Puritan New Year's Resolutions

New Year's Resolution:

"A commitment that an individual makes to a project or a habit, often a lifestyle change that is generally interpreted as advantageous."

I am not necessarily a fan of New Year's Resolutions. I don't often make them. There is nothing wrong with them. I just find that I need to make changes of this nature much more frequently than once a year. When I think of someone who was resolved to change his life to be like Christ, one man immediately springs to mind, Jonathan Edwards.

Jonathan Edwards was a key figure in the First Great Awakening in the United States (1730s and 40s). He took over the Northampton Church after the death of his Grandfather, Solomon Stoddard who is most often remembered for his use of the Half-Way Covenant which opened up the Lord's Table to everyone in his church. It was Edwards' refusal to continue his grandfather's practice of the Half-Way Covenant that lead to his being kicked out of his church at Northampton. Yes, you heard me right, Jonathan Edwards, one of the greatest theological minds of all time, was given the boot from his own church, even though he preached sermons like this and these.

The reason Jonathan Edwards comes to mind when I think of resolutions is because he wrote down 70 of them that became quite famous. These were not mere flash-in-the-pan ramblings of a naive idealist. These were firm commitments to greater sanctification and personal holiness. I would like to look at just a couple of them. Some are repetitive, but they are all worth reading. You can find them all right here. Give 'em a look.

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great so ever.

He decided to go for the gold on his first resolution. To me the most impressive part about this resolution is his dedication to the pursuit of God's glory despite the time it might take and the problems it might create. I think we all would say that we would desire God's glory to be manifest in our lives (Philippians 1:20-21), but how many of us give up when it becomes difficult or time consuming. Living for God's glory requires personal sacrifice.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
17. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.
19. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.
52. I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age. July 8, 1723.

These are incredibly convicting. How many times do I waste an hour, or worse a day? We should take seriously the admonition of Ephesians 5:16, "making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." Perhaps if we realized the transient nature of life, we would make better use of our time. If we numbered our days, we would have great wisdom (Psalm 90:12).

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.
36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.
70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak. Aug. 17, 1723.

This is incredibly difficult. How often do we like to have the scoop about someone or be privy to the latest tidbit of news or gossip? It is quite easy, in fact very natural, for us to speak ill of other people. James comments that people use the tongue to bless God and at the same time curse those made in His image (James 3:9-10). James goes as far as to say that the person who has controlled his tongue is a "perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body." (James 3:2).

40. Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking. Jan. 7, 1723.

Okay, all I have to say is, "OUCH, that one hurts." But we should glorify God in all things even eating and drinking.

56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

It is easy, after a long unsuccessful battle with sin, to give up hope of ever conquering it. Paul admonishes us to remember that we are no longer servants to sin but we have been delivered from it (Romans 6:6-7).

Again, I am not saying that New Year's Resolutions are necessarily bad. The beginning of a new year can be a good time to examine our lives and purpose in our hearts to change. But maybe this year our resolutions can go a bit deeper than usual as we seek by God's magnificent grace to pursue true righteousness and personal holiness.

"[you were taught] to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness."

Ephesians 4: 22-24