Most people on the planet cannot understand theoretical mathematical complex equations, the majority are not proficient in quantum physics, the world would be a much different place if we were. The most complex issues always begin with the most simplest of steps, to understand the mathematics of the gravitational force upon an object, one must first be able to comprehend that one plus one equals two, as the old saying goes, the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.
Here is the question though, and it can be applied to every single area of your life, do you not perform a certain function because you cannot do it, or because you will not do it. That is why mathematics is a good analogy, if we place one object beside another, we can easily teach even the youngest the concept of addition, remove it, and subtraction is learned, for they, as the problem is, are simple minded yet, but there comes a time when the ability to discern becomes more difficult, application in the form of mental energy must be exerted, and here is where can’t and won’t live.
“Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16) “I can’t,” we say, “I know” He says, “but try.”
A man cannot become a woman, it matters not the surgeries they have, the attire they wear, or the hormones they take, if a genetic test is done upon them, the truth comes out, it is not that they cannot exist within the gender from they were born with, they will not, they won’t. The refusal on our part is limited only by our desires of the subject matter, repeating something to ourselves continuously does not make it the truth, no matter how much the media would like us to believe so, one plus one is always going to equal two.
Here is where perseverance rests, and that continuing perseverance is related directly to our desire to accomplish that which we seek to be. If you are employed by a company that informs you that if you learn this new task, you will receive a higher wage, the incentive to accomplish that learning is quite visible, more money, it matters little if you have a propensity for that area of study or not, most will apply themselves to the task because of the reward. “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matt. 6:33) There is the task, the way to perform the task has been laid out in the Word of God, specifically the King James Bible, you are the one that must determine if the prize, the Lord Jesus (Phil. 3:14) is worth the effort needed to pursue that prize, there is no “can’t” in this endeavor, all preconceived notions of who God is must be thrown out of the equation.
The Word is truth, and is clear, “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13) I fear that there is a lot of “won’t” though in many. The Scriptures can be read like any other book, from beginning to end, in fact if one does not have a firm knowledge of the Old Testament, the New will not be completely clear, for God is One. (1 John 5:7) The matter of our course of desire to grow closer to the Lord, to know more of Him, does not rest on our inability to comprehend all Scriptural truth, but on our lack of desire to be submissive to it, the can’t is replaced by a won’t, and completely by our own free will.
The truths of Scripture are not placed in us by osmosis by the Holy Spirit, He leads us in all truth, (John 16:13) we are the ones that determine how far, and even if, we will follow that leading. Here is where truth lives, for “the just shall live by faith,” (Rom. 1:17) what we do not understand we are to obey, it is not that we cannot live by faith, it is that we will not that determines our relationship to our God.
I have attempted to learn what I call higher forms of mathematics more than once in my life, spending many hours and days on the equations, each one leading to the next, each one becoming more and more difficult to comprehend, until finally one day I lost all desire to learn further. It was not that I could not perform the task in front of me, it was a lack of desire to continue, and here is the perseverance of the saints. “But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.” (2 Thess. 3:13) It is the Holy Spirit that leads us in all paths of righteousness, (Psalm 23:3) we need only to accomplish two items, follow and obey.
This is something we can do, because we are being empowered to do so by the Lord, not one born-again believer will be able to use the excuse of “I can’t,” all our Lord hears from these children of His is, “I won’t.” I do not claim to understand how anyone who is truly saved can be seen as unprofitable, I know only that there are many members of the body, (Romans 12:4) but I fully understand that many who are calling Him Lord are deceiving themselves, it is with their lips only that they speak, their hearts are far from Him, and it is not because they won’t, pride is blinding them, their own pride, for others Satan is blinding their eyes, but for most of these, the prize is not worth the effort.
You might want to take a closer look at yourself here, are you not obedient to the Word, are you not submitting to the Holy Spirit because you can’t, because the cost would be too high, or because you won’t, because the cost would be too high.
