The One Ring and the Failure of Willpower

Nearly everybody knows of at least one sin habit in their life that they wish to leave behind them. Yet, no matter what they do, it seems impossible for them to be free of this habit, character flaw, or coping mechanism. Our sin cannot be dispelled by our own willpower.

In The Lord of the Rings, Frodo comes to possess the Ring of Power, a terrible ring of corruption and evil, made by the Dark Lord, Sauron. Gandalf, a wizard and friend of Frodo, explains to him next to a cozy fireplace that this little golden ring in Frodo’s pocket is the most dangerous weapon in the world,…