We are obsessed with self-preservation. Modern comfort, medical advancement, and the promise of extended years have become idols in the temple of human autonomy. In contrast, believers are summoned to live and die in a manner that magnifies Christ. The question is not how long we shall live, but whether our living—and our dying—will serve the supreme end for which we were created: the glory of God.
In the seventh resolution, Jonathan Edwards resolves to live in such a way that he would wish to have lived when he comes to die. He knew that death exposes what we have truly valued, and he resolved that his life would be shaped by eternity’s perspective from the very beginning.
Resolved, never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do if it were the last hour of my life.
Jonathan Edwards
Faithfully Living for the Glory of God
Edwards had a resolve for holiness. He would ask whether his actions would stand before the scrutinizing light of eternity. This resolution became a guard for his soul, a question he posed in moments of temptation: Would I do this if I knew I would stand before God within the hour?
Scripture commends this kind of vigilance. The apostle Paul exhorted believers to “walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8), understanding that we are not our own but have been bought with a price. We are called to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel, living each day as if it were our last.
Confidently Dying for the Glory of God
Death is the great revealer of the heart. A man may maintain appearances during the vigor of life, but when the end draws near, the true character of his soul emerges. Edwards desired that when death came, he would not be found living in a way that contradicted his profession. The fear he spoke of was not the terror of punishment, but the shame of hypocrisy.
Scripture teaches that the righteous have confidence in death because their lives have been hidden with Christ in God. The psalmist declares, “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints” (Ps. 116:15). Edwards wanted his death to be precious in this way—because he had lived purposefully for God’s glory.
Willingly Suffering for the Glory of God
This resolution would be tested in the crucible of suffering. To live as though every hour might be your last requires a daily dying to self, a willingness to endure reproach and hardship for the sake of Christ. Yet Edwards believed that suffering endured for the glory of God would be suffering he would never regret, even in the hour of death.
Scripture reminds us that, when we share in Christ’s sufferings, we can “rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (1 Pet. 4:13). Edwards resolved to live in such a way that his suffering would always serve a holy purpose, never the result of his own foolishness, but only the cost of faithful obedience.
Live each day with eternity in view. Be so ordered that you have lived for the glory of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us. Remember, “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).
