Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one

Jonathan Edwards, the fiery preacher of the Great Awakening, once wrote with unwavering conviction: “Resolution One: I will live for God. Resolution Two: If no one else does, I still will.” These words, though spoken in the quiet of a personal resolution, thunder across the ages with the force of an unshakable vow. They remind us that true faith and principle are not measured by the approval of others but by the strength of one’s own conscience. Here is the essence of integrity—to stand firm even when the world around you falters.

The origin of this quote lies in Edwards’s youthful years, when he composed a series of personal resolutions to guide his life. He was not yet the towering theologian he would become, but a young man sharpening his will against the temptations of compromise. His first resolution was simple: to live wholly for God. Yet he foresaw the loneliness that might accompany such a path, and so he forged a second resolution: that even if abandoned by all, he would remain steadfast. This is the mark of true devotion—not dependent on numbers, but on unbreakable conviction.

The ancients, too, knew of such solitary resolve. Consider the figure of Socrates, who, when condemned by Athens for corrupting the youth and rejecting the city’s gods, chose to die rather than betray the truth he had sought all his life. He drank the hemlock alone, but in his solitude, he was stronger than the multitude who condemned him. So it was with Edwards: his words remind us that the path of righteousness often requires the courage to walk without companions.

History offers another tale in the life of Martin Luther, who, standing before the Diet of Worms, declared, “Here I stand; I can do no other.” Surrounded by the power of emperor and church, he resolved to cling to conscience and Scripture rather than yield to the pressure of authority. Like Edwards, Luther teaches us that there are moments when a single soul’s determination outweighs the noise of the crowd. Faithful conviction, even when solitary, has the power to shake empires.

Yet Edwards’s words are not only about heroic defiance—they are also about daily discipline. To live for God when others do is easy; community can inspire devotion. But to live for God when none do requires inner fire, a lamp that burns even in the dark. This is not only about religion but about any principle of truth, justice, or virtue. To live faithfully is to resist the lure of conformity when conformity betrays the truth.

The lesson for us is clear: we must anchor our lives not on the shifting sands of popularity but on the firm rock of principle. If you live only when others walk beside you, your strength is borrowed. If you live even when alone, your strength is real. The measure of character is not found in times of agreement, but in the courage to remain unshaken when the crowd turns away.

Practical wisdom follows. Each person must ask: What is my Resolution One? What is the principle, the truth, the divine calling, that I will live for no matter the cost? And once you find it, make also a Resolution Two: that even if abandoned, mocked, or scorned, you will still walk the path. Write it down, bind it to your heart, and let it guide you as a compass through storms.

So, children of tomorrow, take this teaching of Edwards as your own. Declare boldly your purpose, and live for it. And if you find yourself standing alone, know that you are not truly alone—for all who have walked in integrity stand with you in spirit. For it is better to walk with God in solitude than with the multitude in darkness. This is the courage of the resolute soul, the heart that will not bend, the light that will not go out.