This is just about my favorite time of day. The house is quiet and no one else awake. It allows me a few minutes to myself—time I use every day to read the Bible and pray. I know that in a few minutes the family will begin to stir. Nick and Abby will wake up and Michaela will not be far behind. It won’t be long before the quiet is punctuated by their childish squabbles over who gets to eat what or who gets to sit where. I can pretty well count on this.
A little bit after nine, we will head to church. Here we’ll enjoy a time of worship and fellowship with a group of our favorite people. Though we love them dearly, I’m quite sure we’ll see evidence of sin in their lives—we’ll hear people say things they shouldn’t say and see them do things they shouldn’t do. After church we’ll head to the home of some friends to spend the afternoon with them and, once again, I’m sure there will be plenty of evidence of sin in their lives and in ours. We’ll return to church in the late afternoon to once more hear a sinful brother preach what I’m sure will be an excellent but somehow-imperfect sermon. And after it all, we’ll head home. And as we do, you can be sure that there will be more sin, more fighting or complaining or temptation to say things that just have no business being said.
All day we will see the evidence of sin in others around us. It is inevitable, is it not? How are we to react to such sin? It is here that Jonathan Edwards offers a valuable resolution and one that I hope will be in my mind and on my heart as I see so much sin today. I trust that you will benefit from reading it and pondering it as well.
Resolved, To act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings, as others, and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.
Comments (14) »
1. Misty
July 13, 2008
10:23 AM
Thank you for this post. At first I was trying to figure out where you were going with it and thinking you might even be a little too dramatic with pointing out all the sins you were going to have to see through the day. Then when I read the resolution I was convicted and inspired. I would like to memorize it for life-long reference! God bless.
2. Erik
July 13, 2008
11:23 AM
Tim,
Thanks for the reminder that even on the Lord’s Day, we are frail, fallen people who sin. This post will keep my mouth and mind accountable throughout today. Oh yea, I agree…those few moments before the family wakes up are precious indeed. I value them BIG TIME.
3. Nick Coller
July 13, 2008
11:37 AM
That post was really good Tim, something that I needed to hear and a way of looking at it I hadn’t heard before.
And that Sunday schedule sounds fantastic - please don’t change it for my sake next week, because that sounds like one of the most fun ways to spend it!
4. Reg Schofield
July 13, 2008
12:28 PM
Awesome post. What more really can be said but that as we become more conscious of our own sin and weaknesses, the more grace we will show those who stumble on the road because we realize how close we may be there as well. I have been on both sides of the fence, and am thankful our Lord over the last year has made my indwelling sin and weaknesses even more evident, that I may be both broken and humbled but it also has made me love our Savior even more for covering me in His righteousness.
5. donsands
July 13, 2008
1:28 PM
If we do what Edwards was resolved to do, then we can be used by the Lord to help others overcome by faith. And others if they are resolved, they can help us overcome by fith in Christ.
Jesus said, “You can do nothing without Me.” We are simply branches. Jesus produces the fruit in our lives. The branch is nothing but a branch, and will die unless it abides in the Vine.
Thanks for this from the heart post. It was helpful for this sinner, in a big way today. Thank God that our sin, not in part, but the whole was nailed to the Cross. Hallelujah!
6. KathleenM
July 13, 2008
1:29 PM
Ugh. What started out as a lovel post about the quiet joys of a Sunday morning ended up mired in the vile-shame-misery swamp of Jonathan Edwards. Pity.
7. Jennifer
July 13, 2008
1:53 PM
How I needed to hear this today! It is so easy to get frustrated with the shortcomings of those around us and forget our own! I love the “Valley of Vision” and this post reminded me of a line in one of the prayers that says, “O Lord, I am astonished at the difference between my recievings and my deservings, between the state I am now in and my past gracelessness, between the heaven I am bound for and the hell I merit.”
8. Simple Mann
July 13, 2008
2:57 PM
Wow, Tim. It sounds like your church is just full of a bunch of sinners. What’s up? Sounds just like my church… I know, because I’m one of them!
That’s a nice quote at the end. I gained a lot from reading Andrew Murray’s little book on Humility, too. I attended a church a while back that was increasingly charismatic where the pastor actually encouraged the congregation to pray boldly to God, and discouraged the attitude of the humble, worthless servant. I was reading that book by Murray at the time and remember thinking, “What is this guy talking about? How can he be saying we should approach God like we deserve to be heard when we are vile and contemptible sinners?”
I think when we forget how utterly detestable ALL of us are in our sin—even those of us whom God has chosen—we begin to grow in pride but withdraw from grace. We can, none of us, have enough reminders in a day (such as this post of yours) how low our estimation of our selves we should have, for there is nothing that is good in us save Christ whose regenerating work establishes Himself where once only sin and death took residence. And thank God for that.
Peace & Blessings!
Simple Mann
9. joe
July 13, 2008
3:46 PM
ouch!
10. Greg
July 13, 2008
10:13 PM
Tim, I do agree with everything said and appreciate the resolution but I think what sometimes is missing in the local church is our own individual transparency.
I was greeting a brother at church and ask how he was doing, to my amazement and so foreign to my ears was the reply “ok I guess” which of course prompted a conversation on the lack of true individual transparency which leads to sharing a burden and ultimately being purposeful in prayer now that we know there situation.
All to often we hear about the need for transparency through the exhortation of the gospel but we go on struggling with sin on our own and when approached by a brother in church and ask how we are doing with our hearts breaking inside we reply “I am doing find thank you”.
Don’t get me wrong I am not talking about wearing our hearts on our sleeve but I have to say after this very revealing conversation could it be pride, congregational pressure(because everyone seems to say it) or a default statement?
I believe in my case all of the above is applicable.
How are we ever going to be able to pray for each other when we see the visible sin as you pointed out that is all around us, but there is our own personal sin that is breaking fellowship with God and breaking our own hearts in the process.
All to often we say to each other every time we gather together” I am doing fine thank you”
Just some food for thought.
11. Pedro Jimenez
July 14, 2008
12:22 AM
Muy bueno!
Gracias,
Pedro.
12. Daniel Winters
July 14, 2008
12:55 AM
I guess that Jonathan fellow had some insight, eh? I’ve been complaining (in my mind) about some folks near me who definitely have some sins they need to deal with, but thanks to Jonathan’s reminder those sins do need to be dealt with, it just turns out they’re a lot closer than I thought.
I’ll be joining the list of those who have RESOLVED with Mr. Edwards.
Cheers
13. Julian
July 14, 2008
1:51 PM
“We’ll return to church in the late afternoon to once more hear a sinful brother preach what I’m sure will be an excellent but somehow-imperfect sermon.”
Yikes. I’m glad you only said that about the afternoon sermon and preacher. :-)
14. Connie @ Practicing Theology
July 16, 2008
3:37 PM
I’m printing out several copies of this post and placing it in several ‘obvious’ places in our home—as well as a copy inside the front cover of my Bible. Thanks for this reminder.