I don’t know many people that actually like accountability. Jesus came and died for our sins so that we wouldn’t have to pay the penalty. Like all gifts, this is something that we must receive but it is there for the taking. Once we’ve received Christ as our Savior and Lord, one of the issues that we must look at is accountability. For a believer punishment is off the table because Jesus took our punishment for us. That being said, we will all still be held accountable. Edwards’ 19th resolution deals with this very concept. He said, 

Resolved, Never to do any thing, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour before I should hear the last trump.

By the “last trump” Edwards is referring to the time of Christ’s return. He is saying here that he wants to live in such a way that he is ready to meet Jesus at any time. There are a lot of people that put off getting right with God. They decide that they want to have it their own way for a little while longer and then they’ll deal with Jesus. This pattern of thinking is obviously deceptive.

Either we could die or we could meet Jesus at any moment upon his return. Jesus himself was emphatic in his teachings that the end would come at a time when people would not expect it. So how should we live?

We should live as though this life is not all there is. It’s more than just making lots of money, having fun, having friends and doing what we want. Our physical lives will end with the grave but our souls will last forever. A man by the name of Jim Elliot said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.” This is the heart of what Edwards was saying. Let’s live in such a way that we are ready to meet God. Let’s remember that he has given us plenty of instruction and revelation as to how this life ought to be lived. If we continually and habitually neglect his teachings, we should anticipate that the ramifications will not only affect us on this side of heaven. Believers should anticipate accountability on the other side and those who don’t receive Christ’s sacrifice should anticipate punishment. It may not be pleasant to talk about but life isn’t all about pleasantries. Jesus said in John 8:32, “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Clearly we reap no benefits if we choose to deceive ourselves.