Resolutions are common. Just about everybody makes them, breaks them, and makes them again. But what about ROYAL resolutions?
Royalty has long been regarded with honor. There is a special “something” around royalty. Even today, royal has standards that common people never think about.
In Israel God chose David to carry on the royal line. Remember the term “seed royal”? Athaliah did her wicked best to get rid of them, even thought she had.
2 Chronicles 22:10 10Now when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs of the house of Judah.
But much as she wanted to stamp out David’s dynasty and bring Judah back under Israelite control, she could not. There was one she had missed—baby Joash—because God was keeping His promise. Doesn’t this show how God can overrule human plans, even now?
Everything in Scripture is aimed toward developing and selecting royalty, because it is all about the coming kingdom and preparing those who will be its administrators with Christ the King.
Revelations tells about those chosen kings who will be Christ’s co-rulers, who will reign initially for 1000 years. They are the ones who sing the new song. Let’s read it from Revelation 5, after Christ is found to open the seven seals.
Revelation 5:9–10 9And they sang a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll, And to open its seals; For You were slain, And have redeemed us to God by Your blood Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10And have made us kings and priests to our God; And we shall reign on the earth.”
Peter, speaking to those in the Church, makes another point about the royalty. He reminds them that they are specially chosen.
1 Peter 2:9–10 9But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; 10who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Think about the privilege of being chosen for royalty: “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people.” All are “called…out of darkness into His marvelous light… people of God.”
What are the royal resolutions appropriate for those being trained for royalty?
They are each one direct and to the point, and well supported by Scripture.
Royal resolve:
1- “I will study and use the language of gentleness.”
Titus 3:2 2to speak evil of no one, to be peaceable, gentle, showing all humility to all men.
The NEB is even more to the point: Gentleness is to “not pick quarrels.”
Titus 3:2 (NEB) 2not to pick quarrels, to show forbearance and a consistently gentle disposition towards all men.
Gentleness and humility go together. When we are forceful and assertive, we are not likely to be humble.
Next royal resolve:
2- I will refuse to use words that bite and crush.
Galatians 5:15 15But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
In case we miss the point, the NJB is even clearer:
Galatians 5:15 (NJB) 15If you go snapping at one another and tearing one another to pieces, take care: you will be eaten up by one another.
What dreadful animal instincts we show by nature! No wonder Christ will not accept such animals (like us) into His kingdom, unless we tame down!
Next royal resolve:
3- I will practice patience at home, lest my zesty temper break through unexpectedly and disgrace me!
Patience—or zesty temper. How do we keep it under control? What did Jesus say?
Luke 21:19 19In your patience possess ye your souls.
Our soul is our very LIFE—our prospect of life in the world to come. And don’t forget the most familiar:
James 1:4 4But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.
Patience is that steady, persevering endurance that will not give up or give in to doubt or fear or weariness. No place for zesty temper. As in Hebrews 10:
Hebrews 10:35–37 35Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. 36For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: 37“For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry.
Next royal resolve:
4- I will remember that others have troubles enough of their own without my complaints.
Complaining is always out of place. In the quaint little maxim,
“If your trouble can be helped, HELP it.
If it can’t, BEAR it.
What is the opposite of complaining? Gratitude. What did Paul say about how much gratitude?
Ephesians 5:20 20giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Always for ALL THINGS.
Again to the Thessalonians:
1 Thessalonians 5:18 18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
In everything. No place for complaining here.
Another royal resolve:
5- I will forgive others’ faults and failures as fully as I would expect them to forgive me.
Jesus commanded it with that very condition.
Matthew 6:14–15 14“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.
Who doesn’t NEED forgiveness—desperately? Jesus says that with His Father it is two-way street. You don’t forgive others, your sins stand against you.
Next royal resolve:
6- I will sweeten my nature by not spreading others’ bitterness.
Hebrews 12:14–15 14Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: 15looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled;
Only a comment. A feeling. A gripe or grievance. But it is a “root” growing out of sight. It sends out its feelers and keeps growing. If I don’t like someone because of some little feeling. I make a comment about that person, voice it, text it, email it—many ways to do it today—and someone else picks it up and sends it on. That is how it can spread. And “defile many.”
Bitterness is literally acridity, poison. Hebrews says, watch out. Look diligently, carefully. The cure: “pursue peace with all.” As Paul said,
Romans 14:19 19Therefore let us pursue the things which make for peace and the things by which one may edify another.
If it is edifying, constructive, it won’t carry any poison root of bitterness.
Next royal resolve:
7- I will silence criticism with commendation and build healthy spiritual muscles by exercise.
Paul says it all in his letter to Timothy—and us:
1 Timothy 4:6–8 6…be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.
Words of faith and good doctrine—here is the basis for all good living. It is what we need to be THINKING about, and TALKING about. But other topics will come up. Paul says, Watch! Verse 7:
7But reject profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.
Reject. That is a strong term. “Shun, avoid, refuse—Lexicon. It is natural to share useless comments, but Paul says, don’t do it. They are profitless—and worse. And he said again in his next letter to Timothy
2 Timothy 2:23 23…avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife.
We don’t need strife. It is the wrong kind of exercise. Rather, Paul says,
Exercise yourself toward godliness.
What is godliness? It is living with respect and reverence for God. It is an “other world” concept, not something we see around us. The language around us, the advertisements, the reports from the media, the response of people to the pandemic—the whole feel is UNgodly. It is a philosophy and an attitude toward life that has no reverence or regard for our Creator. To be godly in an ungodly world we have to EXERCISE. That takes conscious EFFORT.
But it is worth it. Paul says,
8For bodily [physical] exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
Physical exercise benefits us now, but godliness? There’s the DOUBLE benefit! Godliness gives us promise of this present life—if we are working to be godly, God won’t let our life be cut prematurely—PLUS we have the great promise of life in the world to come.
No career or opportunity in this world carries that kind of guarantee.
Besides all this, living by God’s law makes us better right now. Happier. More content. More motivated to virtue because we are looking beyond the moment’s pain or pleasure to what God has promised.
Next royal resolve:
8- I will pray fervently asking God for mercy as I show mercy to others.
Again it is the reciprocal principle. What did Jesus say?
Matthew 5:7 7Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
James repeated it with emphasis:
James 2:13 13For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.
To GET mercy—which we all need—we must GIVE mercy to others.
Even when they may not deserve it—because the “deserving” is God’s to decide, not ours.
Psalm 37:21 21The wicked borrows and does not repay, But the righteous shows mercy and gives.
Practice these resolves, and we can belong to true ROYALTY in the everlasting KINGDOM of our LORD!