His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence.
When Puritan writer, pastor, teacher, Jonathan Edwards, was a young man he wrote these resolutions. What a challenge and encouragement these have been to believers down through the ages. And each one is timeless and will effect us onto eternity.
I have selected some of his resolutions that challenge me personally. But you can read the entirety of his resolutions in his book, Holy Living: Jonathan Edwards’s Seventy Resolutions for Living the Christian Life.
Read. Ponder. Practice.
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.
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.
Resolved to forgive
14. Resolved, never to do anything our of revenge.
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.
17. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.
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.
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.
Resolved to study daily
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Resolved to live for eternity.
67. Resolved, after afflictions, in inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.
69. Resolved, always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it.
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