Jonathan Edwards, Resolution 5:
“Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.”
Ephesians 5:16 tells us this: “making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (NAS) while the KJV renders it as “Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” The word “redeem” has the following meaning: “to make wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing good, so that zeal and well doing are as it were the purchase money by which we make the time our own.” It would seem that Jonathan Edwards had Ephesians 5:16 in mind when he wrote this resolution. There are other verses as well:
Ecclesiastes 9:10 – “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.”
Romans 13:11 – “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.”
Galatians 6:10 – “So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.”
Colossians 4:5 – “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.”
In thinking through this resolution of Edwards and the corresponding verses, we should be struck with the meaning and importance of life. We know that we will answer to God for our thoughts, intents, motives, and every word.
Will we also answer for every minute and perhaps second that we have on earth? The Greatest Commandment is to love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. That command (along with the Ten Commandments) has no time limit set. We are never commanded to keep these commandments except for certain periods of time. These commandments are in full force seven days a week and twenty-four hours a day. Okay, but each of those hours has sixty minutes and each minute has sixty seconds. Do we want to break the seconds down into smaller units? The point, however, is that Edwards is not being over zealous when he resolves “never to lose one moment.” What does it mean to sleep more than we need? What does it mean to daydream? What does it mean to entertain ourselves with mindless games? Is it improving the time in the most profitable way to read novels? What about all the hobbies that people have? What about television and surfing the internet?
I am not trying to be legalistic in any way that the word is used, but this resolution of Edwards and the corresponding verses should force us to face up to how much time we misuse and do not redeem. What would happen if Christians began to redeem the time and began to focus all their time on doing what was best with it? What would happen if we began to focus our time on seeking the glory of God in all that we do and love Him with all of our beings? Would the world see a difference?
God has given each person a certain amount of time on earth. “Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were ordained for me, When as yet there was not one of them” (Psa 139:16). If all the days are ordained by God, then that means that we will not live one day past the time He has ordained for us to live. How much of our time belongs to Him? How many breaths does He give us each day? We do not have one moment of time that we can call “our own.” All believers are bought by the blood of Christ and they are not their own. Believers are the love-slaves of the living God. Perhaps if we were serious about keeping the Great Commandment we would be more devoted to God. After all, all that we do that is not for His glory is sin since sin is falling short of His glory (Rom 3:23). We are also commanded to do, even eating and drinking, all to the glory of God (I Cor 10:31). Let us remember that God Himself is the true joy and pleasure of the believer. So what could entertain us more than Him? Could it be that our entertainments are actually idols? I am fairly sure that I know what Jonathan Edwards would say. But what does Scripture instruct us in the Great Commandments? May our consciences and lives be instructed by God’s Word.
God Loves... Himself 
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