New Year's Resolutions

It's that time of year when people all around are making New Year's Resolutions, we've probably all made them at some point and we know that by about 10th January we'll have broken them! So New Year's Resolutions don't seem all that successful, so what is? What can change us? I've been really challenged lately about changing certain aspects of my behaviour and so started reading 'You Can Change' by Tim Chester with a friend. Reading though the early chapers has been rather eye-opening. So often we attempt by ourselves to change; we make vows with ourselves to do or not do certain things. But how long do our good intentions last? Mine generally fall flat after a day or so, maybe a week at tops. But why am I so obsessed with trying to fight sin alone?

Paul speaks some challenging words about our human attempts in Galatians 3:1-3:
1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

Tim Chester goes on to comment: Our Christian lives began when we received the Spirit by believing Christ crucified, not when we finally managed to observe the law. It’s foolish to think we can now take over and finish the job through human effort. Imagine being carried across the Niagara Falls by a skilled tightrope walker. Halfway across you have a choice. You can let him carry you the rest of the way, or you can tell him you think it would be better if you walker the rest of the way under your own steam. We become Christians by faith in Jesus, we stay Christians by faith in Jesus, and we grow as Christians by faith in Jesus. J.C.Ryle wrote: ‘If we would be sanctified, our course is clear and plain – we must begin with Christ. We must go to Him as sinners, with no plea but that of utter need, and cast our souls on Him by faith…If we would grow in holiness and become more sanctified, we must continually go on as we began, and be ever making fresh application to Christ.’ It’s not just that trying to live by laws and disciplines is useless: it’s a backwards step. It’s a step back into slavery, which ends up undermining grace and hope (Galatians 4:8-11; 5:1-5).

So let's make the resolution of 2010 to try nothing in our own strength but rather call upon the power which has already saved us, that of our awesome God, to continue the transforming work of sancification He's already started in us.