Resolution 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.

Christ is coming back at any minute. You and I do not know when. Our actions should reflect this fact...

“But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come. It is like a man going on a journey, when he leaves home and puts his servants in charge, each with his work, and commands the doorkeeper to stay awake. Therefore stay awake—for you do not know when the master of the house will come, in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or in the morning—lest he come suddenly and find you asleep. And what I say to you I say to all: Stay awake.”

-Mark 13:32-37

Resolution 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.

The Christian must live in a way that reflects a deep understanding of the Gospel and it's implications.

For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

-Philippians 1:21

Edwards and Paul alike knew that the manner in which they lived was paramount; the Gospel--and the seeking to know it better--was central. In addition they sought, and possessed, a high spiritual sensitivity; the things of this world were shadows and dust compared to magnanimity of the grace and goodness of God in the Gospel which are spiritual, not physical.

Resolution 17

Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

In short, don't waste your life.

Resolution 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.

The Christian should mind his or her tongue, speaking no evil concerning anyone, and rebuking only when necessary.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

-Ephesians 4:29

If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless.

-James 1:26

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

-Colossians 3:12-17

Resolution 15

Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings.

"As with all emotion, which exist before words and independently of words, anger is hard to define with words. But we should try because evidently there are different experiences called anger, some of which are sinful and some of which are not. For example, in Mark 3:5 Jesus himself is angered by religious leaders who do not want him to heal a man on the Sabbath. "He looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart." And Jesus repeatedly referred to God's anger either directly as the wrath of God in judgment (John 3:36; Luke 21:23) of indirectly in parables (Matt. 18:34; Luke 14:21).

"A standard English dictionary defines anger as "a strong feeling of displeasure and usually antagonism." The reason the phrase "as strong feeling of displeasure" can't stand by itself is that we don't think of really bad tasting food as awakening anger, even though there may be strong displeasure. That displeasure needs another component before it is experienced as anger. If someone keeps feeding us terrible food, and we sense that they are doing it intentionally then we may get angry. Anger seems to be more of less strong displeasure about something that is happening willfully and, we feel, should not be happening.

"Of course, we do sometimes get angry when that is not the case. If we trip over a root, we may turn around and kick the root in anger. If we bump our head on the kitchen cabinet, we may smack the cabinet door in anger. But in our best moments we look at those reactions as foolish. We intuitively sense that we are imputing willfulness to the root and the cabinet, as of they did something to us on purpose.

"This is why the young Jonathon Edwards resolved not to get angry in inanimate objects. His Resolution #15 said, "Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger towards irrational beings." Therefore, the difference between anger and other emotions of displeasure is that anger involves strong displeasure with something that is happening intentionally that we think should not be happening."

-John Piper, What Jesus Demands from the World

Resolution 14

Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.

Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

-Romans 12:19

Resolution 13

Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.

The Christian should desire to find worthy causes to give to generously with both his or her time and money. 

For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

-Galatians 5:13

Resolution 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.

Satisfaction in self can never be the end for a Christian. Nothing can possibly be as delightful as the person and work of Jesus Christ.

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.

-Philippians 2:3

Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”

-1 Peter 5:5

Resolution 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.

When we have a thought about God, an attribute or action we do not understand, we should seek to know God more through that thought. And not by thinking, but by studying His Word. Study, study, study, and make Isaiah 55:9 your last resort.

Resolution 10

Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

I think that we would probably refer to this today as "keeping things in perspective." Edwards understood that the pain he felt was probably nothing in comparison to the pain the martyrs felt. For example, John Huss, as accounted in Foxe's Book of Martyrs:

Then was the fire kindled, and John Huss began to sing with a loud voice: "Jesus Christ! the Son of the living God! have mercy upon me." And when he began to say the same the third time, the wind drove the flame so upon his face, that it choked him. Yet, notwithstanding, he moved awhile after, by the space that a man might almost say three times the Lord's Prayer. When all the wood was consumed, the upper part of the body was left hanging in the chain, which they threw down stake and all, and making a new fire, burned it, the head being first cut in small gobbets, that it might the sooner consumed unto ashes. The heart, which was found amongst the bowels, being well beaten with staves and clubs, was at last prick upon a sharp stick, and roasted at a fire apart until it was consumed. Then, they cast them into the river Rhine, that the least remnant of that man should not be left upon the earth, whose memory, notwithstanding, cannot be abolished out of the minds of the godly, neigther by fire, neither by water, neither by any kind of torment.

This godly servant and martyr of Christ was burned at Constance, the sixth day of the month of July, A.D. 1415.

Edwards also knew that the temporary pain he felt here on Earth could be nothing in comparison to an eternity bearing the wrath of God.

To remember the martyrs and the torments of hell, when taken to its conclusion, will lead us back to the Cross of Christ and the knowledge that we have been freed from all pain and suffering. And that brings us joy.

Resolution 9

Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

I am not quite sure what this resolution means. My guess has to do with James 4:14.

If you have an idea, go ahead and make a remark.

Resolution 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.

Edwards clearly wrote this resolution to foster humility in his life. He is sure that no matter how terrible another's sin is, he is capable of worse. When we hear the shortcomings of others we should be brought to a place of repentance knowing that our condition is no lesser than the one who gave into temptation. We should repent and thank God for His Grace.

Resolution 7

Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that wicked servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants and eats and drinks with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

-Matthew 24:45-51

Resolution 6

Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

While a simple resolution, it is magnificently profound. I think that 1 Corinthians 10:31 applies just like in Resolution 5.

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." -1 Corinthians 10:31

Living to that end takes all of our strength. And responding to God's calling is a difficult task; a task that requires all of our might.

Resolution 5

Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

I t has been a while since I have posted a resolution. I hope you haven't forgotten about them.

This is a resolution that Edwards was the model of. He has always struck me as a diligent man who always made the best of his time.

I think that this resolution could be misinterpreted or manipulated. Losing a moment of time could be read as not doing something, like raking leaves for your neighbor or telling kinds to not do drugs. But I think Edwards is saying that making your time profitable is higher than that. Weigh everything that you do. Is this glorifying to God? If so, do it. If not, don't. I think that is Edwards' point. You can eat, drink, or whatever to the glory of God. And that makes your time profitable.

"So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." -1 Corinthians 10:31

Resolution 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.

As best I can see, Edwards does not to wish to do anything, be anything, or suffer anything that does not exclusively bring glory to God.

Resolutions 2 & 3

Since Resolutions 2 & 3 essentially go to support Resolution 1, I am posting them together.

Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the aforementioned things.

Edwards decides that he must exert energy and make it his ultimate aim to keep Resolution 1. And in that he must find fresh new ways to continue to carry out Resolution 1 in his life.

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.

If Edwards were to become lazy in the things that he resolved, and his lack of diligence is brought to his attention, then repentance would be the proper response. This one is extremely important when you consider the lofty nature of the resolutions that follow.

Resolution 1: What does it mean?

It was suggested to me that I include a 21st century interpretation of the Resolutions of Jonathan Edward that I post on a weekly basis. If I miss the mark on any one of the resolutions please correct me or include your own input. And hopefully some beneficial discussion will ensue.

First, Edwards resolves to "do whatsoever I think to be most to God's glory." I think this piece is the fundamental basis for the rest of the resolution. And then he resolves to seek "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." This is all founded on God's glory. The greatest good that we can seek and the greatest profit and pleasure that we can desire will come when we strive to glorify God in all that we do and when we understand that the only good, the only profit, and the only pleasure there is comes through Christ.

Secondly, Edwards resolves to "do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general." Again, this is placed squarely on the glory of God. Our duty is to glorify God. This will benefit every area of our lives, including our interactions with others.

Finally, there is a resolution to keep the resolutions.

I see this first resolution firmly founded in the Great Commandment. And the second resolution founded in the second greatest commandment. Both are found in Matthew 22:34-40.

Resolution 1

In 1722 Jonathan Edwards made some resolutions. Seventy in fact. They are big. I am planning to meditate on one each week and post it. And "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. Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week." Those were Edwards' words, not mine. But I am going to adopt them. So here is resolution #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 soever.