Care and Feeding of the Born-Again Heart: In Remembrance of Our Spiritual Forebears
Today’s feast of the heart at The Training Table consists of some Christmas-New Year’s meaty and magnificent fare based upon Jonathan Edwards’ Resolutions.
I lovingly yet passionately invite you to turn away from the usual and vastly ineffective and impotent “New Year’s resolution stuff” and turn towards a commitment to be a constructive revolutionary for Jesus!
The Demands and Delights of Discipleship
As I read and re-read Edward’s Resolutions a few things came to my mind that may be helpful for each of you beloved Training Table regulars:
1) The breadth and depth of Edwards’ Resolutions is staggering, but his heart-devoted motivation: a) his knowledge, love, and trust in God and, b) his awareness of his own blackened yet redeemed heart… is one-hundred-times more so. Edwards’ preface statement is seminal: “Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will for Christ’s sake.”
I am deeply humbled, blown away, and “righteously envious” [I want what he has for the best of reasons and ways…] by the breadth and depth, and want it for myself and other Saints—who would indiscriminately and openly state Edward’s preface as their very own… and be “Resolved this day…”, each and every day, from there on.
2) Edwards’ sort of God- and self-awareness is an attribute of Christian discipleship that I take very seriously and we [The Body of Christ] should take super-seriously as well. But I would respectfully submit that the vast majority of today’s self-described Christians would attribute Edwards’ wholesale, sold-out, nothing-more-dear devotion to God and his Resolutions to a throwback bygone era of outmoded Puritanical, religious, “Old King James” fanaticism—100% heretical compared to the humanist ethos of the culture and many self-described Christians as well.
And this is a shame… And a sham faith for too many who claim Christ as their namesake.
I long for more Christ-followers [very much including myself] to embrace “being Resolved” via Edwards’ wholesale, sold-out, urgent, nothing-more-dear-devotion-to-God faith which fully embraces the demands and delights of discipleship—and the cultural impact that flows from it. In Edwards’ case, the impact on the world that flowed from his of God- and self-awareness is vast indeed. All disciples of Jesus Christ have the potential to be similarly fruitful… if we are similarly Resolved!
3) In the comfort-centered, self-help, “3-, 7-, 10-Step”, quick-and-pain-free, fad-fixated, seeker-friendly fishbowl of our day, it’s nearly impossible for most folks to get a hold of something Godly and good for themselves—and stick with it long and painstaking enough to witness how God can transform his or her life.
The “whole discipleship thing” just requires too much discipline and sacrifice in the same direction. It’s “boring”—a blasphemy in today’s overly-stimulated and underly-intentional culture. As G.K. Chesterton wisely and soberly said, “The Christian ideal has not been tried and found wanting. It has been found difficult; and left untried.”
I’m reminded of Eugene Peterson’s insight and book, “A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society” [See: Resources below]. That’s the rub… I pray for more and more home and church leaders to be faithful, brave, resolved, models, encouragers, discipliners, and put bible-based discipleship programs in place. And then stick with it; evolve it; emulate it; reward it; witness to it; grow by it, give God the glory for the fruits… and then do it again until Jesus returns!
4) Lastly, Edwards said, “Of all the knowledge that we can ever obtain, the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of ourselves, are the most important.”
Allow me to add to it in this way: “Of all the knowledge that we can ever obtain, the knowledge of God, and the knowledge of ourselves… and the use of the community of Saints to co-sanctify these two… are the most important.”
COMMUNITY and SERVICE
A dream come true for me would be that anyone within the sound or influence of my small voice would:
a) print out Edwards’ Resolutions and tuck it into your bible;
b) begin each day in the New Year by committing at the very least the first few months of the New Year to reading, highlighting, bible-referencing, meditating, internalizing, journaling… which of the Resolutions the Holy Spirit is pressing into your heart to know, grow, and sow into other lives in word and deed;
c) take this discipline to your church, community / fellowship group;
d) invite them into the same process and beginning to the New Year… to a New Life in Christ… and;
e) submit your new, freshly Resolved life to a Saintly group or accountability process whereby God’s resolve to transform your life is placed in the proper context of COMMUNITY and SERVICE… That God guarantees will absolutely change the world!
To my Tuesday morning Men’s Fellowship and all other Saintly communities to which I personally belong… Head’s Up! My New Year’s resolution is about a constructive revolution of discipleship that glorifies God and blesses His people until I die or Christ returns. Amen.
The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards
[The subheadings and categorization are suggested by Matt Perman
to increase the order, implementation, and readability.]
“Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.
I will remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.
Overall Life Mission
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 myriad’s 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.
2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the aforementioned things.
3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.
4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power; might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.
62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty; and then according to Eph. 6:5-8, do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man; “Bond-servants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free.” June 25 and July 13, 1723.
Good Works
11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances don’t hinder.
13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.
69. Resolved, always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. Aug. 11, 1723.
Time Management
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
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.
18. Resolved, to live so at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.
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 trumpet.
37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and wherein I have denied myself: also at the end of every week, month and year. Dec. 22 and 26, 1722.
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.
41. Resolved, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better. Jan. 11, 1723
50.Resolved, I will act so as I think I shall judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. July 5, 1723.
51.Resolved, that I will act so, in every respect, as I think I shall wish I had done, if I should at last be damned. July 8, 1723.
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.
55. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments. July 8, 1723.
61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it-that what my listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done, etc. May 21, and July 13, 1723.
Relationships
14. Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.
15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger to irrational beings.
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.
31. Resolved, never to say anything at all against anybody, but when it is perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.
33. Resolved, always to do what I can towards making, maintaining, establishing and preserving peace, when it can be without over-balancing detriment in other respects. Dec. 26, 1722.
34. Resolved, in narration’s never to speak anything but the pure and simple verity.
36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.
46. Resolved, never to allow the least measure of any fretting uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eve: and to be especially careful of it, with respect to any of our family.
58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity. May 27, and July 13, 1723.
59. Resolved, when I am most conscious of provocations to ill nature and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act good-naturedly; yea, at such times, to manifest good nature, though I think that in other respects it would be disadvantageous, and so as would be imprudent at other times. May 12, July 2, and July 13.
66. Resolved, that I will endeavor always to keep a benign aspect, and air of acting and speaking in all places, and in all companies, except it should so happen that duty requires otherwise.
70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak.
Suffering
9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.
57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether ~ have done my duty, and resolve to do it; and let it be just as providence orders it, I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty and my sin. June 9, and July 13, 1723.
Character
8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.
12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.
21. Resolved, never to do anything, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him.
32. Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that in Prov. 20:6, “A faithful man who can find?” may not be partly fulfilled in me.
47. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to deny whatever is not most agreeable to a good, and universally sweet and benevolent, quiet, peaceable, contented, easy, compassionate, generous, humble, meek, modest, submissive, obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable, even, patient, moderate, forgiving, sincere temper; and to do at all times what such a temper would lead me to. Examine strictly every week, whether I have done so. Sabbath morning. May 5, 1723.
54. Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to endeavor to imitate it. July 8, 1723.
63. On the supposition, that there never was to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a complete Christian, in all respects of a right stamp, having Christianity always shining in its true luster, and appearing excellent and lovely, from whatever part and under whatever character viewed: Resolved, to act just as I would do, if I strove with all my might to be that one, who should live in my time. Jan. 14 and July 3, 1723.
27. Resolved, never willfully to omit anything, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.
39. Resolved, never to do anything that I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or no; except I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.
20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking.
Spiritual Life
Assurance
25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.
26. Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.
48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or no; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of. May 26, 1723.
49. Resolved, that this never shall be, if I can help it.
The Scriptures
28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.
Prayer
29. Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.
64. Resolved, when I find those “groanings which cannot be uttered” (Rom. 8:26), of which the Apostle speaks, and those “breakings of soul for the longing it hath,” of which the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 119:20, that I will promote them to the utmost of my power, and that I will not be wear’, of earnestly endeavoring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness. July 23, and August 10, 1723.
The Lord’s Day
38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord’s day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722.
Vivification of Righteousness
30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.
42. Resolved, frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly renewed, when I was received into the communion of the church; and which I have solemnly re-made this twelfth day of January, 1722-23.
43. Resolved, never henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God’s, agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday, January 12, 1723.
44- Resolved, that no other end but religion, shall have any influence at all on any of my actions; and that no action shall be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry it. Jan.12, 1723.
45. Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion. Jan. 12-13, 1723.
Mortification of Sin and Self Examination
23. Resolved, [in regards to sin] frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God’s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.
24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.
35. Resolved, whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved. Dec. 18, 1722.
60. Resolved, whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness within, or the least irregularity without, I will then subject myself to the strictest examination. July 4 and 13, 1723.
68. Resolved, to confess frankly to myself all that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God [and another Saint], and implore needed help. July 23 and August 10, 1723.
56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
Communion with God
53. Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer. July 8, 1723.
65. Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance; according to Dr. Manton’s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119. July 26 and Aug. 10, 1723.”
God’s manifold blessings upon blessings to you and yours, dear and enduring race-runners for Christ,
JohnDoz
Resources:
The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards, A Teaching Series by Stephen Nichols
Resolved by the Grace of God, by Burk Parsons
The Conflict at Northampton, Dr. Stephen Nichols
Heroes of the Christian Faith, A Teaching Series by Dr. R.C. Sproul
A Long Obedience in the Same Direction: Discipleship in an Instant Society, by Eugene H. Peterson
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