This-N-That: New Year's Resolutions

An article by Henry Morris in Days of Praise brought up some interesting points about New Year’s Resolutions. He begins by connecting the making of New Year’s resolutions to a Babylonian custom. I don’t know enough about history to know if that is true or not, but he goes on to point out that after centuries of attempts by the church to fight against these pagan practices, they were eventually “Christianized” by the church. Or perhaps we should say the church was “paganized” by those customs.

While all of the above is probably true, I wonder why we sometimes go to lengths to put a negative spin on something that can be a positive thing. Perhaps resolutions did begin in Babylon, but on those occasions when I have made some New Year’s resolutions, it didn’t have anything to do with the pagan origins of the practice. In a similar way, when I put up a Christmas tree, I don’t do so with any thought of support to pagan background such a tree may have had. Didn’t Paul say to eat “whatever is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake; because the earth is the Lord’s and all its fullness.” I Corinthians 10:25, 26

In Romans 14:5 Paul writes, “One person esteems one day above another, another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind.” He continues, “He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it.” In other words these things that are not clear cut should be left to individual consciences as we seek to glorify the Lord through our lives.

Morris mentions the fact that when we make resolutions we need to be careful that such promises must be genuine and from our hearts. We must also remember that when we vow, God expects us to follow through. In other words we should not make vows lightly.

These points are true except for the fact that in my mind a resolution is not a promise or a vow. A resolution is a decision. Perhaps we hear a sermon on prayer and are convicted of the fact that we need to pray more. We decide to take steps to do so. We may not make any promises or vows, we may just decide we are going to try to do better. That is a resolution. Why put fear in people’s hearts that they shouldn’t make a resolution because perhaps they may not keep it?

It seems to me that the beginning of a new year, whether it be January 1 or on our birthday is a perfect time to reflect on the past and make some necessary adjustments in our personal disciplines. Neither the fear of pagan history nor the fear of not being able to follow-through on our decision should keep us from making God-honoring adjustments in our life.