When you turn your heart against God, it tends to become set and stubborn. Mrs C.H. Morris wrote a song expressing the change of attitude when one is converted to Christ. Part of that song is quoted in the box.

The Set and Stubborn Heart

Don't allow your "stubborn will" to become so unyielding that you cannot turn to your Heavenly Father through his Son Jesus, and receive his Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of your sins (Lke 11:13 Acts 2:38).

Having made that plea to you, I would now like to tell you, simply and briefly, how you can yield your heart to God.

Some preachers will say, "Just invite Jesus into your heart right now" as if there is no more to it than a "believer's prayer". By all means pray. But make your prayer this: "Lord let in me Thy will be done". Then go ahead and do his will. Do what he says is necessary for the salvation of your soul.

Believing in Jesus

It is evident, of course, that one cannot merely ask for salvation, for that very act implies a prior belief in Jesus which is essential to salvation (Jhn 3:16). Belief, however, must evoke more than just an idle prayer for salvation. It must evoke commitment and compliance in doing what God wills.

Many folk get hung up on the question of "salvation by works" and claim that the alternative is "salvation by faith alone". James however says, "A person is justified by works, not by faith alone" (Jas 2:24). We cannot be saved by works without faith, for those works would be "dead". Just as truly, we cannot be saved by faith without works, for that faith would be "dead" (Jas 2:17,26).

In part two of this lesson, we stress the necessity of yielding to the will of God by obeying his commands to repent of your sins, confess your faith in Jesus, and be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.