Latest / Reformed Thinking / Pressing into the Kingdom of God (Luke 16:16) | Jonathan Edwards

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Pressing into the Kingdom of God (Luke 16:16) | Jonathan Edwards · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to Reformed Thinking, where we bring timeless truths
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into today's conversations. Welcome curious minds, to
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another deep dive. Today we're taking a close look
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at a really central piece of Reformed thought.
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Our source material comes from Jonathan Edwards, specifically
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his writings on pressing into the Kingdom of God, which he
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draws from Luke 16.16. A very striking passage it is.
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You've shared some rich material on this.
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Our goal today is really to unpack the crucial insights, the
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arguments, and, you know, the practical guidance in these
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pages. We want to get a handle on what
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this forceful pursuit of salvation actually means, and
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why Edward saw it as so, well, vital.
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Yeah, fascinating how Edwards reads this.
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It's not about passive wishing, is it?
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It's about active, really vigorous striving.
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So we'll look at the historical setting, the theological
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background, too. We'll try to pin down the
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specific qualities of this earnest seeking he describes,
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and we'll consider why it matters so much, and, maybe most
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helpfully, how it applies to our spiritual lives today.
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It's a good way to grasp a key aspect of Reformed thinking
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about spiritual, well, zeal. OK, so before we dive into the
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phrase pressing into the Kingdom, let's set the scene a
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bit. The materials from Jonathan
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Edwards, a major figure obviously in American religious
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history, famous for his role in the Great Awakening.
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Absolutely. A theologian, A pastor, A
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revivalist. And a sharp observer of
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spiritual life, his writings, they still carry weight.
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And Reformed circles. He was often trying to stir
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people to a genuine active faith, not just a passive 1.
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So with that context, Edwards kicks off his discussion by
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describing this huge shift in how God deals with humanity.
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He talks about moving from the Old Covenant to a new era.
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That's right. The source material points to
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the law and the prophets as representing that ancient way of
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things, the old dispensation. OK, think of it as that long
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period where God's people were guided mainly by the revelations
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given through Moses in the Old Testament prophets.
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That system, Edwards says, was fully in place right up until
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John the Baptist arrived. It was, you could say, the
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church under a sort of preparatory light.
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So the Law and the Prophets covers that whole Old Testament
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period, and then John the Baptist comes along.
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How does Edward see John's specific role in this big shift?
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Edward's pictures John as the one who first starts to usher in
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what he calls the New Testament dispensation, often called the
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Kingdom of Heaven or Kingdom of God.
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Right, those terms. Yeah, John's main job was
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preaching that this Kingdom was arriving, literally preparing
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the way for it. His famous message was repent
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for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand, and that wasn't just a
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general call to be sorry for sins, it was tied directly to
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the imminent start of this new glorious era under God.
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So John sounds like a bridge figure connecting these two
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major periods. Exactly.
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Edwards describes the transition as gradual, like a night turning
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in today or the dawn breaking before the sun is fully up.
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Nice image. Yeah, he uses this picture of
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John as the Day star or the Morning star.
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John comes before the full light of the sun itself.
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Who is Christ now? Earlier prophets foretold
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Christ's coming, sure, but John's unique role was
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revealing. Christ is already here, present
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and active. OK, not future, but present.
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Precisely that gave John the most honorable prophetic office
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pointing to Christ as a present reality.
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His whole purpose was to make ready a people prepared for the
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Lord, basically cultivating hearts ready to receive Christ's
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fuller establishment of this Kingdom.
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And then Christ arrives to sort of complete what John began.
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Absolutely. John initiated the introduction,
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but Christ himself fully brought in and actually established this
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Kingdom of God. He established.
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It yes, his preaching and that of his disciples.
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It continued John's message. Repent, for the Kingdom of
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heaven is at hand. So Christ finishes what John
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announced. He didn't just talk about the
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Kingdom, he brought it into reality among people.
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So when Edwards uses the term Kingdom of God, he's not talking
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about something abstract or way off in the future.
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He means a new, active state of God interacting with people, one
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filled with glorious spiritual and eternal privileges and
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blessings. That's a really significant
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change, then, from the old Covenant ways to this new
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spiritual reality headed by Christ.
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And what Edwards finds interesting is how people
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actually reacted when John announced this Kingdom was
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arriving. It wasn't a quiet affair, was
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it? Not at all.
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Edwards highlights that John's ministry was unusually
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successful, and in two ways specifically.
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OK, first, it's wide reach. It cut across all sorts of
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different groups of people. And 2nd, the intense way people
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sought this Kingdom. He stresses that every man
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pressed into it. Every man pressed into it.
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What does that every man part mean?
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Like literally everyone. No, not every single person in
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Judea. It means it was widespread, a
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general movement across different types of people, and
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unusual spiritual awakeness that broke through normal social
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divisions. Can you give some examples?
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Who are these unexpected groups showing up?
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Well, the source material mentioned some surprising ones.
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You had proud Pharisees, often quite self satisfied with their
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outward religion and wisdom. They came to John.
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You had skeptical Sadducees, known for denying the
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resurrection and a future life, often seen as pretty worldly.
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They came to even notorious publicans, the tax collectors
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everyone despised, and profane soldiers associated with rough
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living. They showed up so all.
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These different kinds of people. Yeah, all coming to John with
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this shared sense of urgency, concerned about salvation and
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asking what should we do? It really shows an uncommon
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stirring that reached far beyond the usual religious folks.
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That paints quite a picture, not just the usual suspects.
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It was a real societal buzz and that phrase pressed into it.
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What does that convey? What's the feeling there?
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That phrase pressed into it, it signals A forceful, really
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earnest pursuit. Edwards even uses the phrase
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being violent for heaven. Violent for heaven.
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That's strong language. It is.
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It's obviously not literal physical violence.
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It means a spiritual intensity, A determination, a very active,
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resolute leaning of the heart and seeking salvation.
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It suggests pushing past resistance, overcoming
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obstacles, moving forward with a kind of spiritual energy.
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It's dynamic, not passive at all.
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So definitely not just a casual interest, something much more,
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well, strenuous. Edwards then breaks this down
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further, right into five key qualities that show what this
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demanding approach involves. What are they?
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Yes, and these qualities really distinguish it from just a
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superficial wish or a mild preference.
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They define what a truly engaged, serious pursuit of
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salvation looks like in Edward's view.
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OK, what's the first one? First, there's strength of
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desire. Now, this isn't just generally
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preferring heaven over hell, which most people might say they
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do. No, Edwards describes it as a
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dominant internal force. It comes from a deep conviction
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of your current misery, realizing you're in a lost,
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precarious state and an extreme need to get into a better state.
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The mind, he says, becomes possessed with and wrapped up in
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concern about it. You have to truly grasp your
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natural condition as lost and feel the necessity of a
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spiritual connection with Christ.
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So it consumes your thoughts? Pretty much obtaining salvation
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becomes desired above all things in the world.
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This single minded concern. It largely shuts out other
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concerns, pushes other interests aside, and takes over the minds
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focus. It becomes what Edwards calls
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the one thing needful. Echoing the psalmist's intense
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longing for God, he notes many people might vaguely desire
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heaven, but they're not much concerned about it living
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carelessly. That's the opposite of this.
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This kind of strong, prevailing desire, Edwards argues, is
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essential for any genuine resolution or effort.
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Without it, everything else is just half hearted.
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So it's more than just an emotion.
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It's like a driving force that completely reorders your
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priorities. If salvation is truly the top
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thing, Other stuff naturally falls away and that connects to
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the next quality. Exactly building right on that
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intense desire. The second quality is
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earnestness and firmness of resolution.
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Just wanting it badly isn't enough, It has to be paired with
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a firm resolve. This means earnestly going after
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salvation with your utmost ability, attending to every duty
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God requires, actively fighting against all sin, and, crucially,
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persevering in this pursuit without quitting.
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Doing everything you can. Yes, doing all that in the use
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of their utmost strength they're able to do and true resolution,
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Edwards explains. It comes from two things, a
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clear sense of the great need for the mercy you're seeking,
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and also an encouraging sense of opportunity to actually get it.
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You need an opportunity. Without both feeling the danger
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and having some hope of success. Resolutions are just words of
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the mouth more than of the heart.
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They don't come from a heart truly set on doing what's
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resolved. And this resolution isn't meant
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to be a temporary burst. It's a constant inclination of
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the soul, not something that waivers or is off and on.
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It's a settled disposition. A steady purpose then, not just
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sporadic efforts, And from that resolve the next quality follows
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naturally. Yes, the third quality is
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greatness of endeavor. This is the logical outcome if
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you have both strong desire and firm resolution.
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It turns that inner resolve into outward action.
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It means doing what our hand finds to do with our might.
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Like it says in Ecclesiastes, people showing this quality,
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they strive to enter in at the straight gate.
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They are truly violent for heaven.
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Edwards uses the illustration of seeking wisdom like someone
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hunting for silver or hidden treasures, crying out for it,
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lifting your voice for understanding.
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As Proverbs suggests, their actions align with their inner
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desire and firm decisions. They aren't just wishing,
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they're actively working toward the goal.
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So the internal state shows up in external diligence.
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What about the focus of all this effort?
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Is it just any kind of spiritual activity?
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Good question. That brings us to the fourth
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quality direct focus on salvation.
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The earnestness has to be aimed directly about that business of
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getting into the Kingdom of God and how, through diligent use of
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God's appointed means, God's appointed.
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Means like prayer, scripture, yes things.
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Like that. And Edwards gives a strong
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warning here against getting sidetracked by unproductive
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mental loops. Like he mentions things like
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prying into God's secret decrees, trying to figure out
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beforehand if you're elect or not, or obsessing over whether
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you've committed the unpardonable sin.
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Yeah, people can get stuck there, right?
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Or getting. Tangled up in debating
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mysterious doctrines like original sin in a way that just
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distracts you from what you need to do, Edwards calls these
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pursuits beside their business. He says they hinder real
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progress, waste time and energy. It's like fighting with
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phantoms. Instead of the real obstacles,
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these kinds of anxieties may be worsened by a melancholy
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outlook. Pull your attention away from
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the actual work. So what's?
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The proper focus then. Proper engagement means focusing
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the intent of their minds and the engagedness of their spirits
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on their proper work. In business, that means
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diligently using the means God has given and doing what He
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commands you to do. Now.
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The aim is obtaining salvation, not getting lost in theological
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puzzles for their own sake. OK, so.
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It's about practical action within what God has revealed,
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not getting bogged down in speculation or anxiety.
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And the last quality Edwards points out, finally.
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The fifth quality is breaking through opposition and
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difficulties. That phrase pressing into it
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inherently signals difficulty, right?
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Yeah, it sounds. Like a struggle it is.
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Those who are genuinely pressing forward, they breakthrough
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obstacles that stop others cold. This involves A readiness to
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sacrifice everything to your soul's eternal interests.
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Sacrifice. Everything.
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What does that look like it means?
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Letting go of any convenience, comfort, ease, or desirable
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thing that gets in the way. This could be worldly profit,
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harmful friendships, cherished sinful habits, bodily appetites,
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your reputation, social standing, or even fear of being
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criticized. It demands, as He puts it,
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crossing and crucifying the flesh, denying and putting to
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death those natural inclinations that who's seeking God.
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That's radical. It is.
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Edwards gives examples Herod, who was moved by John but
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wouldn't give up, Herodias or the rich young ruler who
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couldn't part with his wealth. These show how the straightness
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of the gate, the narrowness, the difficulty of entry, often lies
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right here in this willingness to sacrifice.
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They don't engage in long parlayings and disputings with
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their own conscience, finding excuses, no rationalizing.
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Right. Instead, they press violently
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through all difficulties. They fight the devil's
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temptations. They throw off any weight that
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holds them back, even if it seems precious like gold, or
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essential, like a hand or foot. Their strong resolve for heaven
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means they're determined to get it, if by any means they can
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obtain. Wow.
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OK, so just to recap these five qualities of pressing into the
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Kingdom, it's not just wanting heaven.
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Casually, Edwards is describing this relentless all in pursuit,
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where your whole life is oriented toward this one
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ultimate goal, total dedication, a kind of spiritual urgency.
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Exactly. He makes it very clear this
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isn't a passive hope, it's an active, strenuous striving that
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reshapes your entire existence and pushes through all
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opposition. That's what defines a true
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seeker in his view. Someone genuinely serious about
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their eternal state. So we've.
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Got a picture of what this pressing into looks like?
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This intense, demanding spiritual effort?
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But why? Why does Edwards insist on such
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a tough, almost violent approach?
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Why isn't the simple, sincere desire enough?
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He feels like he's getting us something really basic about
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salvation and our situation as humans.
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Yes. The reasons he gives build a
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very strong case for why this urgency and thoroughness aren't
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just suggested, but absolutely necessary for anyone who truly
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wants to enter God's Kingdom. What's the 1st?
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Reason first, it's. Extreme necessity.
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Simple as that. Without getting into the Kingdom
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of heaven, people are utterly and eternally lost.
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There's no safety, no hiding place.
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He calls it the only city of refuge from God's righteous
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judgment. The only.
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Escape the only one. Those outside face internal
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destruction, the grim picture of being swallowed up in an
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overflowing, fiery deluge of wrath.
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God himself becomes their dreadful enemy.
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Their situation will be utterly desperate and infinitely
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doleful, unimaginably sad beyond our ability to grasp.
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All the offers of mercy so freely available now will be
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gone forever. There's just no other way to
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avoid ultimate ruin. That's a.
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Very stark picture of the stakes involved.
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It frames salvation not just as a nice bonus, but as the
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absolute escape Rd. from total disaster.
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And then there's the time factor.
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Yes. The second reason is the
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shortness and uncertainty of opportunity.
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The time window for getting saved is short and uncertain.
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Your day is limited, and nobody knows when their personal
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deadline death will arrive, right?
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We don't. Know when exactly?
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Any hour could be the one where you're overtaken with wrath
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before crossing that line, beyond which there is no work,
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device, knowledge nor wisdom, meaning no more chance for
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spiritual activity. This unpredictability, the fact
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that life is fragile and time runs out, it strongly pushes us
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to do what we have to do with our might, as Ecclesiastes says,
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while we still can. It really.
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Underscores that this isn't something we can just put off
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indefinitely. What about the path itself?
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Is it easy to get in? Far from it.
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The third reason Edwards gives is the difficulty of entry.
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Getting into God's Kingdom is shown as difficult, filled with
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innumerable difficulties that Edwards observes few conquer,
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few make. It through that's his.
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Observation based on scripture and experience.
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Many who try just don't have the needed resolution and steadiness
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to push through. They fail, give up and perish
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along the way. The path is described as a
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straight gate and narrow way. Christ himself said many will
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seek but shall not be able. They won't be able to enter.
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The obstacles, both external and internal are just too much for
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those who don't actively and forcefully press on.
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It's not a road for the half hearted that sounds.
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Pretty bleak, almost discouraging.
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Yet Edward still calls people to make this effort.
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How does he balance the difficulty with the call to
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strive? That leads directly to the
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fourth reason, which is a vital counterpoint, the possibility of
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obtaining. Yes, it's hard, but Edward
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stresses it's not a thing impossible.
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It can. Be done, it can.
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Regardless of your past sins, no matter how bad or your current
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situation may be feeling spiritually dead or hard
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hearted, salvation is still a real possibility.
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Edwards insists God has mercy sufficient and full provision
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made through Christ to save even the worst sinners.
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He even says the greatest and vilest, most blind, dead, hard
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hearted Sinner living is a subject capable of saving light
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and grace. This possibility, when you
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combine it with the extreme need, the short time and the
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real difficulty should actually fuel your pursuit.
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It provides that necessary sense of opportunity that strengthens
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resolve. It's hope, but not cheap hope.
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So the. Path is tough, but it's
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genuinely open to anyone who seeks.
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What about the goal itself? Does the value of the Kingdom
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play a role in how hard we should try?
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Absolutely. The fifth reason is the Great
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Excellency of the Kingdom, Edwards argues.
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It's completely fitting, even required, that the Kingdom of
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heaven be sought so earnestly because it's so incredibly
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valuable. It's great Excellency.
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It's worth. Demands effort.
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Precisely. He reasons if people chase after
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earthly things of trifling value with great diligence, think
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about the effort people put into careers, wealth, hobbies.
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Then it's certainly right, maybe even a moral duty, to seek
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something of infinitely greater worth and excellence with
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maximum earnestness. God, Edwards argues, has every
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right to expect this kind of zealous pursuit for something so
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supremely valuable, something that outweighs all earthly
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treasures beyond comparison. That really.
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Puts our everyday efforts into perspective, doesn't it?
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If we run hard for temporary things, how much more for
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eternal ones? And what's the final reason he
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gives the 6th? And final reason is that this
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manner of seeking is needful for preparation for the Kingdom.
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This intense effort isn't just a barrier to overcome, it actually
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serves a purpose. It's God's usual way, his
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ordinary means to bring people to a true acquaintance with
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themselves. How?
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Through this striving you get a clear sight of your own heart, a
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sobering sense of your own helplessness, and ultimately you
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come to despair in your own strength and righteousness.
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You see, you can't do it on your own.
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Also, this constant, focused effort prepares the soul to
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receive salvation the more joyfully and thankfully.
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When God does grant it, you value it more highly because you
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understand the struggle and your inability.
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Edward sees this earnest seeking as something God appoints both
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in mercy to us to prepare us, as well As for the glory of His own
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name. It's a process designed to
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humble us and make us ready to truly receive His grace.
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OK, so. Summing up these reasons,
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Edwards argues this intense pursuit is essential because the
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stakes couldn't be higher. Time is running out, the path is
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hard but possible, the prize is infinitely valuable, and the
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struggle itself prepares our hearts for God's mercy.
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It paints a very, very urgent picture, it really.
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Does it leaves absolutely no space for being casual or
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indifferent about your soul now? Edwards was smart.
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He knew that calling for such rigorous effort would raise
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questions, maybe even objections.
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I can imagine listeners, especially those grounded in
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Reformed theology with its strong view of grace, might
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think, wait a minute, How does Edwards handle the concern that
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all this striving might lead us to rely on ourselves instead of
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God? Yes.
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These are really key points, and he addresses them very
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carefully. He wants to be clear that
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calling for earnest effort doesn't undermine the doctrine
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of God's sovereign grace. OK.
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What's the first worry he tackles the first.
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Concern is basically, we can't do this ourselves.
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This strength of desire, this resolution, it's beyond us.
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People might feel I can't just make myself desire God this
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intensely or be this resolute, right?
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It feels like something God has to give and.
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Edwards agrees. He acknowledges that true,
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genuine earnestness comes from God's influence.
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He's clear this isn't something you can just manufacture by
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willpower alone. However this crucial, he says
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God uses means to stir it up. Things like seriously
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considering the absolute necessity of salvation, how
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difficult it is, how short and uncertain our time is, and the
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real possibility of obtaining it.
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Meditating on these truths can move people.
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Edwards argues that if people truly and deeply thought about
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these realities, they'd need no more to be thoroughly engaged
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and resolved. He suggests that if we see
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people being slack or unsteady, it's often because they aren't
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giving enough weight to these powerful considerations.
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So the. Interchange is God's work, but
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focusing our minds on these truth, that's our
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responsibility, Stability. And that itself takes effort.
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Exactly. And he adds that the painfulness
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of endeavors, the actual hard work, is something within your
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ability. While you might not be able to
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instantly command earnest feelings, you can choose to act
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diligently. You can choose.
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The actions, right? You can take pains in the use of
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means, diligently, use the spiritual practices God provides
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like prayer, reading, scripture, worship.
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You can watch your heart closely, strive against sin,
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attend duties and ordinances with your might, using all your
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strength. Even feeling dull or spiritually
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dead doesn't stop you from being able to take pains.
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In fact, that struggle against dullness is a form of spiritual
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labor. He also thinks that earnestness
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of mine and diligent effort tend to feed each other.
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The more diligent you are, the more likely your heart
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sensibility and spiritual earnestness will increase that.
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Makes sense. Effort can sometimes stir up
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deeper feeling. But what about that second big
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concern, the classic worry and reformed circles?
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If we're really earnest and work hard, won't we start trusting in
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what we do? How does Edwards respond to the
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fear of self-reliance? This is a.
21:43
Really. Central objection, and Edwards
21:45
counters it quite strongly. He actually argues the opposite.
21:48
Ordinarily, no kind of seekers that trust so much to what they
21:51
do as slack and dole seekers. Oh, wait.
21:53
The Slack seekers trust their works more.
21:55
That seems backwards. It does.
21:56
At first glance, he grants that probably all unconverted seekers
22:00
have some tendency to trust in their own efforts or
22:02
righteousness. But he argues it's precisely the
22:05
ones who are most earnest who are most likely to be cured of
22:08
that self-reliance. Why?
22:10
Would intense effort lead away from trusting yourself his.
22:13
Reasoning is this earnest seeking keeps your conscience
22:17
more sensible, more active, more aware.
22:20
This constant striving leads you to gain much more knowledge of
22:23
yourselves and acquaintance with your own hearts simply through
22:26
trying hard and seeing where you fail.
22:28
It's this direct experience of ourselves and finding what we
22:31
are running headlong into your own weakness, your own
22:33
sinfulness, your inability to consistently do what's right
22:36
that God commonly uses to wean people off from all dependence
22:39
on ourselves. So the effort reveals your
22:42
limitations. Exactly.
22:44
Earnest seekers quickly see the vanity of all that they do.
22:48
They realize their best efforts are flawed and insufficient.
22:51
They find no real rest or satisfaction in their own
22:54
performance or in anything created.
22:56
They aren't easily quieted or made secure by their own works,
22:58
unlike maybe a dull seeker who does a little bit and then feels
23:01
pretty good about themselves. Edwards argues that deliberately
23:05
neglecting duty out of a fear of becoming self-righteous is
23:08
actually based on a wrong notion.
23:11
So avoiding. Effort doesn't guarantee
23:12
humility. No.
23:14
In fact, he says, slackness and religion and trusting in your
23:16
own works tend to reinforce each other, leading to a kind of
23:19
dull, false security, earnest seeking, precisely because it
23:22
forces you to confront your own weakness and the inadequacy of
23:25
your efforts. It becomes a means God uses to
23:28
bring you to genuine humility and a recognition that you
23:30
absolutely need God's sovereign mercy alone.
23:33
So. Paradoxically, the intense
23:35
driving doesn't necessarily build pride.
23:37
It can actually dismantle it by showing you how much you need
23:39
grace. It's a humbling process, OK.
23:42
With those concerns handled, Edwards then shifts to giving
23:45
very direct, practical advice for Christ.
23:48
Less persons, as he calls them, who want to pursue this path.
23:52
He put it starkly. If you sit still, you die.
23:55
If you go backward, behold, you shall surely die.
23:58
If you go forward, you may live. That's a very direct challenge,
24:01
incredibly. Serious, Yes.
24:03
And his directions are concrete actions reflecting that urgency.
24:07
What's the? First piece of advice first.
24:09
Edward says sacrifice everything for your soul's eternal
24:12
interest. Make getting saved your absolute
24:15
top goal. Let nothing stand before your
24:17
resolution. This means being willing to
24:19
dismiss any convenience, comfort, ease, or anything else
24:22
desire that gets in the way of seeking God.
24:24
This might include worldly profit, bad company, cherished
24:28
sins, physical appetites, your reputation, social standing, or
24:32
fear of criticism it demands. Really crossing the grain?
24:35
Yes. Crossing and crucifying the
24:37
flesh, as he puts it, denying those natural desires that pull
24:41
you away from God. This radical surrender, Edwards
24:45
insists, is certainly required. He points out that this giving
24:49
things up is often the stumbling block that few get over.
24:52
He mentions Herod not giving up Herodias, the rich young ruler,
24:56
not giving up his wealth. These show that the straightness
24:59
of the gate, the narrow difficulty, often lies right
25:02
here in the willingness to let go of everything else.
25:04
You can't depend on any worldly enjoyment as your ultimate good.
25:07
That's a. Huge Ask A willingness to cut
25:10
ties with anything that hinders. What's the next practical step?
25:13
He advises Second. He instructs forget the things
25:16
that are behind. Don't constantly look back at
25:18
your past religious efforts or how much you think you've
25:20
already done. Why not?
25:22
Because it can lead to 2 problems.
25:24
Either you get discouraged thinking I haven't done enough,
25:26
or you get complacent thinking look how much I've done Now.
25:30
You should look back at past sins to confess them and at the
25:33
flaws in your past duties to humble yourself.
25:36
But the focus shouldn't be on complaining against God or
25:38
feeling self-righteous about your efforts.
25:40
Instead, Edward says, look forward.
25:43
Consider what you can do now and what God still calls you to do
25:46
for your salvation. He brings up the apostle Paul,
25:49
forgetting what's behind, reaching forward, pressing
25:51
toward the goal. The idea is keep moving.
25:53
Stay focused on the present task.
25:55
Maintain. That forward momentum?
25:57
Don't get stuck looking back in either pride or despair.
26:01
OK? And how long does this intense
26:03
effort need to last? Third.
26:04
The direction is labor. To hold out to the end, you need
26:08
to cultivate a willingness to keep seeking without limitation.
26:12
Don't think your whole life too long for this pursuit.
26:15
It requires real perseverance, and to do this you need to grasp
26:19
two things. First, understand that God gives
26:22
mercy according to His sovereign pleasure, about the time when He
26:26
might grant it quickly to some, while others might seek for a
26:29
long time before receiving it. So you can't.
26:31
Dictate the timing? No.
26:33
You have to be content to wait, striving earnestly until God's
26:36
time comes, even if you see others converted much faster.
26:40
Edwards argues that any amount of effort or waiting, however
26:43
long, is tiny compared to the infinite benefit of salvation.
26:47
He says even 10,000 years of striving wouldn't compare to the
26:49
eternal value of what's gained. Patience.
26:52
And persistence are crucial, then trusting God's timing And
26:55
what about preparing for the difficulties of sticking with it
26:58
that. Leads to the second part of
26:59
holding out. You must count the cost of
27:02
perseverance. Think ahead about the difficulty
27:05
of sticking with it, especially through potentially long
27:07
stretches of seeking without feeling immediate comfort or
27:11
seeing clear signs of success. Prepare for.
27:13
The tough times. Exactly.
27:14
Brace yourself for temptations to get discouraged, feeling like
27:17
your efforts are useless, or seeing others apparently find
27:20
faith more easily. Thinking about these
27:23
possibilities beforehand helps you avoid being unguarded and
27:26
easily overthrown when tough patches or spiritual dryness
27:29
hit. You have to mentally resolve to
27:32
push through whatever challenges come, determined not to quit.
27:35
That's very. Down to earth advice, like
27:38
preparing for a marathon, not a Sprint.
27:41
And finally, Edwards gives a very specific advice related to
27:44
the timing of all this. Yes.
27:45
The 4th and maybe the most urgent direction is improve the
27:49
present season of the pouring out of the Spirit of God.
27:52
This is a really strong time sensitive appeal.
27:55
What does he mean? By that he.
27:56
Urges people to grab hold of special times of spiritual
27:59
awakening, times when God seems unusually active among a
28:03
community. He calls such a time a special
28:06
and remarkable price put into your hands to get wisdom.
28:09
It's an accepted time, a day of salvation, when God opens an
28:13
extraordinary door of mercy. So take.
28:16
Advantage of revival or awakening, yes.
28:19
During such a season, Edwards claims converting grace is much
28:22
more easily obtained. Why?
28:24
Because God seems more ready to help.
28:26
Satan is more chained up, meaning his opposition might be
28:28
weaker. And conversions can happen quick
28:30
and sudden, like in the book of Acts.
28:32
Think of the Philippian jailer. It fulfills prophecies like
28:35
Isaiah 66, where Zion gives birth quickly.
28:38
Edwards really pushes the urgency here, telling people not
28:41
to stay behind, but to press in amongst the rest who are seeking
28:43
God. And there's a.
28:44
Warning if you don't, the severe. 1 Neglecting this unique
28:48
opportunity, he warns, can lead to greater misery and even seal
28:51
damnation. Remaining unconverted after
28:54
witnessing or experiencing such a time can leave a person
28:58
dreadfully hardened with an increase of guilt and under a
29:01
stronger dominion of Satan, he fears God might forever leave
29:05
them. Wow.
29:07
That point about improving the present season really brings it
29:10
home to the listeners. Immediate situation,
29:13
highlighting A potentially critical window.
29:15
Edwards then goes on to speak directly to different groups of
29:18
people. Right.
29:19
Tailoring his advice. How does he do that?
29:21
Yeah. He recognized that people are in
29:22
different places spiritually and in life, so they have different
29:25
needs and maybe different advantages or disadvantages.
29:28
He adjusts his exhortations accordingly.
29:30
Who does he? Address first first.
29:32
He speaks to awaken sinners. These are people already feeling
29:35
concerned about their souls experiencing some conviction of
29:38
sin or spiritual stirring. Edwards tells them to prize this
29:42
moment, noting God seems to have a design to deal forth.
29:45
Sailing. Blessings then, and Christ is
29:47
knocking at your door. He repeats that converting grace
29:50
is much more easily obtained during such times.
29:53
There's far less difficulty. God is more ready to help.
29:57
Satan is more chained up sounds like.
29:59
A prime opportunity it. Is, but he immediately follows
30:02
with a stark warning of failure. Despite these advantages, some
30:06
who are awakened will never obtain salvation.
30:08
They might become hardened instead.
30:10
Many lose their initial convictions as the novelty wears
30:12
off or as worldly concerns creep back in.
30:15
So the. Feeling can fade is not acted
30:17
upon exactly. And the the consequences of
30:19
neglect are serious. Remaining unconverted after such
30:22
a season leaves people dreadfully hardened, carrying a
30:26
great increase of guilt, and under a more strong dominion and
30:29
possession of Satan. This neglect, Edwards warns,
30:32
might effectively seal their damnation because God may
30:35
forever leave them, making their future prospects much more
30:39
doleful. He adds that it's uncertain if
30:41
another such spiritual opportunity will come, or if
30:44
they'll even live to see it. And any future chances would
30:47
likely be under far greater disadvantages because their
30:51
hearts would be harder and Satan would have a stronger hold.
30:53
That's. Sobering.
30:55
Any other points for the awakened?
30:56
Yes. A really solemn 1, he says.
30:58
Those who are converted during this time, your neighbors,
31:01
family members, they will actually rise up in judgement
31:04
against you. They'll serve as witnesses and
31:06
even potentially as judges alongside Christ, condemning
31:09
your neglect. And he drives the uncertainty of
31:11
life using a current event from his time, the sudden death of a
31:15
young married woman named Joseph Clark's wife, to under score the
31:18
urgent need to make haste and escape for thy life.
31:21
Don't assume you have time. That's a.
31:23
Heavy warning for those who feel something stirring but hesitate.
31:26
What up? People who aren't feeling
31:28
anything at all? The unawakened second.
31:31
Edwards turns directly to unawakened sinners.
31:34
His tone is challenging, almost confrontational.
31:37
He asks them pointedly. If you're not awakened now,
31:41
during a time of general spiritual movement when many
31:44
others are being roused, when do you expect it to happen?
31:48
He presses further. What means could possibly stir
31:51
you if solemn warnings from Scripture, shocking events like
31:55
the deaths of young people around you, seeing others
31:58
converted, and a general sense of God's Spirit moving?
32:01
If none of that has moved you from your spiritual sleep, does
32:05
you flatter yourself that you'll suddenly wake up when everyone
32:07
else is spiritually asleep? Do you think your heart will get
32:09
softer with age, or that more sin and guilt will somehow make
32:12
God more inclined to give you his Spirit?
32:15
He's. Really pushing back against
32:16
complacency hard. Remaining unawakened now in such
32:20
a season, he suggests, could be a sign of being given up to
32:24
judicial hardness, a terrifying thought that God might be
32:27
leaving you to your own insensibility.
32:30
He challenges them directly. Do you really think you can
32:32
endure the damnation of hell? Can you handle the devouring
32:35
fire and everlasting burnings? Can you grapple with the
32:38
vengeance of God Almighty? He basically asks these
32:41
unconcerned Christless people, What do you think is going to
32:44
become of you? That's.
32:45
Meant to shake people up, for sure.
32:47
What about older folks, those who've lived many years without
32:50
seeking salvation? Is there any hope for them?
32:53
Third. Edwards offers a specific,
32:55
perhaps surprising, call to older sinners grown considerably
32:58
into years. He acknowledges they've lost
33:01
past advantages, like the openness of youth, and face
33:04
present disadvantages compared to younger seekers.
33:07
Yet he proclaims God is currently opening a door for old
33:10
sinners, too. An.
33:11
Extraordinary opportunity even for them, yes.
33:13
He calls it a new and extraordinary advantage because
33:17
God is dealing forth freely to all sorts during the season.
33:21
So this isn't the time for them to wallow in self pity, or get
33:24
stuck questioning God's choices about their past, or give in to
33:28
perplexing, weakening, disheartening temptations about
33:30
failed past efforts. But there's also urgency here,
33:35
Edward stresses. It's a great deal more likely
33:37
that this particular season of spiritual opportunity is their
33:40
last time. Why?
33:42
Because Scripture says God's Spirit shall not always strive
33:45
with man. Time is running.
33:46
Out especially for them especially.
33:48
If they've resisted God's Spirit in times past, if they've
33:51
ignored previous nudges, these present knocks are more likely
33:53
God's final attempts. If they don't listen now, God
33:56
might forever leave them to their own ways without His
33:59
gracious help. He uses a stark analogy.
34:02
Neglecting repeated opportunities is like ground
34:04
that gets plenty of rain but only produces briars and thorns.
34:07
Such ground, the Bible says, is rejected and is nigh unto
34:10
cursing. Whose end is to be burned?
34:12
It implies a final, irreversible state leading to destruction.
34:15
A very. Serious message for those who
34:18
feel they've missed their chance or are still putting it off late
34:20
in life. And finally, what about young
34:22
people who are just starting to feel these spiritual concerns
34:26
for the first time? 4th.
34:28
Edwards directs his attention to young persons under first
34:31
special convictions. This group, he says, has a
34:34
unique convergence of advantages.
34:36
What are? They.
34:37
They benefit from the general outpouring of the Spirit
34:40
happening around them. They're feeling specific
34:43
awakening influences personally. They have their youth, meaning
34:46
their hearts aren't typically as hardened by years of sin and
34:49
resistance. And, crucially, they're under
34:52
their first convictions. They haven't yet gone through
34:55
cycles of seeking and backsliding, which can wound the
34:58
soul. This combination, Edwards
35:00
claims, makes them above all in the world, bid fair for the
35:03
Kingdom of God. Instances of quick, decisive
35:06
conversion are most commonly found among such people.
35:10
Oh, they're. In a really promising position,
35:11
does he give them any particular caution?
35:13
Maybe because they are young? Yes, he.
35:15
Does he warns that young people are often more unstable.
35:18
They have less experience of the difficulty of the work involved
35:22
in seeking salvation, which can make them more easily
35:24
discouraged by disappointments. They also tend to have less
35:28
reason and consideration to fortify them against temptations
35:31
to backsliding. So they might.
35:32
Start strong but fizzle out. That's the.
35:34
Danger, so Edwards pleads with them very directly.
35:37
Make but one work of seeking salvation.
35:40
Make thorough work of it. The first time he strongly warns
35:43
against having several turns of seeking with great
35:46
intermissions, periods of intense effort followed by long
35:50
breaks or cooling off. This on again, off again
35:52
approach, he says, exceedingly wounds their own souls.
35:56
It leads to prolonged periods of spiritual darkness and
35:59
perplexity. He compares it to the Israelites
36:02
wandering 40 years in the wilderness because they weren't
36:04
steady and didn't press straightforward into Canaan when
36:06
they had the chance. He wants young people to avoid
36:09
that kind of painful roundabout path by being resolute from the
36:13
start. OK.
36:14
As we wrap up this deep dive, it's incredibly clear that
36:17
Edward's call to press into the Kingdom of God isn't some gentle
36:21
suggestion. It's an urgent, active stance of
36:24
the heart and life, a call to action demanding real effort.
36:28
Absolutely. It's a call to fully grasp the
36:30
extreme need for salvation, the precious but short opportunity
36:34
we have, the very real struggles on the path, and of course, the
36:38
infinite value of what we're seeking.
36:40
It's all about a disciplined, focused pursuit that sets aside
36:44
anything holding you back. It accepts that the road to
36:47
spiritual health often feels like a fight.
36:49
And this. Isn't just some sermon from 300
36:51
years ago, it poses A vital question for you listening today
36:55
What are you willing to sacrifice?
36:57
What efforts are you truly willing to put forth for
36:59
something of eternal worth and. Perhaps considering Edwards's
37:03
point that this very earnest seeking is God's usual way of
37:06
showing us ourselves, our helplessness, our need, it makes
37:09
you wonder, doesn't it? Could a lack of that kind of
37:12
earnest striving in our own lives actually be hindering us?
37:15
Could be keeping us from truly seeing just how much we need
37:18
God's sovereign grace? That's a.
37:20
Powerful thought to leave us with.
37:22
Thank you for joining us for this deep dive.
37:24
Until next time, keep seeking, Keep thinking.