Christmas Resolutions

As we are wrapping up 2016, most people are considering their New Year's resolutions. This is part of the fabric of Americana ... Ben Franklin in his Autobiography set out to become perfect through a New Year's resolution self-improvement plan. He writes, "It was about this time I conceived the bold and arduous project of arriving at moral perfection." His plan included working on 13 different virtues that he felt were weaknesses in his character. If he mastered one virtue each week for 13 weeks, then he surmised that he would become "morally perfect" in 13 weeks. While not as systematic, how many of us enter the new year with this mentality? If I just work on my weaknesses ... exercise more, eat healthier, be nicer, give more ... then I will become perfect (or at least a step closer to perfection).

While I am not against self-improvement, as a Christian the irony of New Year's resolutions for me comes with the timing. One week after Christians celebrate the gift of Jesus Christ at Christmas, we are embracing the deistic/humanistic perspective of trying to become perfect.

The main difference between Christianity and other world religions is the fact that Christians rely on faith over works; the Bible clearly states that salvation comes through belief in God's gift rather than our actions. That is the good news of the Gospel: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life" (John 3:16); also, in John 6:40 "Everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life." We do not, as deists like Benjamin Franklin asserted, need to become perfect to earn our salvation.

So, should Christians have New Year's resolutions? Of course we should, but with a different understanding than Ben Franklin's attempt to achieve "moral perfection." We strive to follow Jesus, who did live a perfect life, out of an overflowing gratitude for the gift of salvation (Colossians 2:6-7). Christmas resolutions should challenge us to live more like Christ rather than self improvement.

In considering this topic, I went back to the source ... what commands did Jesus give us to live more like Him? The gospel writers recorded some direct commands from Jesus for us to consider as Christmas resolutions.

Jesus was asked what are the most important commands, and His answer begins with loving God.

"The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this ....

Love the Lord your God with all your heart 

and with all your soul 

and with all your mind 

and with all your strength." 

(Mark 12:29-30)

Loving God is the most important command as Jesus stated, but the vague "love God with your everything" has always perplexed me ... what does that exactly mean? How do I love God with my everything? How can I put that into a Christmas resolution?

Christ explained that loving God, in part at least, has much to do with obedience; Jesus states concisely, "If you love me, keep my commands" (John 14:15). So, this affirms that we need to take seriously Jesus's commands and resolve to follow them if we are to fulfill the "most important" command.

So if loving God means to obey his commands, let's explore in more details what Jesus commands. Here are 10 other commands of Christ to consider as Christmas resolutions.

1. Repent and believe (Matthew 4:17, Mark 1:15; John 6:29; John 6:40) -- One of Christ's first commands and the beginning point for Christians.
2. Love your neighbor (Mark 12:31) -- Jesus follows up his answer of the "most important" command (loving God) with the second most important being, loving your neighbor as yourself. In John, he expands this to "love each other as I have loved you" (John 15:12).
3. Let your light shine (Matthew 5:16) -- implying that "light" = good deeds shown to others.
4. Go and be reconciled to your brother (Matthew 5:24).
5. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew 5:43; Luke 6:27-28)
6. Pray ... in private with the Lord's prayer as a model (Matthew 6:6: Luke 11:2) so that you won't fall into temptation (Luke 22:46).
7. Be a servant -- Jesus models servant-hood by washing his disciples feet and then commands them to wash each others feet (John 13:14).
8. Care for those who are hurting (even strangers) -- Jesus in a rare moment issues a direct command immediately after a parable; after the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus says "Go and do likewise" (Luke 10:25-37).
9. Care for other Christians -- Jesus commands Peter to "take care of my sheep" (John 21:16).
10. Go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15-16) -- the Great Commission to spread the gospel, make disciples, and baptize.

One of Jesus' first commands was to "follow me," and it is directed as much to us as it was to his first disciples. As you consider New Year's Resolutions, remember that Christmas should impact your resolutions and your life.

Look over the commands of Christ listed above ... love, reconciliation, giving, caring, serving, praying. Choose one of those as a resolution in 2017 ... and make it truly a Christmas resolution.