludes, “If I am lost, I am lost in innocence; for the testimony is so weak, and the objections so strong that I cannot believe.” “Search the Scriptures; . . . they are they which testify of me. And ye WILL NOT come to me, that ye might have life.” It is the resistance of the will that keeps men from believing God and accepting the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ. Sinners love sin and hate to part with it; therefore they search for objections to the truth to excuse themselves in their infidelity. It is sometimes said that false professors and false doctrines make infidels. These certainly foster infidelity, and help those who want an excuse for their rejection of the truth to find one which they think is valid, but which in the sight of sound reason is utterly fallacious. If Christians do not live as they ought, it is every man’s privilege to show the world how they ought to live. And if others falsify the doctrines of the Bible, all have the privilege of going to the fountain-head of truth for themselves. The difficulty is the want of a disposition to do these things. It seems more feasible to the carnal mind to find an excuse for unbelief and disobedience. Let the will be submitted to God, and faith will be the result. The carnal mind is not subject to the law of God. It always loves unbelief. But, “If any man WILL DO HIS WILL, he shall know of the doctrine,” God has revealed his will to man in the plainest terms. A willingness to keep the law of ten commandments as they are, is the best thing to enlighten the eyes of the understanding in the search after truth. Those who are unwilling to yield to God and keep his commandments will excuse themselves with some silly objection. Professing Christians who are unwilling to keep the Lord’s Sabbath, follow the same course, and, like the infidel, make some objection which casts the blame of their disobedience on the Law-giver. If men would yield the will to God, they would believe his word. But the man who will find objections, will find them, no matter how unreasonable, silly, and impious they may be. No matter if they impeach the wisdom and benevolence of the Almighty; if he can cast off blame from himself, it is no matter to him on whom it falls. How deep the depravity of the sinful heart. How much better to yield the will to God, and lovingly confide in his word.