Archives for January 2018

Gleanings from The Religious Affections (Part 28): Distinguishing Sign Twelve: Gracious Affections Produce Christian Works (2)

In the previous article we saw that, despite failures and backsliding, true affection for Christ produces obedience to Scripture, diligence, and perseverance in love and service to Christ, even in the face of intense opposition. Edwards explains why by showing how the previous eleven signs of true religious affections generate Christian practice.

The Indwelling Holy Spirit Generates Gracious Affections
True religious affections arise as “a communication of God, a participation of the divine nature, Christ living in the heart” as the Holy Spirit exerts His nature in the thoughts, affections, and actions of the saint. ^[1] Believers united to Christ through saving faith partake of the risen and living Savior who, by His resurrection power, gives life to the dead and exerts Himself as God to transform us. ^[2] “For the kingdom of God does not consist in words, but in power” (1 Cor. 4:20 NAS). “For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake” (1 Thess. 1:5 NAS).

Gracious Affections Rest on the Infinite Excellence of God
The natural man pursues religion for its perks, but no further. He pursues Christian things so long as they further his personal objectives. But the saint’s service will not be so fickle, since its primary motive lies in the infinite and unchanging excellence of God. The benefits of salvation certainly enhance our love to God, but the beauty of His attributes form the chief basis of that love, the greatest blessing of all. ^[3]

Gracious Affections Rest on the Beauty of God’s Holiness
The moral excellence of God and His work form the ground of gracious affections, as the holiness of God forms the beauty of God’s attributes. “That which men love, they desire to have and to be united to, and possessed of. That beauty which men delight in, they desire to be adorned with. Those acts which men delight in, they necessarily incline to do.” ^[4] Indeed, “By the sight of the transcendent glory of Christ, true Christians see Him worthy to be followed, and so are powerfully drawn after Him.” ^[5]

Gracious Affections Attend the Belief that Scripture Is True
People lacking strong belief in God and the truthfulness of Scripture will never persevere in diligent service to Christ when things get tough. By contrast, those convinced of the truth, trustworthiness, and infinite value of Scripture and the Gospel obey their commands and understand that everything else is nothing by comparison. ^[6]

Gracious Affections Attend a Change of Nature
People will never thoroughly change the essential character and pattern of their actions without a change of nature.

Until the tree be made good, the fruit will not be good. Men do not gather grapes of thorns, nor figs of thistles. The swine may be washed and appear clean for a little while but yet, without a change of nature, he will still wallow in the mire. Nature is a more powerful principle of action than anything that opposes it: though is may be violently restrained for a while, it will finally overcome that which restrains it.” ^[7]

A few leaders of the Great Awakening appeared diligent in the things of Christ for a time, but because their nature had not been changed, they abandoned His service when the Awakening subsided. In contrast, new and true life in Christ abides in Christ.

Gracious Affections Attend Christian Humility
“A proud spirit is a rebellious spirit,” while humility serves others and willingly submits to God’s authority in Scripture. Obedience to God’s commands more readily flows from a humble heart than a proud one. ^[8]

Gracious Affections Attend a Sweet, Lamb-like Spirit
The spirit that characterized Christ’s ministry, most distinctly in His peaceful obedience to the Father unto death, promotes and displays in believers sweet and selfless acts of love toward others from love to Christ.

Gracious Affections Attend a Tender and Teachable Heart
The heart sensitive to the ugliness and pain of moral evil fears its terrible influence and effects and actively works to oppose it.

Gracious Affections Have a Beautiful Symmetry
“Universal, constant, and persevering” Christian practice flows from true affections that are “universal and constant in all kinds of holy exercises, and towards all objects, and in all circumstances, and at all seasons, in a beautiful symmetry and proportion.” ^[9] Truly gracious affections produce a more constant, consistent, and properly balanced Christian practice.

Gracious Affections Increase the Desire for God and Spiritual Things
As we have seen, the desire for greater love and knowledge of the infinite excellence of God motivates greater enthusiasm, interest, commitment, and perseverance in Christian activity and service.

Thus, all the signs Edwards identifies as evidence of a true work of the Holy Spirit in a believer promote Christian practice.

Next up: More evidence that gracious affections produce Christian works.

^[1] BT, 314-5; Yale, 392.

^[2] BT, 315; Yale, 392.

^[3] BT, 316; Yale, 393-4.

^[4] BT, 317; Yale, 394.

^[5] BT, 317; Yale, 395.

^[6] BT, 317-8; Yale, 395.

^[7] BT, 318; Yale, 395.

^[8] BT, 318-9; Yale, 396.

^[9] BT, 319; Yale, 396.

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Gleanings from The Religious Affections (Part 27): Distinguishing Sign Twelve: Gracious Affections Produce Christian Works (1)

We come to the final sign of a true work of God in the heart of a believer, what Edwards considers “the chief of all the signs of grace”—Christian practice. As the net effect, or that which flows from the preceding eleven distinguishing signs, a holy life constitutes the best evidence of true faith in those professing faith in Christ, both outwardly to observers and inwardly to one’s own conscience. ^[1]

Gracious Affections Produce Obedience
True Christians obey Scripture. “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure,” and “we know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not” (1 John 3:3, 5:18). ^[2]

For Edwards, Christian practice includes positive acts of obedience to God’s Word in service and charity, and the obedience of abstaining from wickedness and things contrary to the commands of God. Behavior fitting of the Gospel involves more than a life of moral respectability. It includes a

serious, religious, devout, humble, meek, forgiving, peaceful, respectful, condescending, benevolent, merciful, charitable and beneficent walk and conversation. Without such things a these, he does not obey the laws of Christ, laws that He and His apostles did abundantly insist on as of the greatest importance and necessity. ^[3]

When Christ returns to judge the earth, He will separate the sheep from the goats according to the presence or absence of love displayed in good works toward Him. To the sheep, He will say, “I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me,” for, “inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” Bearing the marks of love to Christ, the sheep shall enter into eternal life, while goats lacking such love are banished “into everlasting punishment” (Matt. 25:35-6, 46 NAS).

Edwards never advocates salvation by the good works of fallen sinners. On the contrary, the context of the Edwards’ argument here, and consistently throughout Religious Affections, presents evidence of a redeemed heart, the heart transformed by grace and saving faith in Christ. Christ, alone, met God’s just requirement of perfect obedience for eternal life. Christ, alone, met the standard of perfect righteousness and paid the required penalty for disobedience by bearing for us the weight of God’s wrath on the cross. Believers stand justified before God by the imputed righteousness of Christ, alone. At the same time, as Edwards argues throughout the treatise, the Spirit of God gives new life and produces Christian works in every justified believer.

Gracious Affections Produce Diligence
Service to Christ is no halfhearted enterprise in second or third place behind worldly pursuits. Christ stands as the believer’s greatest love and first priority. Indeed, He “gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Tit. 2:13-14). Our diligence, then, increases assurance and hope. “And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end, that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Heb. 6:11-12 NAS). True faith in Christ will “press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13-14). In Christ’s parable of the talents, the servants who used their master’s talents to produce more were rewarded, while the “unprofitable” servant who did nothing with his talent was thrown into “outer darkness” (Matt. 25:14-30). ^[4]

Gracious Affections Produce Perseverance
A true zeal for obedience and Christian works endures. Many enthusiastic participants in the Great Awakening, however, lost an apparent love for God when the heat and excitement of the awakening died down and the social benefits of associating oneself with Christ dwindled. Some cut and ran after the next promising venture. “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved” (Matt. 24:12-13).

Every true believer echoes the cry of Peter, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life” (John 6:68 NAS). Thus, every saint perseveres from a love to Christ, despite the opposition. “And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Matt. 10:22). “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed” (John 8:31). “And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). “Take care, brethren, lest there should be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart, in falling away from the living God…. For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end” (Heb. 3:12, 14 NAS).

Therefore, do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. For yet in a very little while, He who is coming will come, and will not delay. But My righteous one shall live by faith; And if he shrinks back, My soul has no pleasure in him. But we are not of those who shrink back to destruction, but of those who have faith to the preserving of the soul (Heb. 10:35-39 NAS).

“And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father” (Rev. 2:26-27). ^[5]

Qualification
All true believers stumble in many ways, sometimes badly. But, those justified and transformed by the indwelling Holy Spirit will not fall into a continual dislike and disregard of serving Christ. Jesus remains the saint’s ultimate object of love and trust.” ^[6] Therefore, “let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal. 6:9-10 NAS).

Next up: Why gracious affections produce Christian works.

^[1] BT, 326-7; Yale, 406.

^[2] BT, 309-10; Yale, 384-7.

^[3] BT, 310; Yale, 386-7.

^[4] BT, 310-12; Yale, 387-8.

^[5] BT, 312-3; Yale, 388-9.

^[6] BT, 313; Yale, 390.

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Gleanings from The Religious Affections (Part 26): Distinguishing Sign Eleven: True Affections Desire Growth, False Affections Rest Satisfied

The believer’s new sense and love of the beauty of God’s holiness produces a desire for more love to God, more regret that we do not love Him more, greater grief over sin, and more longing for personal holiness. Indeed, the more we grow in Christ, the more we seek to grow in Christ. The true believer never rests satisfied in deliverance from condemnation with no further desire to grow in the love and knowledge of God. On the contrary, knowing something of God’s infinite excellence, we continually seek to know and love Him more. By contrast, “false affections rest satisfied in themselves.” ^[1]

Thirsty
Saints have been born again. And as “newborn babes” adopted into God’s family, we “desire the sincere milk of the word” that we might grow (1 Pet. 2:2). And as we develop and mature in Christ, our desire increases all the more. The greater our maturity and holiness, the greater will be our “spiritual appetite” for holiness, and the higher will be our “holy affections” toward God. ^[2] With the Apostle Paul, we say,

I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude (Phil. 3:13-15 NAS).

Growth in spiritual maturity neither removes or reduces the desire for spiritual growth, but nurtures and increases it. We have been given “but a taste” in this world, a down payment of our inheritance and the fullness of glory that awaits us in the next. God has “sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge” (2 Cor. 1:22 NAS). Having savored but a portion, we hunger for the entire feast. ^[3]

Why Gracious Affections Increase Our Spiritual Appetite for God
The greater our holy affections toward God, the more we perceive the beauty of God’s holiness and how far we fall short. Greater grace gives greater sight of God’s excellence and a better view of our “imperfection and emptiness” by comparison. As a result, we desire to grow. Grace and faith cry, “Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). “The greater spiritual discoveries and affections that a true Christian has, the more does he become an earnest beggar for grace and spiritual food, that he may grow.” ^[4]

Objection: Don’t Spiritual Blessings Satisfy the Soul?
At first glance, an ever-increasing appetite for God might seem contrary to the soul-satisfying nature of God’s spiritual blessings. But, relative to the things of the world, God’s spiritual blessings satisfy the deepest needs of the soul, whereas the things of the world do not.

First, God has given us that which is “fully adapted to the nature, capacity, and need of the soul of man.” The solution matches the need, while the believer knows that seeking for true happiness elsewhere is futile. ^[5]

Second, God’s spiritual blessings do not disappoint, but “fully answer and satisfy” the believer’s expectation of spiritual satisfaction, something the things of the world cannot do. ^[6] Wayward quests for fulfillment apart from God leave us high and dry.

Third, not only do the world’s delights fail to meet our spiritual needs, the shallow satisfaction they provide soon disappears. Like a good meal, pleasure recedes with each bite, while hunger returns in the morning. God’s spiritual blessings, however, last forever. ^[7]

And fourth, while we do not fully experience the joy of God’s blessings this side of glory, they remain sufficient to satisfy to an infinite degree and, someday, they will. God’s blessings are an “infinite ocean,” hindered only by our own limitations and imperfections. “If men be not satisfied here as to degree of happiness, the cause is with themselves; it is because they do not open their mouths wide enough.” We look forward to the day when our defects disappear forever and our happiness is full to overflowing. ^[8]

Therefore, God’s spiritual blessings satisfy the soul, but imperfectly in this life. “The more a man experiences and knows this excellent, unparalleled, exquisite, and satisfying sweetness, the more earnestly will he hunger and thirst for more, until he comes to perfection.” ^[9]

The Nature of False Religious Affections
Unlike true affections, false affections rest satisfied in their supposed religious attainments. If an unbeliever seeks God’s grace to remove the fear of hell and God’s condemnation, and then feels joy by assuming the danger has been removed by trust in an experience or anything short of saving faith in Christ, seeking God will disappear. Once the reason to seek God has been satisfied in the mind of the unbeliever, no reason remains to continue seeking His grace.

Believers, however, persist. Not that we are insecure of our salvation, or continue seeking God to be saved. Rather, we know His infinite excellence and grace and seek for more. Thus, “Seeking God is spoken of as one of the distinguishing characters of the saints, and ‘Seekers after God’ is one of the names by which the godly are called in Scripture.” ^[10] “Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: and let such as love thy salvation say continually, Let God be magnified” (Ps. 70:4). Not so with false affections.

When false affections are raised very high, they put an end to longings after grace and holiness. The man now is far from appearing to himself a poor empty creature; on the contrary he is rich, and increased with goods, and hardly conceives of anything more excellent than what he has already attained to. ^[11]

Delivered from condemnation and guaranteed a heavenly home, what’s left to pursue? Lacking a true love of God’s infinite excellence and holy character, the unbeliever deceived into thinking he is right with God has no need to seek Him further.

Nonetheless, false affections may accompany an apparent seeking after God, such as the pursuit of temporal benefits. For example, during the Great Awakening, those testifying of extraordinary experiences were sometimes viewed as spiritually superior to others. Thus, some would continue “seeking God” and uncommon experiences to reinforce their elevated position as a spiritual leader and to maintain the approval of others. Such seeking, however, came not from a love of God’s holiness or a desire to be holy, but for blessings. One can love blessings without loving God. Some also sought greater experiences and “discoveries” that they might reinforce the false assurance built on them. ^[12]

Conclusion
The new sense of the beauty of God’s holiness that captivates the believer’s heart drives an enduring pursuit after God. “The same sweetness that is the chief object of a spiritual taste, is also the chief object of a spiritual appetite.” ^[13]

Neither a longing after great discoveries or after great tastes of the love of God, nor a longing to be in heaven, nor a longing to die, are in any measure so distinguishing marks of trues saints as longing after a more holy heart, and after living a more holy life. ^[14]

Of course, believers long for all these things, but the desire for holiness more clearly displays a new heart that sees and loves the beauty of God’s holiness.

Next up: Gracious affections produce Christian practice.

^[1] BT, 303; Yale, 376-7.

^[2] BT, 303, Yale, 377.

^[3] Ibid.

^[4] BT, 304; Yale, 378.

^[5] BT, 304-5; Yale, 378-9.

^[6] BT, 305; Yale, 379.

^[7] Ibid.

^[8] Ibid.

^[9] Ibid.

^[10] BT, 306; Yale, 381.

^[11] BT, 306; Yale, 380.

^[12] BT, 307; Yale, 382.

^[13] BT, 308; Yale, 383.

^[14] Ibid.

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Gleanings from The Religious Affections (Part 25): Distinguishing Sign Ten: Gracious Affections Have a Beautiful Symmetry

Edwards begins the discussion of sign ten with the caveat that perfection awaits us in heaven, a truth that applies to every distinguishing sign. We have all carried into our new and transformed life in Christ a trainload of unholy baggage, including bad habits, wrong thinking, character weaknesses, etc. Nonetheless, the extraordinary change that comes with saving faith in Christ includes a harmonious balance of true religious affections. ^[1]

Universal Change
Believers are recreated in the whole image of Christ, receiving every grace He purchased for us. ^[2] Therefore, those united to Christ by faith reflect “something of the same beautiful proportion in the image which is in the original,” as “there is a symmetry and beauty in all of God’s workmanship.” ^[3] “The natural body, which God hath made, consists of many members; and all are in a beautiful proportion. So it is in the new man, consisting of various graces and affections.” ^[4]

Proper and Balanced in Kind
Some false believers have great confidence that God loves them supremely, but lack a proper reverence and fear of dishonoring Him by sin. In believers, however, joy and fear exist together with “godly sorrow and mourning for sin,” such as when Christ’s disciples discovered the empty tomb: “they departed quickly from the sepulcher, with fear and great joy” (Mat. 28:8). ^[5] “Blessed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted” (Matt. 5:4). A sense of the beauty of holiness laments the ugliness of sin.

Proper and Balanced in Their Objects
Toward God and people. Affections give evidence of being false when they attend claims of great love to God and Christ without a love or desire for the good of other people. ^[6] “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20 NAS).

Toward friends and adversaries. Some people only love those “that approve of them, love them and admire them,” but strongly reject and fight against those that do not. ^[7] But, this comes natural to a child of Adam. “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same?” (Matt. 5:46 NAS).

Toward people near and far. Some profess love and concern for friends, neighbors, and even believers they have never met, but neglect their God-given responsibility to love their own spouse and children. ^[8] True affections maintain a better order and balance of priorities.

Toward physical and spiritual needs of people. Some give generously to meet physical needs but neglect the greater needs of the soul. Others feign concern for the souls of people while ignoring physical needs because “a great show of love, pity, and distress for souls, costs them nothing.” ^[9] Christ, however, ministered to spiritual and physical needs (the former being the most important), and calls us to do likewise.

Toward others and ourselves. Religious affections become suspect when people are more bothered by the apathy and character defects of other Christians than by their own faults and sins. ^[10] Godly zeal shows a proper concern and opposition to the ruling and destructive sins of others, but retains the priority of opposing their own. ^[11]

Proper and Balanced in Religious “Attainments” and Priorities
When people claim great spiritual achievements, but have yet to grasp the most basic elements of the Christian life, they fool themselves and others. For instance, if someone claims to be willing to suffer eternal damnation for God’s glory, yet refuses to endure the least inconvenience or loss to their worldly possessions or reputation, the assertion is meaningless. ^[12]

Similarly, true religious affections desire and pursue the most vital spiritual concerns, while false affections neglect essentials and chase after things of less importance. ^[13] Moreover, some that are zealous and quick to proclaim their experiences show little interest in proper Christian priorities, such as “pouring out of the soul before God in secret, earnest prayer and praise to Him, and for more conformity to Him, and living more to His glory, etc.” ^[14]

Proper and Balanced in Steadfastness
Ecstatic affections for God that regularly give way to unspiritual worldliness and disinterest in God and spiritual things show themselves untrustworthy or false. For example, Israel praised God’s rescue at the Red Sea, but quickly yearned for Egypt and worshipped a golden cow. Truly gracious affections, however, are of a more consistent and steadfast nature. “For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit” (Jer. 17:8). ^[15]

Proper and Balanced in Public and Private
Many make a great show of love for God in the presence of others but have little “close meditation, secret prayer, and conversing with God, when alone and separated from all the world.” ^[16] “The hypocrite (says Mr. Flavel) is not for the closet, but the synagogue…. It is not his meat and drink to retire from the clamour of the world, to enjoy God in secret.” ^[17]

The Lord is neglected secretly, yet honoured openly; because there is no wind in their chambers to blow their sails; and therefore there they stand still. Hence many men keep their profession when they lose their affection. They have by the one a name to live (and that is enough) though their hearts be dead. And hence so long as you love and commend them, so long they love you; but if not, they will forsake you. They were warm only by another’s fire, and hence, having no principle of life within, soon grow dead. This is the water that turns a Pharisee’s mill. ^[18]

During the height of the Awakening, people admired and gave a platform to those boasting of extraordinary religious experiences. But when the heat of the revival died down, and the honor given those claiming great experiences diminished or disappeared, the spiritual zeal of many grew cold as they turned their attention to worldly things. A true love for God, however, abides whether or not one is admired for it.

Next up: “False affections rest satisfied in themselves.”

^[1] BT, 292; Yale, 365.

^[2] Ibid.

^[3] Ibid.

^[4] BT, 292-3; Yale, 365.

^[5] BT, 293; Yale, 366.

^[6] BT, 294; Yale, 367-8.

^[7] BT, 294; Yale, 368.

^[8] BT, 295; Yale, 368.

^[9] BT, 295; Yale, 369.

^[10] BT, 296; Yale, 369-70.

^[11] BT, 298; Yale, 371.

^[12] BT, 297; Yale, 370.

^[13] BT, 297; Yale, 370-1.

^[14] BT, 297; Yale, 371.

^[15] BT, 298-9; Yale, 372.

^[16] BT, 300; Yale, 374.

^[17] Flavel, Vol. V, 567; quoted in BT, 300, footnote; Yale, 374, footnote 4.

^[18] Shepard, Parable of the Ten Virgins, 285; quoted in BT, 300, footnote; Yale, 374, footnote 4.

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Gleanings from The Religious Affections (Part 24): Distinguishing Sign Nine: Gracious Affections Soften the Heart

False affections, even those derived from a fear of God’s judgment for sin, ultimately harden the heart and dull the conscience, making them less sensitive to sin and its deserved condemnation. True affections have the opposite effect, increasing a fear and disgust of sin from a sense and love of the beauty of holiness. A fear of God that stops short of true saving faith, or a fear of God relieved from deceptive experiences masquerading as conversion, ultimately lead to greater sinfulness and an immunity to Scripture’s warnings against moral evil.

No Fear
The fear of eternal condemnation by a just and holy God may produce a great fear of sin and, for a time, an abundance of outward moral behavior. The fear of judgment restrains sin. But, the restraint disappears through the deception of a conversion apart from faith in Christ, from the mistaken belief that one has been saved forever by a great experience, such as a vision of Christ and texts of Scripture coming to mind. The fear of judgment against sin thus removed, the unbeliever becomes immune to Scripture’s admonitions against sin. Lacking the new sense that sees and loves the beauty of God’s holiness, and relieved of the fear of God’s condemnation for sin, the results are predictable—the deception of a false conversion eventually bears ugly fruit. The deceived unbeliever becomes

less affected with their present and past sins, and less conscientious with respect to future sins, less moved with the warnings and cautions of God’s word or God’s chastisements in His providence, more careless of the frame of their hearts and the manner and tendency of their behaviour, less quick-sighted to discern what is sinful, less afraid of the appearance of evil, than they were while they were under legal awakenings and fears of hell. ^[1]

A Minister of Sin
In a perverse role reversal, the One who saves the believer from their sins becomes for the falsely converted a savior to allow unbelievers to sin all the more, an advocate to keep God at bay as they pursue their lusts. Even as they “make a great profession of love to God, and assurance of His favour, and great joy in tasting the sweetness of His love,” they “trust Christ to preserve to them the quiet enjoyment of their sins, and to be their shield to defend them from God’s displeasure.” ^[2]

These men “crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ” (Jude 4). True grace never leads to license. A false grace, or true grace assumed in a false conversion (lacking saving faith in Christ), including the false affections that flow from them, lead to worldliness and an apathetic, unholy life.

The Softening Effects of Gracious Affections
A false conversion lacks the new nature and sense of the beauty of God’s holiness and therefore cannot see the hideous nature of sin. False believers may no longer fear hell, but they lack the childlike fear of displeasing God from a heart of true love for His infinite excellence and moral beauty. The believer, however, has become tender toward God, His commands, and others.

Edwards likens the heart of the believer to that of a child, whose heart is compliant, sympathetic, easily moved to tears by the hurts of others, grieved by evil and miseries, and moved by goodness received. In the face of great adversaries, he knows his weakness and runs to his mother and father for safety, and is “suspicious of evil in places of danger, afraid in the dark, afraid when left alone, or far from home.” He looks up to superiors and desires to please them, fearing their disappointment and anger. So are God’s children toward others, the things of the world, and toward God as their loving Father. ^[3]

True grace, then, not only stimulates Christian joy and hope, ^[4] it improves the conscience and “makes it more able thoroughly to discern the sinfulness of that which is sinful, and to receive a greater conviction of the heinous and dreadful nature of sin.” ^[5] The false affections of a false conversion ultimately deaden sensitivity and concern for sin. Presuming God’s condemnation no longer applies, the unbelieving heart remains blind to the beauty of holiness, void of a true love of God for His holy excellence, blind to the ugliness of sin, and dead to a childlike desire please God, without the fear of dishonoring Him.

Objection: We Should Be Bold in Prayer and Worship
Christ purchased the believer’s privilege to boldly approach God in prayer and worship. Yet, the boldness of entering God’s holy presence stands in contrast to our previous alienation and separation from Him and never denies the need for reverence and humility. “No boldness in poor sinful worms of the dust, that have a right sight of God and themselves, will prompt them to approach to God with less fear and reverence than spotless and glorious angels in heaven, who cover their faces before his throne.” ^[6] “Gracious affections do not tend to make men bold, forward, noisy, and boisterous; but rather to speak trembling….It tends to clothe them with a kind of holy fear in all their behaviour towards God and man.” ^[7] Edwards has in mind some of the loud, ostentatious, and proud itinerant preachers of the Great Awakening.

There is in some persons a most unsuitable and insufferable boldness, in their addresses to the great Jehovah, in an affectation of a holy boldness, and ostentation of eminent nearness and familiarity; the very thoughts of which would make them shrink into nothing, with horror and confusion, if they saw the distance that is between God and them. They are like the Pharisee, that boldly came up near in a confidence of his own eminency in holiness. ^[8]

Edwards never denies that true saints can freely approach God with the loving familiarity of a child to a father. But, even as God’s beloved children, we come to Him with the reverence He deserves. “Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling” (Psalm 2:11).

Next up: Gracious affections have a beautiful symmetry.

^[1] BT, 285; Yale, 358.

^[2] BT, 286-7; Yale, 359.

^[3] BT, 287-8; Yale, 360-1.

^[4] BT, 293; Yale, 364.

^[5] BT, 290; Yale, 363.

^[6] BT, 289; Yale, 361-2.

^[7] BT, 288; Yale, 361.

^[8] BT, 289-90; Yale, 362.

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