Friday, July 28, 2006
More Evidences VI-X
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Telitha's Thoughts on I - V
In nothing is vigour in the actings of our inclinations so requisite as in religion; and in nothing is luke-warmness so odious.
If ever there was an area of our lives that we should be strongly passionate about, it is our affection for Jesus Christ. This world is passing away, yet we are often vigourous in our pursuit of it and complacent in our pursuit of God, who is eternal. Which would bring me to the next part of this section that I really liked.
Edwards talked about the different affections that Scripture refers to: fear, hope, love, hatred, desiring/hungering/thirsting, joy, sorrow/mourning/brokenness, gratitude/thankfulness/praise, compassion/mercy, and zeal. He quoted several scriptures to support each affection, but the one that I most liked was how we are to desire or hunger and thirst after God. Psalm 84:1 and 2 "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God" and Psalm 63:1-2 "My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary."
And then there is the wonderful promise He makes to us in Matt 5:6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
I want to desire and long after the Lord Jesus Christ, and praise God, He is always faithful to His promises.
He hates luke-warmness, and tells the Laodecians in Revelation that he wants to spit them out of His mouth. How odious it is in true religion.
Finally, Edwards talked about how religion takes hold of men's souls only as far as it affects them. When I was reflecting on this thought of Edwards' I thought about the truth that simple knowledge is not enough to bring salvation or prove true religion, but our hearts must also be affected by the truth that we know. "Nor was ever on induced to fly for refuge unto Christ, while his heart remained unaffected."
BRING ON THE NEXT SECTION!!!!!!!!!!!!
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Evidence That True Religion Lies in the Affections I-V
If our heart is not bent toward God there is no way we can have affections for God. God calls us to a relationship that is passionate and wild. I was reminded of this as I read this section. If our heart is not inclined toward the Lord in any way then it is important we check the status of out heart."That religion which God requires, and will accept, does not consist in a weak, dull, and lifeless wishes, raising us but a little above a state of indifference... It is such a ferverant vigorous engagedness of the heart in religion that is the fruit of a real circumcision of the heart, or true regeneration, and that the promises of life."
Another aspect of true religion that stands out to me is that true religion has the power to overcome and defeat sin and bondage. I am not saying that we are not going to struggle and that we are never going to be defeated but I think the real issue is the status of where we are living, are we living in victory or defeat!
When Edwards says, "The author of human nature has not only given affections to men, but has made them very much the spring of men's actions" I think he is speaking accurately. We do what we want to do. I don't eat certain foods because I don't like them!!! The same is true of religion! If we desire Godliness we will seek it, if we desire worldliness we will be found in it!
A few of the evidences that Edwards lists: Fear, hope, love, hatred of sin, joy, godly sorrow and mourning, thankfulness, mercy, and zeal. (Which reminds me of the fruit of the spirit!)
The most profound concept that I grasped from this section was that the chief of the affections is love and it is the "fountain of all other affections." In recent days a man said that he was challenged by a lady who told someone that the way to have a relationship with Jesus Christ is to fall in love with Him. I was unsure of how I felt about that at the time. It has been brought back to my mind numerous times. After reading these evidences of true religion I am beginning to see that if I am truly falling in love with Jesus Christ then I am deepening my affections for Him and walking in a more pure manner!
What do you think?!?! I am anxious to here your assessment of the section!!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Judgement and Discernment
"Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets ahve gone out into the world." 1 John 4:1
And Jonathan Edwards notes that it is by these false spirits with in the church that the devil has the greatest advantage. "It is by this means, principally, that he has prevailed against all revivings of religion that ever have been since ther first founding of the Christian church." So I look forward to reading through this book so that I may become more discerning.
Now, for our first section, I think that you said it well before Kara, and that Jonathan Edwards was right on when he spoke of how sufferings distinguish the "true religion from false." And just incase anyone stumbles onto this site I will say that Edwards defines two faculties that a person has: 1 Understanding and 2 Inclination/Will/Heart. So my laymen's term definition of affection would be the attraction or repulsion of a person's will/heart concerning something.
Do you have any thoughts on this Kara?