Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

A dear friend that passed away this year would tell me, “If it were a matter of will, I would have already done it.” This comment was made in reference to his personal salvation. At the time I was not sure if he understood what was being offered, a free will choice. Christ chose to go to the cross willingly. I was believing for John that all he had to do was chose to accept that offer.

Just maybe my dear friend had it more right than I did. He saw will as a function of the mind and salvation was a function of the heart. You have to open your heart and let Jesus in. Happily John did that and he became a new creation. His conversion was instant, powerful, and real. It was God sent.

The issue of will to believe is a convincing, not a conviction. John wanted to be convicted, and he found that before his passing, praise the Lord. This leads me to ask with all sincerity if we truly understand the difference between believing with the mind and believing with the heart? John did, praise God.

Being raised in what to think and how to act is not sufficient unto salvation. It takes heart.

Romans 10:9-10 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

If you cannot tell the difference between the will to believe and the heart to believe, ask yourself this very hard question: How do I believe?