Moral Determination
Moral determination is the willfully setting of one's heart to do the will of God, achieved through surrender and the purging of our will by God.
A.W. Tozer emphasizes the significance of moral determination in serving the Lord, drawing from biblical examples such as Jacob, Daniel, Paul, and Jesus, who all demonstrated a resolute commitment to God's will. He highlights that true spiritual greatness arises from a steadfast will to follow God, rather than a passive approach to faith. Tozer encourages believers to embrace the challenge of purposefully cleaving to the Lord, asserting that while surrendering may feel like a breaking of the will, it is actually a purging that aligns our will with God's. The sermon calls for a revival of moral determination in an age of weak faith.
Text
Though we do not have much of it in this age of spineless religion, there is nevertheless much in the Bible about the place of moral determination in the service of the Lord. The Old Testament tells us that "Jacob vowed a vow," and Daniel "purposed in his heart." Paul determined "not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." Above all, we have the example of the Lord Jesus "setting His face like a flint" and walking straight toward the Cross.
These and many others have left us a record of spiritual greatness born out of a will firmly set to do the will of God!
They did not try to float to heaven on a perfumed cloud, but cheerfully accepted the fact that "with purpose of heart they must cleave to the Lord." We must surrender-and in that terrible, wonderful moment we may feel that our will has been forever broken, but such is not the case. In His conquest of the soul, God purges the will and brings it into union with His own, but He never breaks it!
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Moral Determination points: - Examples in the Bible - Jacob's vow - Daniel's purpose
- Setting the Will to Do God's Will points: - Paul's determination - Jesus' example
- The Process of Surrender points: - Breaking and making of the will - Union with God's will
Key Quotes
“They did not try to float to heaven on a perfumed cloud, but cheerfully accepted the fact that 'with purpose of heart they must cleave to the Lord.'” — A.W. Tozer
“In His conquest of the soul, God purges the will and brings it into union with His own, but He never breaks it!” — A.W. Tozer
Application Points
- We must surrender our will to God and accept His purpose for our lives.
- Through surrender, our will is purged and brought into union with God's will.
- Moral determination is essential for spiritual growth and living a life that honors God.