Re. E. Anderson
NEW YEAR RESOLUTIONS – JUST ONE?
Rev. Jon Walker
“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2 NIV)
If the Apostle Paul made New Year’s resolutions, my thought is he only had one resolution on his list: “[This year] I resolve to know nothing but Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2).
Paul’s message is radically simple: Salvation is in Christ alone. What does this mean?
- It’s not Christ plus your good behaviour.
- It’s not Christ plus the number of verses you memorize.
- It’s not Christ plus being super active in church.
- It’s not Christ plus your tithe.
- It’s not Christ plus wisdom from the latest Christian seminar.
- It’s not Christ plus the years you taught a Bible study.
- It’s not Christ plus the perfect spouse.
- It’s not Christ plus well-behaved children.
- It’s not Christ plus the right job.
- It’s not Christ plus a good driving record.
- It’s simply Christ — Christ plus nothing.
Jonathan Edwards, the great American Theologian wrote a list of 70 resolutions. I don’t know if he kept them all or not but he probably had a better chance than most of us do because he was committed to them. He read through his resolutions at least once a week to remind himself of the call of God over his life and he did not keep them out of a stubborn pride but humbly prayed;
‘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’
That’s Paul’s message, a message that is as right throughout this coming year as it will be in 2999. Let’s make our resolution for 2012 to focus on Jesus, who he is, and what he did for us”.
