Yes, it is OK for a Christian to make New Year resolutions, but it is certainly not a necessary part of the Christian life. In reality, there is no difference between December 31 and January 1. Nothing mystical occurs at midnight on December 31, but there may be an added impetus to 'make a fresh start'. From what I can see, The Bible does not directly speak for or against the concept of New Year’s resolutions. Common New Year’s resolutions are commitments to quit smoking, to stop drinking, to manage money more wisely, to spend more time with family, to lose weight, to exercise more and to eating more healthily. These are all good goals to set. However, 1 Timothy 4:8 instructs us to keep exercise in perspective: “For physical training is of some value, but Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” The vast majority of New Year’s resolutions, even among Christians, are in relation to physical things. Maybe Christians could make additional New Year’s resolutions: to pray more, to read the Bible every day, and to attend church more regularly. These are fantastic goals. However, even these New Year’s resolutions are likely to fail just as often as the non-spiritual resolutions, because there is no power in a New Year’s resolution. Resolving to start or stop doing a certain activity has no value unless you have the proper motivation for stopping or starting that activity. For example, why do you want to read the Bible every day? Is it to honour God and grow spiritually? Why do you want to lose weight? Is it to honour God with your body, or is it for vanity, to honour yourself? Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” John 15:5 declares, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” If God is the centre of your New Year’s resolution, it has chance for success, depending on your commitment to it. If it is God’s will for something to be fulfilled, He will enable you to fulfil it. If a resolution is not God honouring and/or is not in agreement in God’s Word, we are unlikely to receive God’s help in fulfilling the resolution. Psalm 37:5-6 says, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”
Yes, it is OK for a Christian to make New Year resolutions, but it is certainly not a necessary part of the Christian life.
ReplyDeleteIn reality, there is no difference between December 31 and January 1. Nothing mystical occurs at midnight on December 31, but there may be an added impetus to 'make a fresh start'.
From what I can see, The Bible does not directly speak for or against the concept of New Year’s resolutions.
Common New Year’s resolutions are commitments to quit smoking, to stop drinking, to manage money more wisely, to spend more time with family, to lose weight, to exercise more and to eating more healthily. These are all good goals to set. However, 1 Timothy 4:8 instructs us to keep exercise in perspective: “For physical training is of some value, but Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
The vast majority of New Year’s resolutions, even among Christians, are in relation to physical things.
Maybe Christians could make additional New Year’s resolutions: to pray more, to read the Bible every day, and to attend church more regularly. These are fantastic goals. However, even these New Year’s resolutions are likely to fail just as often as the non-spiritual resolutions, because there is no power in a New Year’s resolution.
Resolving to start or stop doing a certain activity has no value unless you have the proper motivation for stopping or starting that activity. For example, why do you want to read the Bible every day? Is it to honour God and grow spiritually? Why do you want to lose weight? Is it to honour God with your body, or is it for vanity, to honour yourself?
Philippians 4:13 tells us, “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” John 15:5 declares, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
If God is the centre of your New Year’s resolution, it has chance for success, depending on your commitment to it. If it is God’s will for something to be fulfilled, He will enable you to fulfil it. If a resolution is not God honouring and/or is not in agreement in God’s Word, we are unlikely to receive God’s help in fulfilling the resolution.
Psalm 37:5-6 says, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.”