Quote of the Day: What Christ Has Done

"What challenges Satan or conscience can make against the believer—hear an answer; I was condemned, I was judged, I was crucified for sin, when my surety Christ was condemned, judged, and crucified for my sins—I have paid all, because my surety has paid all."

—Samuel Rutherford, quoted in Edward Fisher, The Marrow of Modern Divinity (Ross-shire, UK: Christian Focus, 2009), 126

Quote of the Day (QotD): Jonathan Edwards on Pain and Death

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.
 
10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.



Not much needs to be said here. Except, let it be said of me too.

Quote of the Day (QotD)

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

~ Jonathan Edwards



How many of our temptations would be ignored if we thought we were quickly on the way to meet our maker? It is interesting to contrast this quote with the common worldly phrase "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die."



Why do you think such a division between a Christian in the world as we consider our behavior and its relationship to death?

Quote of the Day (QotD) – Jonathan Edwards’ Resolution 6

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live. – Jonathan Edwards



I like this resolution. In a day of tolerance, and constant reminders to do everything in moderation, here is a resolution that says "I am going to give it my all." As I look at the decay in the world, the church, tin myself I wonder if the problem is that we have bought into the lie of moderation. Let's make this year the year we live in an excess of doing what is godly.

Quote of the Day (QotD)

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

• Jonathan Edwards
  

QotD – Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

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.



Anyone have a comment on this resolution?

Quote of the Day (QotD) – Continuing with Jonathan Edward’s Resolutions

3. 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.

I like the phrasing "when I come to myself again." I think it has a solid view of sin for the Christian. When we sin, we are out from ourselves. If we are made new in Christ, sin is not in our new nature. We become like Nebuchadnezzar (spellings vary) who despite being a man ate grass like a cow. To repent means to turn around and we can expand that idea by saying "to repent to turn around, and come to ourselves." 


Also notable is his remark "to repent of all I can remember." Many times, perhaps because we are in a hurry, perhaps because we are simply lazy, we sometimes do a blanket confession "God, forgive me for everything I did wrong today." This, I think, is problematic. We cannot expect change unless we examine each action and attempt to see what was wrong with it, who was hurt by it and what actions can be done to prevent our repeating of the same action. Without that, how can we expect to be sanctified?

Quote of the Day (QotD) Jonathan Edwards Resolutions Cont.

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



The aforementioned things – Resolution number 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."



What is most interesting about resolution number 2 is the word "invention." It isn't merely enough to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves, but rather to look for new ways of bringing God glory and bringing good, profit, pleasure and advantage to others.

Question: What are some ways that you have discovered that do that? Please share your ideas, dreams, goals, etc… in the comments section so that your "invention" won't be stuck in the idea phase.

Quote of the Day (QotD) – Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards wrote 70 Resolutions that he read every week to help focus his mind on God and his duty before him. For the next 70 days we will put one resolution up on the blog to consider. These are not New Year's Resolutions, but are Resolutions of Daily Reformation. If you want to jump ahead and read the complete list, you can find it here.



Again feel free to post your comments or questions in the comments section below



"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.



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."

Quote of the Day (QotD) - Martin Luther

Glory to God in highest heaven,
Who unto man His Son hath given;
While angels sing with tender mirth,
A glad new year to all the earth.
~Martin Luther

Quote of the Day (QotD)

What good is a new year?

The object of a New Year is not that we should have a new year. It is that we should have a new soul.
G. K. Chesterton