“Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live” (Resolution 6).
“Resolved, never to do anything that I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life” (Resolution 7).
These two resolutions actually fit together very well. Resolution 6 can be seen as the positive side in that he intends to live with all of his might in that he is going to pursue the glory of God with all of his heart. Resolution 7 can be seen as the negative side in that he resolves not to do anything at any point if he would be afraid to do it in the last hour of his life. How are we to think of this and is this something that the so-called average person should attempt to emulate? The following Scriptures seem to express these same thoughts.
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.
Jeremiah 29:13 – You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
Matthew 6:33 – But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Romans 12:11 – not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
1 Corinthians 9:24 – Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
1 Corinthians 15:10 – But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
Colossians 1:29 – For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.
Colossians 3:23 – Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men,
Ephesians 5:16 – making the most of your time, because the days are evil.
1 John 2:28 – Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming.
God has created man as an instrument through whom He would express His glory. Man, therefore, is to love God with all of his strength. This means that man must search for ways to live to the glory of God and exert himself and pant after God. To live with all of his might is simply to say that man should love God with all of his strength and pray and seek for the strength that comes from grace. In days of old we find men expending themselves for the glory of God and His kingdom. They crossed oceans when it was not very safe to do so. They went to foreign countries when this was not done and it was not safe to do so either. They stood and preached against sin in the midst of crowds of sinners. Some were said to have burned out in the service of the Lord. They devoted themselves and all their strength for their whole lives in the service of King Jesus and His glory.
What does it mean to do nothing but what you would be afraid to do the last hour of your life? I think that this points to a desire to be holy as He is holy. It is a realization that a person may die at any moment. It is the realization that a person does not want to stand in front of His King just after wasting the time of the King. It is the realization that we must answer to the King for our thoughts, motives, intents, and words. It is also, I think, the realization that all that we do is in the immediate presence of God anyway. Everything that I do is in the presence of God and it is nothing but a practical atheism to deny that (concept from Stephen Charnock). Every exertion of inner and outer strength is either for God or against Him. Every exertion that we do is done in His presence and He is aware of the innermost depths of it. I think that Edwards was simply trying to express that reality. If this generation is going to live to the glory of God, it must realize the same thing. Being lukewarm accomplishes nothing but sin and being spit out His mouth. Perhaps we should be more like Edwards in this.
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