Test Your Affections

Yes, I do a lot of blog entries on books...I'm going to do another one. :)

I have been so profoundly moved over the past several days from reading The Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards--I confess that I have found it difficult to think on much else.

So sorry for the numerous quotes, but I promise they're worth it (and you don't know how hard it was to cut it down to just these!!!):

Such is man's nature that he is very inactive, any otherwise than he is influenced by some affection, either love or hatred, desire, hope, fear, or some other. These affections we see to be the springs that set men a-going, in all the affairs of life, and engage them in all their pursuits: these are the things that put men forward, and carry them along, in all their worldy business; and especially are men excited and animated by these in all affairs wherein they are earnestly engages, and which they pursue with vigour...take away all love and hatred, all hope and fear, all anger, zeal, and affectionate desire, and the world would be in a great measure motionless and dead.

God made humans to be intensely emotional beings. Think about it...everything we do is tied to our affections in some way.

I hate bugs; therefore, I (almost always) keep my car windows shut!
I have a fear of heights, so I watch my friends ride the Ferris wheel from the ground!!!
My CD collection grows because I love music.

In our natural state, we are controlled by our fallen affections. We can have carnal desires for knowledge, morality, even religion--but the question is, "Has the Holy Spirit, through the regeneration of the heart, changed my very nature and given me new strong, deep, ever-growing affections for the Lord?"

I grew up "Christian." I really thought I was saved... I "prayed the prayer" (about twice a day just to make sure).
Indifference was the norm--passion for holiness was reserved for the pastor or other "super Christians."
I would have said, "Yes, I love Jesus," but my life was in no way motivated by the gospel.
What I didn't understand was the difference between behavior modification (my works) and the supernatural work of regeneration (God's work of salvation). And how can one understand until God "lifts the veil?!?!"
As Peter Furler says, "You don't know you're deceived until you're not."

Ponder these words from Edwards (I promise you they're worth a careful reading!):

And as in worldly things worldly affections are very much the spring of men's motion and action; so in religious matters the spring of their actions is very much religious affection: he that has doctrinal knowledge and speculation only, without affection, never is engaged in the business of religion.

From a vigorous, affectionate, and fervent love to God will necessarily arise other religious affections; hence will arise an intense hatred and abhorrence of sin, fear of sin, and a dread of God's displeasure, gratitude to God for his goodness, complacence and joy in God when God is graciously and sensibly present, and grief when He is absent, and a joyful hope when a future enjoyment of God is expected, and fervent zeal for the glory of God.

A man's having much affection, does not prove that he has any true religion: but if he has no affection, it proves that he has no true religion.

If true religion lies much in the affections, hence we may learn what great cause we have to be ashamed and confounded before God, that we are no more affected with the great things of religion.

Having knowledge of the gospel is not enough. Theological affirmations are not enough.

To borrow a phrase from John Piper: Christ must be your supreme treasure!

A regenerated person feels only deep affection at the notion of finding all joy and satisfaction in Christ; a lost "religious" person feels only frustration because his heart betrays that Christ does not fulfill his desires like other things do.

Let us examine our hearts.
Let us seek to strengthen our affections in the Lord and weaken our lingering affections for sin, by God's unmeasurable grace!