"John the Baptist in the Wilderness", c 1490-95, by Geertgen tot Sint Jans.
This is the 14th post in my study of Jonathan Edwards famous text, Religious Affections
We move now, to the eighth of Jonathan Edwards "gracious affections". In contemporary vernacular, the eighth distinguishing characteristic of a true disciple of Christ.
From Edwards:
"Truly gracious affections differ from those affections that are
false and delusive, in that they tend to, and are attended with the
lamb-like, dove-like spirit and temper of Jesus Christ; or in other words, they naturally beget and promote such a spirit of love,
meekness, quietness, forgiveness and mercy, as appeared in Christ."
If we look back to Edwards' very first gracious affection, the true disciple of Christ first begins with regeneration (being born again). Regeneration comes through the miraculous hand of God, and brings alive a new nature. It is then our duty to cultivate this new nature to become more, and more like Christ until our natural body dies, and we meet Christ face to face, with our regenerated nature made complete.
Here, Jonathan Edwards is instructing that the true disciple of Christ, will bear his spirit, and temperament.
I suspect I will have some life appraisal work to do, from this lesson...
Edwards:
"The evidence of this in the Scripture, is very abundant. If we judge of the nature of Christianity, and the proper spirit of the gospel, by the Word of God, this spirit is what may by way of eminency be called the Christian spirit; and may be looked upon as the true, and distinguishing disposition of the hearts of Christians, as Christians."
"All that are truly godly, and real disciples of Christ, have this spirit in them; and not only so but they are of this spirit; it is the spirit by which they are so possessed and governed, that it is their true and proper character."Colossians 3:12-13 - "Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive."
Edwards:
"Christians that shine by reflecting the light of the Sun of Righteousness, do shine with the same sort of brightness, the same mild, sweet and pleasant beams. These lamps of the spiritual temple, that are enkindled by fire from heaven, burn with the same sort of flame. The branch is of the same nature with the stock and root, has the same sap, and bears the same sort of fruit. The members have the same kind of life with the head."
Dove-like: "That such manner of virtue as has been spoken of is the very nature of the Christian spirit, or the Spirit that worketh in Christ and in his members, and the distinguishing nature of it, is evident by this, that the dove is the very symbol or emblem, chosen of God, to represent it. Those things are fittest emblems of other things, which do best represent that which is most distinguishing in their nature. The Spirit that descended on Christ, when he was anointed of the Father, descended on him like a dove. The dove is a noted emblem of meekness, harmlessness, peace and love. But the same Spirit that descended on the Head of the Church, descends to the members."Meekness: "Meekness is so much the character of the saints, that the meek and the godly, are used as synonymous terms in Scripture: so Psalms 37:10–11. The wicked and the meek are set in opposition one to another, as wicked and godly. "Yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be…but the meek shall inherit the earth." So: "The Lord lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground" (Psalms 147:6)."
Child-like: "Tis doubtless very much on this account, that Christ represents all his disciples, all the heirs of heaven, as little children, "Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 19:14). "Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones, a cup of cold water, in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward" (Matthew 10:42). "Whoso shall offend one of these little ones," etc. (Matthew 18:6). "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones" (ver. Matthew 18:10). "It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish" (ver. Matthew 18:14). "Little children, yet a little while am I with you" (John 13:33). Little children are innocent and harmless: they don't do a great deal of mischief in the world: men need not be afraid of them: they are no dangerous sort of persons: their anger don't last long: they don't lay up injuries in high resentment, entertaining deep and rooted malice. So Christians, in malice, are children (1 Corinthians 14:20). Little children are not guileful and deceitful; but plain and simple: they are not versed in the arts of fiction and deceit; and are strangers to artful disguises. They are yieldable and flexible, and not willful and obstinate; don't trust to their own understanding, but rely on the instructions of parents, and others of superior understanding. Here is therefore a fit and lively emblem of the followers of the Lamb. Persons being thus like little children, is not only a thing highly commendable, and what Christians approve of, and aim at, and which some of extraordinary proficiency do attain to; but it is their universal character, and absolutely necessary in order to entering the kingdom of heaven; unless Christ was mistaken; "Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 18:3). "Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein" (Mark 10:15)."
But what of Christian fortitude and boldness for Christ?
Again, from Edwards:
"But here some may be ready to say, is there no such thing as Christian fortitude, and boldness for Christ, being good soldiers in the Christian warfare, and coming out bold against the enemies of Christ and his people?
To which I answer, there doubtless is such a thing. The whole Christian life is compared to a warfare, and fitly so. And the most eminent Christians are the best soldiers, endowed with the greatest degrees of Christian fortitude. And it is the duty of God's people to be steadfast, and vigorous in their opposition to the designs and ways of such, as are endeavoring to overthrow the kingdom of Christ, and the interest of religion. But yet many persons seem to be quite mistaken concerning the nature of Christian fortitude. 'Tis an exceeding diverse thing from a brutal fierceness, or the boldness of beasts of prey. True Christian fortitude consists in strength of mind, through grace, exerted in two things; in ruling and suppressing the evil, and unruly passions and affections of the mind; and in steadfastly and freely exerting, and following good affections and dispositions, without being hindered by sinful fear, or the opposition of enemies. But the passions that are restrained and kept under, in the exercise of this Christian strength and fortitude, are those very passions that are vigorously and violently exerted, in a false boldness for Christ. And those affections that are vigorously exerted in true fortitude, are those Christian holy affections, that are directly contrary to 'em. Though Christian fortitude appears, in withstanding and counteracting the enemies that are without us; yet it much more appears, in resisting and suppressing the enemies that are within us; because they are our worst and strongest enemies, and have greatest advantage against us. The strength of the good soldier of Jesus Christ, appears in nothing more, than in steadfastly maintaining the holy calm, meekness, sweetness, and benevolence of his mind, amidst all the storms, injuries, strange behavior, and surprising acts and events of this evil and unreasonable world. The Scripture seems to intimate that true fortitude consists chiefly in this, "He that is slow to anger, is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit, than he that taketh a city" (Proverbs 16:32)."
How are we to know when to be bold and when to be meek?
Edwards:
"The directest and surest way in the world, to make a right judgment, what a holy fortitude is, in fighting with God's enemies; is to look to the captain of all God's hosts, and our great leader and example; and see wherein his fortitude and valor appeared, in his chief conflict, and in the time of the greatest battle that ever was, or ever will be fought with these enemies, when he fought with them all alone, and of the people there was none with him, and exercised his fortitude in the highest degree that ever he did, and got that glorious victory that will be celebrated in the praises and triumphs of all the hosts of heaven, throughout all eternity: even to Jesus Christ in the time of his last sufferings; when his enemies in earth and hell made their most violent attack upon him, compassing him round on every side, like renting and roaring lions. Doubtless here we shall see the fortitude of a holy warrior and champion in the cause of God, in its highest perfection and greatest luster, and an example fit for the soldiers to follow, that fight under this captain. But how did he show his holy boldness and valor at that time? Not in the exercise of any fiery passions; not in fierce and violent speeches, and vehemently declaiming against, and crying out of the intolerable wickedness of opposers, giving 'em their own in plain terms; but in not opening his mouth when afflicted and oppressed, in going as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before his shearers, is dumb, not opening his mouth; praying that the Father would forgive his cruel enemies, because they knew not what they did; not shedding others' blood; but with all-conquering patience and love, shedding his own. Indeed one of his disciples, that made a forward pretense to boldness for Christ, and confidently declared he would sooner die with Christ than deny him, began to lay about him with a sword: but Christ meekly rebukes him, and heals the wound he gives. And never was the patience, meekness, love, and forgiveness of Christ, in so glorious a manifestation, as at that time. Never did he appear so much a lamb, and never did he show so much of the dovelike spirit, as at that time. If therefore we see any of the followers of Christ, in the midst of the most violent, unreasonable and wicked opposition, of God's and his own enemies, maintaining under all this temptation, the humility, quietness, and gentleness of a lamb, and the harmlessness, and love, and sweetness of a dove, we may well judge that here is a good soldier of Jesus Christ."
False Boldness for Christ:
"There is a pretended boldness for Christ that arises from no better principle than pride. A man may be forward to expose himself to the dislike of the world, and even to provoke their displeasure, out of pride. For 'tis the nature of spiritual pride to cause men to seek distinction and singularity; and so oftentimes to set themselves at war with those that they call carnal, that they may be more highly exalted among their party. True boldness for Christ is universal and overcomes all, and carries 'em above the displeasure of friends and foes; so that they will forsake all rather than Christ and will rather offend all parties, and be thought meanly of by all, than offend Christ. And that duty which tries whether a man is willing to be despised by them that are of his own party, and thought the least worthy to be regarded by them, is a much more proper trial of his boldness for Christ, than his being forward to expose himself to the reproach of opposers. The Apostle sought not glory, not only of heathens and Jews, but of Christians; as he declares (I Thess. 2:26). He is bold for Christ, that has Christian fortitude enough, to confess his fault openly, when he has committed one that requires it, and as it were to come down upon his knees before opposers. Such things as these are a vastly greater evidence of holy boldness, than resolutely and fiercely confronting opposers."
Edwards conclusion:
"But this I affirm, and shall affirm till I deny the Bible to be anything worth, that everything in Christians that belongs to true Christianity, is of this tendency, and works this way; and that there is no true Christian upon earth, but is so under the prevailing power of such a spirit, that he is properly denominated from it, and it is truly and justly his character..."
Once again, Edwards brings out in clear view, those things that would help us to understand not only if our own faith be true, but to help distinguish potentially true faith in others.
Edwards clearly warned in the beginning that we are not to judge whether one is truly of Christ, or not. However, we are to admonish each other in Christian love as well. When we see un-Christ-like temperaments, then we should admonish just as Christ did.
I certainly must confess, there are many times that I don't act dove-like, or lamb-like. There have also been many times, where I was the proud one, putting on a false boldness for Christ, secretly in my pride, seeking the attention of others.
The path of sanctification is a strenuous one.
Abba,
Forgive me for the many times I have lashed out and not presented myself as your son. Greater still, please forgive me, when I had my own desires above yours, and was seeking my own gain. Please cast these sins far from your sight, and fill the void in my life with more of you. Help me to be mindful, when ever I open my mouth, that I am a son of the most high God, and let me live so to please you.
Your son,
David
