This is the 11th post in my study of Jonathan Edwards famous text Religious Affections
It has been a month since I have set down with Jonathan Edwards. I have missed him, and the group of friends reading along with me. Unfortunately, life and travel have slowed my pace of late.
Nonetheless, I continue my quest and may have to journey the rest of Edwards' treatise on my own. I just bet, however, a few of my friends will pop in to encourage me in my "catching up".
Here is Edwards fifth truly gracious affection:
"Truly gracious affections are attended with a reasonable and spiritual conviction of the judgment, of the reality and certainty of divine things."
Put in 21st century vernacular, true Christians believe with the whole of their minds, and their spirits are attended by God's indwelling Holy Spirit as well, that the things of Christ are reality and certainty.
From Edwards: "All those who are truly gracious persons have a solid, full, thorough and effectual conviction of the truth of the great things of the gospel; I mean, that they no longer halt between two opinions; the great doctrines of the gospel cease to be any longer doubtful things, or matter of opinion, which, though probably, are yet disputable; but with them, they are points settled and determined, as undoubted and indisputable, so that they are not afraid to venture their all upon their truth."
Edwards then turns his attention to the spiritual conviction of divine things: "It is evident that there is such a thing as a spiritual belief or conviction of the truth of the things of the gospel, or a belief that is peculiar to those who are spiritual, or who are regenerated, and have the Spirit of God, in his holy communications, and dwelling in them as a vital principle. So that the conviction they have, does not only differ from that which natural men have, in its concomitants, in that it is accompanied with good works; but the belief itself is diverse, the assent and conviction of the judgment is of a kind peculiar to those who are spiritual, and that with natural men are wholly destitute of."
The world's greatest minds find the teachings of the Scriptures wholly from their grasps. Because they are unregenerate, God has hidden his truths from them. Yet, for those who have received the effectual call of God, the Holy Spirit indwells and testifies of the beauty of Christ.
As Edwards points out, even many illiterate have received the effectual call of the Father, and with the Holy Spirits indwelling, and the Holy Spirits teaching of the Scriptures, thus become children of God and are tapped into the wisdom of the Creator.
I think of the young, rich ruler. He claimed to possess certain faith. Yet, when he stood before the Creator of the universe, and was asked to sell all that he had, he turned and left.
I can honestly say that if Christ walked into my house tonight, and asked me to sell everything that I had, and follow him, I would do it instantly and without hesitation.
Our challenge, is to have the same faith without him being seen. I think back on the many martyrs of the faith. How would I react if someone walked in my house, with a gun and demanded my life, or my denial of Christ.
Although such thoughts first bring a certain sense of unlikeliness, that small taste inside, that Edwards speaks of, says to my spirit, we would honor and glorify Christ.
May it be so.
