A Fresh Look At Jonathan Edwards (Part 6)
With five installments behind us in our series, “A Teenager’s Resolutions,” and two more to come, it can become easy to stop — to stop reading, to stop striving to understand, and to stop seeking to apply to our own lives the wisdom and passion of young Jonathan Edwards.
I will admit that even as I post Edwards’ resolutions and diary entries I find myself merely skimming over them — not delving into them for their full affect on my heart, soul, and mind. Admittedly, I don’t think they’re as “fun” as some of the other articles we normally post — the English is definitely much harder to read (though much more beautiful) — but I cannot deny that they are hundreds of times richer and more substantial.
Reading this series is a “hard thing” that we must push ourselves to do. And we must not only read the series, we must strive to understand what we read. And we must not only understand what we read, but we must seek to apply to our own lives the insights of young Jonathan Edwards — who, if he was alive today, at 19-years-old, would be one of our peers.
Allow us to again recommend to you, “The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards” — many of which were written while he was still a teenager. May they quicken your heart after God and light in you a passion for holiness.
THE RESOLUTIONS OF JONATHAN EDWARDS
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.
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.
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.
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.
56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.
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. [View Edwards' diary for corresponding entry: July 13, 1723]
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. May27, 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 ii, and July 13. [View Edwards' diary for corresponding entry: July 13, 1723]
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. [View Edwards' diary for corresponding entry: July 13, 1723]
Read Part One - Resolutions #1-10
Read Part Two - Resolutions #11-20
Read Part Three - Resolutions #21-30
Read Part Four - Resolutions #31-40
Read Part Five - Resolutions #41-50
Read Part Six - Resolutions #51-60
Read Part Seven - Resolutions #61-70
Read Closing Statements
Questions for discussion:
- In #52 Jonathan resolves to live now as he will wish he had lived when he is older. If you applied that resolution to your own life, what would you have to change?
- In #55 Jonathan uses the “happiness of heaven” and the “torments of hell” to motivate him to live for God, right now. Does your current vision of Heaven and Hell cause you to pursue righteousness and fight sin? If not, what must you do to increase your vision of eternity?
- In #56 Jonathan makes an incredible resolution to never give in or slack off in his fight against indwelling sin. How are doing in your fight against the enemy within? Are you giving in? Are you slacking off? Have you made truce with sin?
March 16th, 2006 at 3:02 am
You know, as I look over all of these, I’m asking myself why I’m not writing resolutions like these and striving to live up to them. I can see myself writing resolutions, probably not quite a beautiful and great as these, but really writing and thinking and working to fulfill them. I believe it will make me a better person who people can rely on.
March 16th, 2006 at 3:17 am
Agent Tim: You should! It was Jonathan Edwards who inspired me to write my resolutions.
However, allow me to encourage you not to write them primarily for public eyes. It’s especially hard when you have a blog not to write everything for men to see. But Edwards’ Resolutions were not written that way. Neither were mine.
Granted, everything we write should be written as if it will be read by others. And in time these things can come to light, as mine did. But initially the real benefit of self-examination is stunted by the requirements of public scrutiny.
This is simply an encouragement. Do what you, and your parents see as best. God bless!
March 16th, 2006 at 3:57 am
Much of the Church today refrains from using the idea of the “torments of hell” for, well, anything. We could definitely learn a lot from Jonathan Edwards and his peers.
And thanks for posting the Resolutions. I was inspired to print them out and post them on my wall. It’s hard to imagine someone the same age as myself writing it. Edwards can be such a source of motivation for our generation!
March 16th, 2006 at 2:23 pm
Thank you for the discussion questions. I will give them some thought. My resolutions tend to be more general and less extensive. Breaking it down probably helps to focus your thoughts and show exactly where work is needed. Edwards was constantly thinking about his, and so should we.
March 17th, 2006 at 12:21 am
Absolutely Brett. I had no plans to show them to anyone but my parents, so I would be able to have some accountability. Thanks for the inspiration!
March 17th, 2006 at 1:12 am
Hey Brett (or Alex), do you guys know how Micah Derry is doing? I haven’t heard from him for a while…
I hope everything is going well in Ohio!
March 17th, 2006 at 4:04 am
Very good resolutions.
Thank you for adding the discussion questions. It definitly keeps me from just skimming and helps me to apply it to my life.
March 17th, 2006 at 6:13 am
Micah Derry spoke at Patrick Henry College tonight, so I assume he’s doing well though I haven’t heard specifics in awhile.
March 17th, 2006 at 1:51 pm
That’s good to hear! He must be doing better.
thanks.
March 17th, 2006 at 3:30 pm
Keep praying for Micah though. =)
March 17th, 2006 at 9:40 pm
The New Covenant has released us from Performance-based Christianity, give us a rest, the rest for the people of God, who rest from their own works, and “resolutions”.
If we walk by the Spirit, we will not fulfill the desires of the flesh. If we don’t, then all the resolutions in the world will not make any difference. If we “succeed” in our resolutions, we will be proud. If we “fail” we will be discouraged. Neither is a biblical attitude.
Commune with the Savior, fellowship with Him minute by minute. He will “cause us to walk in His ways”. He is at work in us both to will and to do His good pleasure.
Beware the “resolution”.
If we are born again, we will hate sin in our spirit, that part of us that is regenerate, and that part of us that is one with His Spirit.
Now the “trick” is to walk by that Spirit, not “resolve” to observable outward displays of godliness that aren’t produced by His Life in us.
Blessings,
Terry Rayburn
Visit http://www.ChristianArtistAssociation.com
March 19th, 2006 at 4:12 pm
I appreciate much about Jonathan Edwards and he was a far more godly man and brilliant theologian than I will ever be. But I do find in Edwards at times a tremendous over-emphasis in introspection. For example, while there is much good in Edwards’ book “Religious Affections” I fear that he misses the mark when he seems to say that the only way one knows that he has true faith is by looking at the consequences of one’s faith (in other words, your own life). John Calvin, however, would ask, “Are you first and foremost looking to the promises of Christ and resting in Him by faith?” and then, secondarily, he would look at the fruit of your life. Assurance of faith based on our performance or based on our efforts to keep our “resolutions” is a very dangerous thing. Christ and Christ alone is our only hope.
March 20th, 2006 at 6:25 am
dear Harris brothers,
WOW. I am totally blown away. My youth pastor told me that I should check out your blog, and agent tim’s blog, and now I know why. Praising God over the internet, such a polar opposite of the worlds view of the the internet. I recently read Edwards resolutions, after going to that resolved conference, they are totally encouraging. But for some reason I’m still stuck on George Whitefield. My discipler (I thank God for him), had me read the condensed biography of George Whitefield, by A. Dillamore. One thing I remember about the book, and Pastor Whitefield, is his passion for the word and his fire for God.
I see that fire in your texts here on this blog, your motivation to write and encourage other christians is coming from God, keep letting Him fill you, Colossians 3:16-Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
God bless-
walker
March 20th, 2006 at 2:47 pm
In response to Terry Rayburn, I would ask whether or not you’ve read the Resolutions from the beginning to see what Edwards prefaced them with…
“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.”
Obviously Edwards was aware that resolutions in themselves are not going to save anybody from anything. But by your argumentation Paul was just as wrong to say things like “I determined to know nothing among you except Christ and Him crucified.” That sounds like a resolution to me. So was Paul out of line? Of course not because He understood the necessity of the grace of God. So did Edwards and so do we. It’s easy to take overarching terms like “walk in the Spirit” and throw them around but I would caution you not to make assumptions about peoples’ motivations or to use a buzz term to say something even Paul did was bad.
March 20th, 2006 at 2:52 pm
And in response to Kevin I would say that Edwards hit the mark dead on in the Religious Affections by saying we know true faith by its consequences. How did Jesus say that His followers would be known? By their fruit. The Bible teaches that there are certain things that the work of the Holy Spirit is to produce in our lives. It will happen if the seed of God has been planted in us. Because just like the sinful nature can only produce bad fruit, the seed of God’s nature will necessarily produce the fruit of the Holy Spirit. So in the end it doesn’t matter what Edwards or Calvin said, but what God said in the Bible. In my mind, you can’t separate “trusting God in faith” and “looking for fruit.” They’re the same thing and the latter is dependent on the former. If the former exists, the latter will also exist by necessity.
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