JOHNATHAN EDWARD'S RELIGIOUS AFFECTIONS.......By Nathan Williams

http://www.ccel.org/e/edwards/affections/religious_affections.html
Note: This book has been reprinted and re- titled with the name FAITH BEYOND FEELINGS. By Jonathan Edwards. Introduction by Charles Colson and edited by James Houston.
Thia is a great read, I pray you all enjoy it, and are Blessed by it. Charles J. Paul



If you have never read Jonathan Edwards’s Religious Affections, you are truly missing out on a monumental Christian work. This treatise will not only challenge you in the way you think about your own salvation, but it will challenge you to think more deeply about everything in your life. In many ways, reading Edwards for the first time is like discovering a world which you knew very little about. His thoughts are profound and very much worth the time and effort to understand.

Edwards states his own purpose for writing Religious Affections in the preface to the book. He desires to discuss, “What are the distinguishing qualifications of those that are in favour with God, and entitled to his eternal rewards?” Or stated another way by Edwards himself, “What is the nature of true religion? And wherein lie the distinguishing notes of that virtue which is acceptable in the sight of God?” Edwards seeks to explain as only Edwards can what characteristics are truly signs of a genuine believer in Christ and what signs do not necessarily indicate saving faith.

There is a wealth of knowledge to be gained from Religious Affections. However, for this particular post I want to narrow in on the second section of the book. This portion is entitled, “Showing what are no certain signs that religious affections are truly gracious, or that they are not.” Edwards points to twelve signs that you cannot rely on to confirm the operation of grace in your heart. We’ll give a short synopsis of some of these signs to hopefully whet your appetite for more.
I. “It is no sign, one way or other, that religious affections are very great, or raised very high.”

His basic argument is that you cannot trust high emotional fervor as a sign of true conversion. Often times we view those with huge emotions as those who are simply putting on a show. Scripture very much puts true religion in the affections and many of the most revered believers in the Bible experienced very immense emotions concerning the things of God. Many Christians seem nervous about those who experience strong religious emotions, but Edwards points to multiple passages of Scripture that commend strong emotions. We are told in I Peter 1:8 to be “rejoicing with joy unspeakable, and full of glory.” Psalm 68:3 says, “But let the righteous be glad; let them exult before God; Yes, let them rejoice with gladness.” However, Edwards is quick to explain that ultimately you cannot trust strong emotions as evidence of grace. There are many instances in Scripture where strong religious fervor did not indicate salvation. The multitudes were strongly affected after the resurrection of Lazarus, but were not truly saved. Edwards summarizes by saying, “In a word, it is the concurring voice of all orthodox divines, that there may be religious affections raised to a very high degree, and yet nothing of true religion.”

II. “It is no sign that affections are truly gracious, or that they are not, that they cause those who have them, to be fluent, fervent, and abundant in talking of religious things.”

Sometimes when we see someone speaking much of religious things, we brand them a hypocrite and throw them into the same category as the Pharisees. On the other side of the coin, many people hear someone talk often of spiritual things and immediately assume that that person is obviously a true believer. There is a careful balance to be maintained when dealing with conversation concerning spiritual things. It may come from a heart that is in fact overflowing with grace and longs to speak of what the Savior has done, or it may come from a selfish heart desiring attention and approval.

III. “It is no evidence that religious affections are saving, or that they are otherwise, that there is an appearance of love in them.”

Many may argue that love is the chief of the Christian affections and cannot be duplicated by someone who is unregenerate. Edwards argues that love is the most excellent of all Christian virtues and that is exactly why Satan will attempt to counterfeit it. Men do not counterfeit that which is worthless, only that which is valuable. He does point out that love is a very difficult virtue to imitate, but that there will be many attempts at it. “It is evident by the Scripture, that there may be strong affections of this kind, without saving grace…”

IV. “It is no certain sign that affections have in them the nature of true religion, or that they have not, that they dispose persons to spend much time in religion, and to be zealously engaged in the external duties of worship.”

Scripture teaches that those who are true believers will spend much time in exercising religious duties. Acts 2:46-47 says, “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Edwards goes on to list many religious duties that Christians are eager to be engaged in from singing to gathering for worship to sharing the gospel with unbelievers. However, he is careful to note that an eagerness to be engaged in religious duties is often found in those who are unbelievers. The Pharisees are a perfect example of this. They were relentlessly engaged in religious duties, but were obvious hypocrites in the exercise of them. The bottom line is that according to Edwards we cannot trust external duties to indicate saving faith.

I believe Edwards’s Religious Affections provides a timely word for us in the 21st century. In a day when our churches are filled with those who profess to be saved, but show little real evidence of salvation, it is important for us to sit at the feet of Edwards and allow him to explain what are the genuine signs of saving faith and what are not. While this has been a far to short synopsis of a few of the things Edwards discusses, I trust it will prod you to pick up this old classic and discover the riches of Edwards. I’ll come back, perhaps next Saturday, with some of the signs Edwards believes do identify true saving faith in an individual.