WILL

Carson Richards

Part 1 of 5

The will is by definition “that faculty or power of the mind by which we determine either to do, or not to do, something which we conceive to be in our power.” Example: we came to meeting tonight. We had the power to do it, and we did it. Others had that same faculty and did not. That, of course, does not include those who could not. I want to consider in this lesson some generalizations, personal observations and scriptural authorities for the excise of this ability. It is a part of the created being we are, so it has to be something planted by the Creator. I remember the old military cliché – in emergency situations to “fire at will.” Well, old Will has escaped all that. Either the shooters were not good marksmen, or Will was an artful dodger, for he is still with us and will be to the end of the earthly life. His need may have disappeared after that. It is a very important earthly propensity we humans have, women just as certainly as men. It is a universal thing.

Let’s take three examples in my experience in the use of this thing, called “will.” All three are actual persons, so we’ll use fictitious names. First, there was Sweetie Pyee. She was the half-sister of a younger girl who came to our Sunday School. This girl, Sweetie, came to live with her father and step-mother and came to Sunday School a few times. One Sunday she didn’t come, and we inquired about her. Her younger sister answered, “She made up her mind.” I gathered that she had made up her mind not to come to Sunday School, and she never did after that. You see, she had a will that decided that simple, yet far-reaching course.

Second, there was a brother, Sandstone, and his wife, Granite. Granite always had her will imposed on  Sandstone. His mind went bad in the latter years. I visited him in the presence of granite and her sister whom we will call Marble. While I was there, Granite approached Sandstone about something, where-upon he kicked at her and swore very vehemently and ever blasphemously. She was embarrassed and said to me, “That is not Sandstone speaking, but the illness.” I said nothing, but didn’t agree. I saw a lifetime of a subdued will that was let loose at last. I believed he meant just what he said. So there is the example of the will dormant, but still there just the same.

Finally, there was Clack McDuff and I, Clack McDuff (fictitious name) was the son of a taciturn Scotsman and he was my best friend in school, from age eight to twenty. We played sports together, looked at the stars on summer nights and spoke of dreams to come. We shared our thoughts and all. A couple of years back I was at a High School class reunion for “X” number of years after graduation. I will not say the number of pride’s sake. A rather dignified man stepped forth when I arrived, held out his hand, and said, “Hello, Carson.” It was Clack McDuff. I think a thousand thoughts went through both our minds. He had wanted to be a detective and I, a doctor. Other boys had laughed at him. I didn’t, he was my friend. He did get into the FBI and had retired not long before the reunion. I never became a doctor. His will was stronger than mine. There is another part to this. I remember when I decided to come to Kansas City and learn the Word of God and to follow the Lord, that I wrote several friends of school days. Clack was one of those. Some shrugged it off, some laughed, but he didn’t laugh. He let me know I was following one course and he another. Our wills didn’t go in the same direction. The rewards of his will are about over; he might be saved, he might not. I can prove nothing of the excellence of my choice, for the will is center of the choice. But we shall see what we shall see hereafter.

Now lets get some Bible leading on the subject. We are giving this general study of “the will” so there will be some Scriptures we use again later. Gen. 3:6: “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereon, and did eat, and gave also to her husband with her; and he did eat.” Disregarding all the implications and accusations herein usually attributed to the women, let’s rest on the premise that wills were brought into play by our first parents. They had wills and used them to eat, when they might not have eaten. Either was in their power. There is man’s will, one of our later points. Gen. 5:24: “And Enoch walked with God, and he was not; for God took him.” Now no wills are mentioned here, but there was definitely the presence of two. Paul tells us that Enoch pleased God before his translation. Amos, the prophet, tells us that two cannot walk together except they be agreed, and in the God-man relationships, the dominant will is God’s. So Enoch submitted his will to the will of God.

Eph. 2:2: “Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience.” So there is the will of this “prince” who rules the spirits of this world’s conglomerate. We will look more at that later, too.

Gen. 24:58: “And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go.” Some have heard me say that this is my favorite women of the Old Testament. I have chosen Rebekah to represent the last point we will share with you now concerning “my will.” Regardless of our station in life or the preponderance of other wills combined, we each exercise our own will.

May God bless you in the proper use of this very crucial part of your spirit, the will!
To be continued – Part 2, THE WILL OF MAN