Tag Archives: Bible

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards

Posted on 03/01/2013 by Don | 2 Comments

Jonathan Edwards, the 18th-century revivalist, sat down at age 17 and penned 21 resolutions by which he would live his life. He later added to this list until, by his death, he had 70 resolutions. Edwards didn’t casually make New Year’s resolutions with an expectation of eventually breaking them. Each week he did a self-check. He regularly summed up how he was doing and sought God’s help in the process.

This list is organised by subheadings and categories and as such is not in the normal order as listed here.

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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.

Overall Life Mission¹

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.

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Posted in Church History, Doctrine, Faith, Life Application, Prayer, Reflection, Spiritual Growth

Tagged Assurance, Bible, discipline, faith, holiness, moral accountability, Relationships, Sin, stewardship, truth

The Centrality of Christ and Reading Scripture

Posted on 31/12/2012 by Andrew Courtis | Leave a comment

Reading through the Scripture is a very important practice for the believer. By doing so we are exposing ourselves to God’s word which in turn provides “us all things that pertain to life and godliness” (2 Pet. 1:3). As we read through it, it ought to be read with a holy appetite desiring to know more about our Lord. What about reading the Old Testament? We should be considering how it points to the Lord Jesus Christ because the Scriptures are about Him. Consider this following quote from the Doctor (Martyn Lloyd-Jones):

“Now as soon as we, as evangelical Christians, approach this great subject of revelation, we come immediately to the great and central fact of the Lord Jesus Christ. God has revealed Himself in other ways. He has revealed Himself in nature, and the apostle Paul argues in Romans (1. 19 ff.) that we are without excuse if we do not see Him there. Yet, there we do not see God as He really is because of our sin. The revelation is there, but we do not see it. God has also revealed Himself in history. Further, God has revealed Himself to the Old Testament fathers in various ways. But, as evangelical Christians, we start with the great central fact of the Lord Jesus Christ. The whole Bible is really about Him. The Old Testament looks forward to Him. It tells us that Someone is coming. The promise seems vague, nebulous and indefinite at some points, clearer and more specific at others. But there it is. God is going to do something, and Someone will come. At last, the Voice will be heard. An authority is going to speak. The Old Testament attitude is one of waiting on tiptoe, as it were. Then, of course, as soon as we come to the New Testament we find it is full of Him.”[1]

I find this very practical. When I read the Scripture I read them so as to know more about my Lord. When it comes to reading the Old Testament, it is to be read with great anticipation of the coming Messiah. I trust that your reading of the Scriptures this coming year will be rewarding and exciting!

[1] D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Authority. Inter-Varsity Fellowship, 1967, pp. 13-14

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Posted in Life Application, Spiritual Growth, The Bible

Tagged Bible, Bible reading, Jesus Christ, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Old Testament, Scripture

Inerrancy of Scripture

Posted on 30/10/2012 by Don | 1 Comment

[This introduction¹ written by Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary — the flagship school of the Southern Baptist Convention and one of the largest seminaries in the world.]

“More than twenty years ago, theologian J. I. Packer recounted what he called a “Thirty Years’ War” over the inerrancy of the Bible. He traced his involvement in this war in its American context back to a conference held in Wenham, Massachusetts in 1966, when he confronted some professors from evangelical institutions who “now declined to affirm the full truth of Scripture.” That was nearly fifty years ago, and the war over the truthfulness of the Bible is still not over — not by a long shot.

With current challenges to the inerrancy of Scripture in view, I convened a panel of theologians to revisit the question. In one sense, the challenges to inerrancy are more direct than ever, with figures associated with some evangelical institutions calling for a straightforward repudiation of the doctrine. Other assaults are more subtle, but all of these challenges demand our close attention.”

The panel was convened on Thursday, September 27, 2012, in Alumni Chapel at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

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