Though the term “Golden Rule” is never actually used in scripture, we receive it through Jesus’ words in the book of Matthew. In it, he says; “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets (Matthew 7:12 ESV).
This command is a common theme woven throughout countless religions and dogmas even outside of Christianity. However, Jesus’ words come with nuance.
With an understanding of the Golden Rule and its use as a standard for our words and deeds, we can gain insight into what may have motivated Edwards to draft his 31st resolution. Before we dig into it, here’s a look at the resolution:
Jonathan Edwards Resolution 31
Edwards’ Resolution #31 (in my modernized language)
The Golden Rule is Not Just a Christian Edict
If you were to take a look into philosophies, mantras, and dogmas outside of Christianity, you’d find a “Golden Rule” in most – if not all – of them. Here are a few in brief:
- Buddhism: “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful” (Udanavarga 5:18)
- Confucianism: “Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you” (Analects 15:23)
Hinduism: “This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain if done to you” (Mahabharata 5:1517) - Ancient Egyptian: “This is the sum of duty: do not do to others what would cause pain i done to you.” Mahabharata 5:1517
- Incas: “Do not to another what you would not yourself experience.” Manco Capoc, founder of the empire of Peru. 6
Mind you, this is a small sample. To explore the Golden Rule in other religions, click here. However, this source, and similar sources, will refer to it as the “ethic of reciprocity.” This is commonly used by non-Christian moralists as an attempt to discredit the uniqueness of Jesus’ words, because they believe it is a common ethic shared by most or all religions. Yet, as explained at GotQuestions, Jesus’ Golden Rule has a subtle difference.
These sayings are similar to the Golden Rule but are stated negatively and rely on passivity. Jesus’ Golden Rule is a positive command to show love proactively. The Eastern religions say, “Refrain from doing”; Jesus says, “Do!” The Eastern religions say it is enough to hold your negative behavior in check; Jesus says to look for ways to act positively. Because of the “inverted” nature of the non-Christian sayings, they have been described as the “silver rule.”
The Golden Rule is the Rule of God
The Golden rule requires love. Love of God, Others and Self. When this cycle is moving fluidly, it’s picture perfect harmony according to God’s design.
Going back to Matthew 7:12, Jesus calls it the summation of the Law and the Prophets.
Why is it a summation? Well, to answer that, we have to read a bit further in Matthew to the 22nd chapter. There, around verse 40, he tells us to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself. This is a condensing of the full law of the old testament…
“‘Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.” Leviticus 19:18 (NIV)
The Golden Rule is a Rule of Action
In Luke, we find a condensed version of the Golden Rule. It’s perhaps also the version most people are best familiar:
Simple enough, right? But what exactly does this look like in action? I tend to look at it from three aspects: God, You, and Others.
Obviously, it starts with loving God above all else. To do that, we must worship the one true God. Not the baseball gods, the god of Playstation, the money gods, or any mystical/metaphorical god. Not even the beloved “Mother Nature.”
Next, love others. That’s the “your neighbors” that Jesus mentions. Don’t think that moving out of the suburbs and onto several acres of land waives this condition. Just because your neighbors may be further away, you still have them… they our brothers and sisters. (I highly recommend this post by Jonathan Parnell about your neighbors)
Thirdly, love yourself. Depending on how you look at it, this may sound both easy and narcissistic. That’s part of why it is also the most challenging for many people. Unfortunately, this is where there is a big disconnect in the cyclical pattern of loving God, Others, and Self.
Many people find they can love God and neighbors, but not their self. This is often result of shameful roots. If that is you, you may not be fully grasping the concept of grace and forgiveness. You may feel like you are the broken leading the broken. That’s fair. I get it. I really do get it.
Similarly, we may feel unworthy. Whether consciously or unconsciously, there is an emptiness in us and we’re trying to complete ourselves. This is in conflict to allowing God to complete us. We fill this perceived gap with drugs, alcohol, caffeine, sugars, foods, hobbies, obsessions, etc. All the while, we’re not even open to accepting God’s ability to complete our brokenness.
You see, God gave us a church of the broken so we’d properly worship him above even ourselves. That doesn’t mean we should exist with negative self-images, though. After all, we are masterpieces created by the one true Master.
Why not love yourself and others as one?