What, exactly, is a “resolution?” Resolutions could be thought of as disciplines toward change, steadfastness that requires courage, or the evidence of a made up mind. The reality is that when resolutions are made, a fresh start is the object of the endeavor. Pastor Greg Laurie mentions in a New Year’s devotional how people are making their resolutions. “Some are going to swear off alcohol or smoking or television or overeating. Others are going to try to change wicked habits like gossip or worry or losing their temper. Others are going to try to start new habits like getting in shape physically. We can develop disciplines in our lives that will build us up spiritually. This year can be an opportunity for a fresh start for us all.”
These are worthy causes to pursue and one may set about with determination to accomplish one or more of these goals, but is the resolution itself the best idea? What is the resolution of the resolution? In other words: what plan will one enact to make their resolution reality.
A.W. Tozer showed us that men of faith are men of resolve: “’Jacob vowed a vow,’ and it was the beginning of a very wonderful life with God. Daniel ‘purposed in his heart,’ and God honored his purpose. Jesus set his face like a flint and walked straight toward the cross. Paul ‘determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.’” These men show us resolution in faithfulness, focus, undefilement and faith! These men were not overcome by some euphoria that drove them toward good intentions.
In order for there to be a fresh start, there must be a plan of continuance. Once the weight is off, then what? Once the alcohol or smoking is finished, then what? What replaced bad temper? Resolutions are more than mere declarations of intention; rather, they should be a breaking down of complexities into their most simple parts, the reduction of ideas through analysis to their most base propositions.
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As for God, His way is perfect; the Word of LORD is tried; He is a shield to all those who trust in Him.” (Ps. 18:30)
When we make our resolutions, we must recognize the danger we face toward vanity and idolatry. Notice how many resolutions are centered on the self! We are in danger of losing sight of God.
Thomas Brooks reminds us, “The Scripture holds forth the world as an impotent thing, as a mixed thing, as a mutable thing, as a momentary thing. Now faith comes and sets this home with power upon the soul--and this takes the soul off from the world.” We must therefore be resolved to exercise faith toward God in Christ Jesus, that great things would be accomplished in His name and to the praise of His glory. Brooks continues, “Men may talk much of heaven, and of Christ, and religion, etc.; but give me a man who does really and clearly live under the power of divine faith--and I cannot see how such a one can be carried out in an inordinate love to these poor transitory things.”
Jonathan Edwards preached that "persons need not and ought not to set any bounds to their spiritual and gracious appetites." In another sermon he says that persons ought “to be endeavoring by all possible ways to inflame their desires and to obtain more spiritual pleasures. . . . Our hungerings and thirstings after God and Jesus Christ and after holiness can't be too great for the value of these things, for they are things of infinite value. . . . [Therefore] endeavor to promote spiritual appetites by laying yourself in the way of allurement . . . There is no such thing as excess in our taking of this spiritual food. There is no such virtue as temperance in spiritual feasting.”
[i]Or as C.S. Lewis is often quoted as saying, “we are far too easily satisfied.”
Resolve is build on a rock, an immovable base. There is a bottom to resolve, and that bottom is God through Christ Jesus. We sing it loud and proud how our hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name. On CHRIST the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand. All other ground is sinking sand.
The church of Christ Jesus needs brothers and sisters of resolution, people who make grounded decisions and through prayer think of the ramifications of their decisions. We should be a people who have counted the cost for if not, we will not carry out those things that matter in one year, in five years, in eternity, but move in small pitiful steps through life, swinging from whim to whim. Making resolutions require a higher bar.
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It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1)
There is a biblical plan of action toward making effective resolutions. The Holy Spirit has already broken them down into their most base parts. The key, the plan of action to carry out resolutions is that we be saved and Spirit-filled. The problems from which we would like that fresh start come from the flesh and that is what we must be delivered from. Consider are any of these items on your resolution list?
Immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these.
Are these the kinds of characteristics you are pursuing this New Year?
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Note: you and I cannot produce the items we desire! They come from outside us—even self-control! These things come through the indwelling Holy Spirit.
Consider also Ephesians 4, here in continuous text for easier reading. Notice those things which the believer is
encouraged to stop and the
plan of action (the resolution) to start fresh:
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So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. “
Colossians 3 gives another similar list of resolutions:
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Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth . . . Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them. But now you also, put them all aside: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him— a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.“
There are more "do's" than there are "don'ts." So if you do all the "do's" you don't have time to "do" the "don'ts." The other way to look at it is to read scripture through the lenses of 2 Timothy 3:16-17:
1. What does it say ("teaching")?
2. How do I fail to do what it says ("reproof" or "rebuke")?
3. What should I be doing ("correction")? see #1
4. How am I going to do what it says ("training in righteousness")?
There is an unmistakable identification of that which must be changed, what that change should become and how that change is to be affected and maintained. Putting off and putting on is a spiritual act. “Set your mind. This can also be translated ‘think,’ or ‘have this inner disposition.’ As a compass points N, the believer’s entire disposition should point itself toward the things of heaven. Heavenly thoughts can only come by understanding heavenly realities from Scripture.”
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[i] Quoted from an unpublished sermon, "Sacrament Sermon on Canticles 5:1" (circa 1729), edited version by Kenneth Minkema in association with The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Yale University. Also, see Jonathan Edwards, "The Spiritual Blessings of the Gospel Represented by a Feast" in Sermons and Discourses, 1723-1729, ed. Kenneth Minkema (New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1997), 286.
[ii]John Jr MacArthur, The MacArthur Study Bible, electronic ed. (Nashville: Word Pub., 1997, c1997), Col 3:2.
