On Resolving to Control My Tongue, 14-20

In his Some Pastors and Teachers, Sinclair Ferguson “takes a leaf out of Jonathan Edward’s Resolutions” and writes twenty resolutions on the tongue from James (pages 638-642). They are resolutions I need to better keep. I will be posting all twenty, and here are six through thirteen. Resolutions 1-5 are here, and 6-13 are here.

(14) Resolved: To never allow anything but total integrity in my speech.

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your ‘yes’ be yes and your ‘no’ be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation (James 5:12).

(15) Resolved: To speak to God in prayer whenever I suffer.

Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray (James 5:13).

(16) Resolved: To sing praises to God whenever I am cheerful.

Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise (James 5:13).

(17) Resolved: To ask for the prayers of others when I am sick.

Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord (James 5:14).

(18) Resolved: To confess whenever I have failed.

Therefore, confess your sins to one another (James 5:16).

(19) Resolved: To pray for others in need when I am with them.

Pray for one another, that you may be healed (James 5:16).

(20) Resolved: To speak words of restoration when I see another wander.

My brothers, if anyone among your wanders from the truth, and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins (James 5:19-20).