Today begins a series of five Freedom Fighters on the Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards.
Starting Mission - Jonathan Edwards and His Resolutions Part 1
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
Everyone wants to live on purpose. We have names for this. We call it "purpose-driven" or "missional" or "being made for more than this".
There's a God-implanted part of us that wants to be part of something bigger than ourselves. his fuels our imagination, our entertainment, our stories and our ambition. We write purpose and missions statements to focus our imagination. It's all a subtle reminder that God has called us to victory and that our constant temptation is to depart from God has called us to do.
One inoculation against the disease of futility is to annually determine to change things - to make firm, specific resolutions to stay on the mission that God gave us. At age 19, a young man who would become a leading figure in the First Great Awakening took his fight, for the victorious Freedom Jesus won for him, seriously. Over a one-year period, Jonathan Edwards drafted 70 resolutions by which he governed his life and ministry.
Jonathan Edwards lived and taught a life by his mission - fighting to be free from sin and all that weighs him down. Obviously Edwards isn't the Apostle Paul - he didn't write under inspiration, and some of the language may be tough to get through - but for someone writing in America 300 years ago he has a lot to teach us about being on our
mission to live victoriously and serve Jesus.
Jonathan Edward's Resolutions
Knowing 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.
1. Resolved, that I will do whatever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my life, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or forever. 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.
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.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of love and generosity.
50. Resolved, I will act in a way that I will think is best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. July 5, 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.
62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty; and then according to Eph.
6:6-8, do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man; "kn
owing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord." June 25 and July 13, 1723.
(Pastor Samuel Sutter, Dix Hills EFC - http://www.dhefc.org/
<http://www.dhefc.org/> Sam grew up at America's KESWICK and served
as a summer staffer for a number of years. He was instrumental in helping us birth the KESWICK INSTITUTE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES. Sam is a graduate of Bob Jones University and Westminster Theological Seminary.)
Great Quote: The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. Unless a man starts on the strange assumption that he has never existed before, it is quite certain that he will never exist afterwards. Unless a man be born again, he shall by no means enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Gilbert Keith G. K. Chesterton
Starting Mission - Jonathan Edwards and His Resolutions Part 1
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 1 Corinthians 10:31
Everyone wants to live on purpose. We have names for this. We call it "purpose-driven" or "missional" or "being made for more than this".
There's a God-implanted part of us that wants to be part of something bigger than ourselves. his fuels our imagination, our entertainment, our stories and our ambition. We write purpose and missions statements to focus our imagination. It's all a subtle reminder that God has called us to victory and that our constant temptation is to depart from God has called us to do.
One inoculation against the disease of futility is to annually determine to change things - to make firm, specific resolutions to stay on the mission that God gave us. At age 19, a young man who would become a leading figure in the First Great Awakening took his fight, for the victorious Freedom Jesus won for him, seriously. Over a one-year period, Jonathan Edwards drafted 70 resolutions by which he governed his life and ministry.
Jonathan Edwards lived and taught a life by his mission - fighting to be free from sin and all that weighs him down. Obviously Edwards isn't the Apostle Paul - he didn't write under inspiration, and some of the language may be tough to get through - but for someone writing in America 300 years ago he has a lot to teach us about being on our
mission to live victoriously and serve Jesus.
Jonathan Edward's Resolutions
Knowing 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.
1. Resolved, that I will do whatever I think to be most to God's glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my life, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or forever. 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.
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.
5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.
6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.
7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.
13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of love and generosity.
50. Resolved, I will act in a way that I will think is best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. July 5, 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.
62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty; and then according to Eph.
6:6-8, do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man; "kn
owing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord." June 25 and July 13, 1723.(Pastor Samuel Sutter, Dix Hills EFC - http://www.dhefc.org/
<http://www.dhefc.org/> Sam grew up at America's KESWICK and served
as a summer staffer for a number of years. He was instrumental in helping us birth the KESWICK INSTITUTE OF BIBLICAL STUDIES. Sam is a graduate of Bob Jones University and Westminster Theological Seminary.)
Great Quote: The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul and a new nose; new feet, a new backbone, new ears, and new eyes. Unless a particular man made New Year resolutions, he would make no resolutions. Unless a man starts afresh about things, he will certainly do nothing effective. Unless a man starts on the strange assumption that he has never existed before, it is quite certain that he will never exist afterwards. Unless a man be born again, he shall by no means enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Gilbert Keith G. K. Chesterton
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