Reflections on the loving kindness of the Triune God
What do we want most in life? The Bible offers a simple truism here: our love shapes us. Christians, after all, love God because he first loved us [1 John 4:19]. So, in our first post we started with God’s call for us to receive him as our ultimate love. Yet today most people love …
Read More A Vision for Life: 2 of 4In the first century the Christian faith grew dramatically—hearts changed in huge numbers. So, what created that change? This post is the first of four to chase the question, with a summary post to follow. I pray the core insights are as useful in today’s post-Christian world as they were in the new-Christian days of …
Read More A Vision for LifeGrocery stores can have bad moments. Think of a bad orange in a produce bin. Part of the skin is collapsing into a grey-green paste, with a white ring spreading around it. A good orange, on the other hand, is a joy. Years ago I volunteered on an Israeli kibbutz for six months to study …
Read More AbidingJames reminds us of capsized values. “…you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.’” [James 4:14-15]. He’s right. We usually …
Read More “Instead”In 1746 Jonathan Edwards published his Religious Affections with “Twelve Distinguishing Signs of Truly Gracious and Holy Affections.” He was pointing out the authentic features of the Great Awakening after many “awakened” souls had reverted to their former unspiritual ways. Edwards’ twelfth and final sign was his longest and most applied—seventy-eight pages. “Gracious and holy …
Read More Edwards’ Twelve Signs – the TwelfthIn 1746 Jonathan Edwards published his Religious Affections to offer “Twelve Distinguishing Signs of Truly Gracious and Holy Affections.” After the Great Awakening the spirituality of many converts soon faded. And this raised questions about the overall validity of the revival. Edwards, in response, meant to distinguish authentic faith from experiences that hadn’t lasted. Edwards’ …
Read More Edwards’ Twelve Signs – the EleventhIn 1746 Jonathan Edwards published his Religious Affections. In it he offered “Twelve Distinguishing Signs of Truly Gracious and Holy Affections” to show how genuine faith differs from ineffective faith. Edwards’ tenth sign stated, “Another thing wherein those affections that are truly gracious and holy, differ from those that are false, is beautiful symmetry and …
Read More Edwards’ Twelve Signs – the TenthJonathan Edwards offered “Twelve Distinguishing Signs of Truly Gracious and Holy Affections” in his 1746 Religious Affections. He aimed to separate genuine faith from false forms of religion. Edwards’ ninth sign complemented the eighth. Both noted the changed hearts of believers after God’s work of new birth. The ninth noticed the new softness that comes. …
Read More Edwards’ Twelve Signs – the NinthIn his 1746 Religious Affections Jonathan Edwards offered “Twelve Distinguishing Signs of Truly Gracious and Holy Affections” to distinguish genuine faith from fading forms of religion. In his eighth sign Edwards summarized the disposition found in every redeemed soul. “Truly gracious affections differ from those affections that are false and delusive, in that they tend …
Read More Edwards’ Twelve Signs – the EighthJonathan Edwards’ “Twelve Distinguishing Signs of Truly Gracious and Holy Affections” in his 1746 Religious Affections defended the authenticity of New England’s recent “great awakening.” For many the awakening was simply a passing spiritual fad, and critics now dismissed the entire event. Edwards, however, meant to distinguish true transformations from those that didn’t last. His …
Read More Edwards’ Twelve Signs – the Seventh