One New Year’s Resolution Every Christian Should Make

Last updated on: January 10, 2019 at 7:41 am by Jack Lee

One New Year’s Resolution Every Christian Should Make 2019-01-10T07:41:21-05:00 Jack Lee

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Unlike some, I enjoy the practice of making New Year’s Resolutions. Though January 1st comes to us like any other day, there is something psychologically freeing about starting over with a brand-new year; it feels fresh and gifts us with a renewed sense of hope that the year to come will bring with it something more than the previous year’s disappointments (which were many).

January is also an ideal time of year to slow down, be reminded of big picture life goals, and get realigned. It’s very easy to “miss the forest from the trees,” as the saying goes. We can become get so bogged down in the details, we forget why we even woke up that morning. For the Christian, regular self-assessment is critical; we are commanded to “make our calling and election sure” (2 Peter 1:10). Now is the time to make sure our time, goals, and plans for the year are completely aligned with the chief end of man – that is, to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever (Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question 1).

As creatures subjected to depravity, we are constantly in need for a such realignment; the flesh is weak and our hearts are prone to wander from the Lord we love. Thankfully, there is no shortage of places in scripture we can turn to for some inspiration to recalibrate our lives with the Christian’s ultimate objective. In fact, a simple google search will yield you dozens of (often eisegetically presented) verses meant to propel you into a new year. Having said that, I think John 8 is a great place to start. It provides some of the clearest and most practical advice for anyone wanting to start the new year off right.

Early in the morning he (Jesus) came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and taught them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst they said to him, “Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. Now in the Law, Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus stood up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more. (John 8:2-11, ESV)

For many, the story of the woman caught in adultery is about sin, forgiveness, and the errors of self-righteous. This is true; these are some clear meanings gleaned from the text. Lamentably, however, many read this story and forget with whom they should most often identify. I don’t know how many times I have heard someone use this text to condemn others for being judgmental – assuming the role of Jesus in our text. There are instances for this. Nevertheless, I don’t think that’s the primary point of the passage. When rightly understood, almost all us should closely identify with the adulterous woman. Without exception, we are all broken, addicted to sin, and deserving of hell. As Romans 3:23 says, “we have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God” – which is our ultimate end. Yet, as this woman found out, in Christ, there is forgiveness and hope for change.

As Christians consider New Year’s Resolutions to improve our lives, families, and health, we should not forget the primary lesson learned in this story: the charge given to the adulterous woman. For, if we are to fulfill our calling and chief end (to glorify God and enjoy Him forever), we will only do this if we heed and do as Christ commanded – “go and sin no more”. Holiness ought to be the aim of any person who professes the name of Christ. We are to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:15-16). Ridding ourselves of sin is no easy task. It is something that will not fully achieved until we are made new in heaven and will sin no more. Even so, as Christians, we must forsake sin because Christ has paid the punishment in full and we owe him all that we are. Though difficult, there is immeasurable joy in fellowship with Jesus!

Puritan Matthew Henry has this to say on the text in his commentary: “Christ will not condemn those who, though they have sinned, will go and sin no more. He will not take the advantage he has against us for our former rebellions, if we will but lay down our arms and return to our allegiance. Christ’s favour to us in the remission of the sins that are past should be a prevailing argument with us to go and sin no more. Will not Christ condemn thee? Go then and sin no more.”

Christian, if you do not make a single New Year’s Resolution this year, then at least be resolved to fight sin this year. Think and pray about the sins that have dug their claws into your to heart. Do you struggle with anger, bitterness, greed, lust, pornography, selfiness, etc.? Spend some time today and search your heart for the sins that plague you. Then, pray, confess and repent. Find help and encouragement in God’s word and your local church community. These are proven methods to wage war on the sins of the flesh. Seek Christ while He still may be found. In doing so, you will take a big step in aligning your life with its chief end. Use this new year to “go and sin no more.”

Previous Post

December 10, 2018

Romans 9-11 Isn't About Nations and Your Free Will is a Myth

Next Post

January 10, 2019 Sometimes, Mocking Someone is the Most Christian Thing One Can Do

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category #ShoutYourAbortion 10 Commandments 2016 Election 2017 2020 Election Abortion Accelerate Books Adultery America Andy Stanley Arminianism Ashley Madison Atonement B&H Academic Baptism Barry Horner Beauty Biblical Elders Billy Graham Blog Book Review Bruce Jenner Caitlyn Jenner Calvin Calvinism Cheating Chick-fil-A Children Christ Christian History Christian Living Christian Podcasts Christianity Christmas Church History Church Leadership Civil Disobedience Constitutional Coronavirus Culture Death Demoninations Discipleship Doctrine Doctrine of God Donald Trump Ecclesiology Entertainment Eschatology Ethics Evangelical Evangelism Evil Evolution Fear Forgive Yourself Forgiveness Francis Chan Future Israel Gay Marriage Gender Genesis George Floyd Gospel Government Gun Control Halloween hamartiology Heavenly Reward Hermeneutics History Hollywood Holy Spirit Homeschool Homosexual Homosexuality Hope Hospitality Humor Husband Infant Baptism Interview Jesus John Piper Josh Duggar Joshua Harris Judgment Justice Kathy Griffin Kim Davis Leadership Logic Love Manhood Marriage Martin Luther Messianic Prophecy Miscarriage Mocking Modesty Money Movie Reviews Music Music Review Netflix New Testament Obergefell Old Testament Parenting Pastor Pastoring Persecution Planned Parenthood Podcast Politics Pop Culture Pornography Prayer Preaching Predestination Pride Prosperity Gospel Rachel Held Evans Racism Ravi Zacharias Redemption Reformation 500 Reformation Day Reformed Theology Relationship Repentance Salvation Same Sex Marriage Satan Satire Scripture Seminary Sex Sin slavery Sola Scriptura Soteriology Sovereignty Spiritual Gifts Spurgeon Star Wars Steven Furtick Suffering Sufficiency of Scripture Sunday School Supreme Court Technology Testimony The Church The Lord of the Rings The Problem of Evil The Shack Theology Theonomy Tithing Transgenderism Tullian Tchividjian Uncategorized Universalism Vanity Fair Video Games Virgin Birth Voting Wife Women Worldview Worship

Select a Month June 2025 April 2025 March 2025 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 June 2023 April 2023 March 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz