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.
Agent Tim | Homepage | 03.15.06 - 7:07 pm | #

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!
Brett Harris | Homepage | 03.15.06 - 7:22 pm | #

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!
David Pell | Homepage | 03.15.06 - 8:02 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.
Elizabeth | Homepage | 03.16.06 - 6:28 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!
Agent Tim | Homepage | 03.16.06 - 4:26 pm | #

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!
thepatriot15 | Homepage | 03.16.06 - 5:17 pm | #

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.
Zachary | Homepage | 03.16.06 - 8:09 pm | #

Micah Derry spoke at Patrick Henry College tonight, so I assume he's doing well though I haven't heard specifics in awhile. :-)
Lydia T. | 03.16.06 - 10:18 pm | #

That's good to hear! He must be doing better. :) thanks.
thepatriot15 | Homepage | 03.17.06 - 5:56 am | #

Keep praying for Micah though. =)
Brett Harris | 03.17.06 - 7:35 am | #

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.ChristianArtistAssoci...Association.com
Terry Rayburn | Homepage | 03.17.06 - 1:45 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.
Kevin | Homepage | 03.19.06 - 8:17 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
walker youngdale | Homepage | 03.19.06 - 10:30 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.
David Pell | Homepage | 03.20.06 - 6:52 am | #

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.
David Pell | Homepage | 03.20.06 - 6:57 am | #