Journey with Jonathan Edwards

 I saved my favorite for our last Advent Journey of Devotion article. Though Jonathan Edwards is not formally an English Puritan, he stands in the line of the great Puritan pastor-theologians of 17th century England. Often referred to as one of the greatest American minds of all time, Edwards’ ministry in the New England church and among the Native Americans made a massive contribution to the Kingdom of God globally. Having written across numerous areas of the Christin life and theology, there are a great many subjects to enjoy from his pen. By far, the subject (and book) that has had the greatest impact on me is his A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections, written in 1746.  

The context was the First Great Awakening in America. Many false experiences of revival were mingled in with the true miraculous work of the Spirit that was taking place. How were people to evaluate genuine works of God against those that were false and heretical? What would true saving faith look like? With theological precision and pastoral care, Edwards warns against false affections, pointing to the genuine affections that accompany a truly transformed-by-the-Gospel life. He rightly warned, “that religion which God requires, and will accept, does not consist in weak, dull, and lifeless wishes, raising us but a little above a state of indifference.” When the Spirit of God makes a person who was once dead in sin to now be alive to Christ, the heart’s affections are greatly stirred, hatred for sin is awakened, and joy in the beauty of Christ becomes supreme. As Edwards writes, this complete change of heart “consists in setting God highest in the heart, in choosing him before other things, in having a heart to sell all for Christ.” Nothing short of this is genuine saving faith. One may have proper knowledge and even moral behavior, but without this passion for Christ, no assurance may be found in one’s true saved condition. This changed everything about my devotion to Christ, and everything about how I disciple others!