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How to Tell True Grace from Counterfeit | Jonathan Edwards · Reformed Thinking

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  Welcome to Reformed Thinking. We're glad you're joining us
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  today for another deep dive. And today we're looking at
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  something, well, really fundamental to the Christian
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  life. I think it's this idea, this
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  disposition of the heart that Jonathan Edwards describes so
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  vividly. He called it the Lamb, like
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  dove, like spirit of Jesus Christ.
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  We'll be drawing primarily from Edward's classic work, Religious
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  Affections, but also grounding it firmly in Scripture, of
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  course. Yeah.
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  And the goal for you listening in is really to unpack this.
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  What are the marks of genuine Christian character?
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  What does it actually look like? And how is this particular
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  spirit not just, you know, 1 virtue among many?
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  Well, maybe the central the defining characteristic of a
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  true believer. Yeah, that's right.
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  And it's such a critical topic because it gets right to the
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  heart of authentic faith. It moves us beyond just, say,
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  intellectual agreement or outward actions.
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  It helps us recognize the actual nature of Christ being reflected
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  in his followers. So this isn't just abstract
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  theory. It's intensely practical.
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  It really shapes our understanding of what it means
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  to belong to Christ, to bear his image.
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  OK, so let's get into it. The core idea first.
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  Edwards asserts that truly gracious affections, these deep
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  God-given inclinations, they naturally result in this
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  specific spirit, this lamb, like dove like spirit.
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  What exactly does he bundle into that phrase?
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  It sounds like love, meekness. Exactly.
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  Love, meekness, a quiet spirit, forgiveness, mercy.
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  It's a whole constellation of related virtues.
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  But it's more than just a list. It's a temper, a disposition.
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  A disposition, OK. And he calls it the true and
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  distinguishing disposition of the hearts of Christians as
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  Christians. As Christians, that's specific.
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  Very specific. It's what he says possesses and
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  governs them. It becomes their true and proper
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  character. So not just a hat they put on
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  for church on Sunday. No, absolutely not.
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  It's meant to be their core identity, the prevailing quality
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  of their renewed nature. He actually brings up Luke 9.55.
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  Remember when James and John wanted to call down fire and
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  Jesus rebukes them? You do not know what manner of
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  spirit you are of suggesting that His spirit, the spirit of
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  His Kingdom, is something entirely different.
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  It's this gentle, loving, merciful spirit.
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  That's a powerful contrast. It is, and he also connects it
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  to wisdom in Proverbs 17.27. A man of understanding is of an
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  excellent spirit, or some translations say a calm spirit.
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  OK, linking that inner quietness and self-control to true
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  spiritual understanding. And this isn't just Edwards
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  reading into a few verses. You see it woven through
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  Christ's own teaching. I mean, the Beatitudes in
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  Matthew 5 are just packed with this, aren't they?
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  Absolutely foundational. Blessed are the meek.
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  For they shall inherit the earth.
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  Blessed are the Merciful. For they shall obtain mercy.
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  Blessed are the peacemakers. For they should be called the
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  children of God. It's right there at the start of
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  his ministry's manifesto. Almost.
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  It really is. These aren't just no
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  suggestions, they describe the citizens of his Kingdom, their
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  inner character. And then you see Paul picking up
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  this thread throughout his letters.
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  Oh definitely. Look at Colossians 3 verses 12
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  and 13, he tells Believers. Put on, therefore, as the elect
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  of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies.
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  Bowels of mercy. That phrase always stands out.
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  It sounds so, well, visceral. It does.
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  It means deep internal compassion, gut level kindness,
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  you know. And he continues.
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  Kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering for
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  bearing one another and forgiving one another.
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  So it's a whole wardrobe of graces we're supposed to put on.
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  Exactly a character given by God that his chosen people are to
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  live out. And then maybe most famously,
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  Galatians 5.22233 The fruit of the Spirit, right Lovejoy,
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  peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
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  gentleness, self-control. Gentleness, patience, love, it's
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  all there. It's all there.
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  These aren't things we achieved by sheer willpower.
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  They are the natural outflow, the fruit of the Spirit's work.
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  In a believer. There are the marks of authentic
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  grace. It's almost like a spiritual
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  diagnostic tool. James gives us that sharp
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  contrast too, in his letter. He really does.
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  James 3 starting around verse 14.
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  He talks about a wisdom that isn't from above.
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  Yeah, the one marked by bitter envying and strife.
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  Right, leading to confusion and every evil work.
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  He calls it earthly, sensual, demonic.
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  Pretty strong words. Very strong.
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  But then he contrasts it with the wisdom from above.
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  And how does he describe that? First pure, then peaceable,
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  gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits,
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  without partiality and without hypocrisy.
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  Gentle, peaceable, full of mercy.
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  There it is again, the same cluster.
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  Exactly. It's a consistent picture
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  throughout the New Testament. This is the character of true
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  heavenly wisdom lived out. So why these specific virtues?
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  Humility. Meekness.
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  Love, forgiveness, mercy. Edward says they're especially
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  called the Christian spirit. Why the emphasis here?
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  That's a great question. Edward suggests a few reasons.
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  First, these qualities particularly reflect the divine
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  attributes that God himself chose to highlight in the work
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  of redemption. Think about his incredible
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  mercy, his patience with sinners, his forgiving love
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  demonstrated in Christ. OK, so they reflect God's
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  character as shown in salvation. Precisely second, they are the
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  very virtues that Christ himself exercised so well, perfectly
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  during his life, and especially in his suffering and death.
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  He didn't just teach them, He embodied.
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  Them he's the pattern. He's the ultimate pattern.
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  And 3rd, these specific graces are uniquely suited to the whole
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  design of redemption. They fit the new relationship we
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  have with God as forgiven children and the new
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  relationship we're meant to have with each other as brothers and
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  sisters in Christ. That makes sense.
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  They're not just random good traits, they are deeply
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  connected to the gospel story itself.
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  Exactly. They are the atmosphere of the
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  Kingdom, you might say, the characteristics of the new
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  creation in Christ. So let's focus on Christ as the
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  pattern. How did he personally
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  demonstrate this spirit? We mentioned the prophecies.
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  Right, like Matthew 21 quoting Zechariah.
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  Behold, your king is coming to you, humble and mounted on a
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  donkey. Meekness foretold.
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  Foretold as a defining characteristic of the Messiah
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  King. And then Christ's own words in
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  Matthew 11.29 are just so direct.
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  Learned of me. For I am meek and lowly in
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  heart. It's an invitation not just to
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  learn about him, but to learn from him, to adopt his very
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  disposition. His inner posture.
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  Yes, and think about how often he's called the Lamb in
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  Scripture, especially in Revelation.
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  The Lamb of God. It signifies his sacrifice, of
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  course, but also his inherent gentleness, his vulnerability,
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  his lack of retaliation even when facing the cross.
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  And this isn't just about admiring Jesus from afar, is it?
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  The Bible talks about believers actually becoming like him.
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  That's the core of it. We are called to be Christ.
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  Like Colossians 3.10 says, the new self is renewed in knowledge
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  after the image of its creator. Renewed in his image.
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  And 2nd Corinthians 3.1 He gives us that picture of
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  transformation, and we all with unveiled face beholding the
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  glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image
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  from 1° of glory to another. Transformed into the same image.
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  By the Spirit, it's a process, a work of God in US.
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  And Romans 8.29 states the ultimate goal.
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  God predestined us to be conformed to the image of His
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  Son. Conformed to his image, there's
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  a divine purpose behind it all. A clear divine purpose,
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  believers are meant to increasingly reflect the
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  character of Christ. Edwards uses some lovely imagery
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  here. Christians reflecting the light
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  of the Sun of Righteousness. Yes, shining with the same mild,
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  sweet and pleasant beams. Like their spiritual lamps burn
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  with the same sort of flame. It's a beautiful way to put it.
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  He talks about grace in Christians answering to Grace in
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  Christ. Like a mirror image.
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  Or like a wax impression, perfectly matching the seal
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  character for character. The branch having the same
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  nature as the vine. Exactly.
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  An organic, living connection which points to the incredible
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  unity we have with Christ. Unity.
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  How does that work? Well, John 20 tells us Christ
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  breathed his own spirit on his disciples.
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  Receiving his spirit. And Paul says in First
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  Corinthians 6.17 that he who is joined to the Lord becomes 1
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  Spirit with him. One spirit, so the same spirit
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  that animated Christ now and Wells believers.
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  That's the idea. We share his inner life, his
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  nature through the Holy Spirit. So just as Christ as the Lamb,
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  believers are also called his sheep, his lambs.
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  Members of his flock. Who follow Him, the Lamb,
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  wherever he goes, as Revelation 14 says.
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  It signifies that same dependent, gentle nature.
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  Yes, even that Old Testament picture of David rescuing the
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  lamb from the lion and the bear. How does that fit?
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  Edward sees it as a type of Christ the Great Shepherd
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  rescuing his church, his flock, which shares that lamb like
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  identity. We are the ones rescued,
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  protected, sharing his nature. It's a consistent theme.
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  OK, so Christ is the pattern and believers are conformed to his
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  image. Let's talk about the symbols God
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  uses for this spirit. You mentioned the dove.
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  The dove, yes, it's God's chosen emblem, really, for this
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  Christian spirit. Why a dove?
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  Well, they seem gentle, peaceful.
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  Exactly. Meekness, harmlessness, peace,
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  love, Those are the associations.
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  And think about the most significant appearance, the Holy
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  Spirit descending on Christ at his baptism.
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  Like a dove. Matthew 3.16.
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  Right. The anointing Spirit, The Spirit
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  Christ possesses fully is signified by the dove in
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  Galatians 4 says God sends the Spirit of his Son into our
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  hearts. Those are the same spirit.
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  The same spirit symbolized by the dove unites the head, Christ
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  and the body of the Church. Ephesians 4 speaks of 1 spirit.
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  It creates a spirit of peace and love among them.
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  And the church itself is called a dove in Scripture.
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  Frequently, especially in the Song of Solomon, my dove, my
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  undefiled, and in the Psalms too.
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  Think of Psalm 68. Though you lie down among the
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  sheepfolds, you will be like the wings of a dove covered with
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  silver. Even Noah's dove, remember it
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  found no rest until it returned to the safety of the ark.
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  A picture of the believer finding rest only in Christ.
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  Precisely. It's a type of foreshadowing.
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  The Dove consistently points to this gentle, peace seeking,
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  loving character that should mark believers.
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  It's about an inner reality. That's very clear.
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  Now what about the other emblem? Christ used little children.
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  Yes, he often referred to his disciples that way.
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  Little children like in John 13 or welcoming them in Matthew 19.
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  It sounds affectionate, but Edward says it signifies key
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  characteristics. It does.
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  It's not just about being small or young.
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  First, he points to their relative innocence and
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  harmlessness. They don't usually cause major
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  trouble. No, they aren't plotting complex
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  schemes or driven by predatory instincts.
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  They aren't typically dangerous. Second, a lack of malice.
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  Their anger flares up, maybe, but it passes quickly.
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  Exactly. They don't tend to hold deep
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  grudges or harbor long term resentment.
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  Paul actually says in First Corinthians 14 in Malice be
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  infants. Be like babies in that regard.
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  Yes, third simplicity. Meaning not deceitful.
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  Right. They're generally
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  straightforward, plain, not skilled in the arts of guile or
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  manipulation. What you see is often what you
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  get. OK.
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  And finally, yieldableness and flexibility?
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  They trust their parents or teachers.
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  They tend to. They aren't typically stubborn
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  just for the sake of it. They rely on guidance from those
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  with more understanding. They're teachable.
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  Which makes them open to God's instruction.
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  Perfectly suited for it, this trusting, yielding quality is
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  vital. And Christ doesn't just command
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  this, He says it's necessary for entering the Kingdom.
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  An absolute necessity. Matthew 18.3 is startlingly
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  direct. Truly, I say to you, unless you
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  turn and become like children, you will never enter the Kingdom
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  of heaven. Unless you become like children.
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  And Mark 10.15 echoes it. Whoever does not receive the
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  Kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.
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  So this is an optional maturity level for super Saints.
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  It's the entry requirement. It's the fundamental posture
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  required. It challenges all our worldly
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  ideas about needing to be strong, self reliant,
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  sophisticated. We must become dependent,
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  trusting, humble, like a child before God.
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  OK, so we have the pattern of Christ, the symbols of the doven
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  child. Let's zero in again on those
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  core virtues, Edwards highlights.
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  First love or charity? Love.
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  Yes, Edwards falling Paul presents this as utterly
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  essential, the most excellent thing in Christianity.
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  Without it, as First Corinthians 13 famously states, even amazing
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  gifts or sacrifices are nothing worthless.
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  And Paul goes on to describe what this love looks like in
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  action. Love is patient and kind.
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  Love does not envy or boast. It is not arrogant or rude.
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  It does not insist on its own way.
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  It is not irritable or resentful.
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  That's quite a list. It covers so much ground,
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  patience, kindness, humility, selflessness.
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  It really does. It paints a picture of a
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  benevolent, outward focused disposition.
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  Not just a warm feeling, but active goodwill towards others.
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  And Christ himself called this his new commandment.
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  He did John 13.34 a new commandment.
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  I give to you that you love one another.
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  Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
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  Just as I has loved you, that sets the bar incredibly high.
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  It certainly does. It's a sacrificial, self giving
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  love. He repeats it in John 15 too.
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  It's clearly central to his teaching.
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  And he says, because it's the identifying mark.
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  The Ultimate identifier John 13.35 By this all people will
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  know that you are my disciples if you have love for one
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  another. Not by our correct doctrine
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  necessarily, or our zeal, but by our love.
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  That's what Jesus says, and the apostle John, who often seems to
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  embody this loving Spirit, hammers this home in his letters
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  first, John 4. Anyone who does not love does
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  not know God, because God is love.
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  That's quite a statement. Lack of love equals lack of
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  knowing God. It's that fundamental.
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  He even says if someone claims to love God but hates his
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  mother, he's a liar. Wow.
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  The scripture is just unambiguous.
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  This loving, benevolent disposition is non negotiable
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  for genuine faith. It really forces us to examine
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  our own hearts and actions. Is love the driving force?
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  A challenging question. OK, Second virtue, meekness.
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  Often misunderstood, as you said.
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  Very misunderstood. Sometimes people equate it with
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  being a doormat or just weakness.
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  Passive. Yeah, passive.
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  But biblically, it's a core part of Christ's own character, the
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  one who said learn from me, for I am meek and lowly in heart.
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  So it's strength under control. That's a good way to put it.
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  Power yielded to God. Humility, gentleness, a lack of
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  self assertion in a demanding way.
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  Scripture often links meekness with godliness.
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  Psalm 37, for instance, contrasts the wicked and the
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  meek, promising the meek will inherit the land.
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  It suggests meekness is an inherent quality of those who
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  truly follow God. It's part of that excellent
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  spirit or calm spirit we talked about from Proverbs.
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  It's the strength to remain calm, gentle and benevolent even
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  when provoked or facing opposition.
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  So it's an inner strength, not outward bluster.
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  Precisely. Far from weakness, it requires
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  immense self-control, which comes from the.
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  Spirit and 3rd flowing from love, meekness.
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  You mentioned forgiveness and mercy.
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  Yes, these twin graces. Edward stresses that a forgiving
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  spirit is an absolute necessity. Not just a nice to have.
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  Not at all. Christ's teaching is explicit.
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  The Lord's Prayer itself links our receiving forgiveness to our
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  giving it. Forgive us our debts, as we also
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  have forgiven our debtors. Matthew 6.
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  And he immediately follows it up by saying, if you don't forgive
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  others, your father won't forgive you.
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  That's sobering. It is.
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  And then there's that whole parable of the unforgiving
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  servant in Matthew 18. The one forgiven a huge debt,
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  who then refuses to forgive a tiny one.
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  Exactly. And the Master throws him into
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  jail. The point is crystal clear.
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  God's forgiveness of us demands that we forgive others from the
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  heart. It's non negotiable.
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  Completely and alongside forgiveness is mercy, that act
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  of compassion towards those in need or suffering.
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  The songs often describe the righteous person as being
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  gracious and merciful. Lending freely on 37 Again,
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  Psalm 112. It's part of their character.
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  It is Isaiah 57 even seems to equate the righteous man with
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  the merciful man and think about Matthew 25, the judgment scene,
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  the. Sheep and the goats.
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  Yes, the basis for separation is whether they showed mercy,
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  feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, visiting the sick and
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  imprisoned. As you did it to one of the
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  least of these, my brothers, you did it to me.
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  Precisely which connects to regretly back to the Beatitude.
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  Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
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  James puts the negative side just as strongly in chapter 2.
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  Judgement is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy.
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  So again, mercy isn't just a nice action, it's evidence of
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  genuine, living faith. It's a vital sign that God,
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  God's grace, is actually at work in a person's heart.
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  OK, this paints a picture of a very gentle, yielding, forgiving
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  spirit. But where does that leave things
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  like Christian fortitude or zeal?
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  Does this spirit make believers weak or passive in the face of.
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  Evil. That's a really common question,
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  and Edwards tackles it head on. He wants to correct the idea
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  that strength equals aggression or harshness.
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  So Christian strength looks different.
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  Totally different, he says. True Christian fortitude is not
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  about brutal fierceness, not the boldness of a predator.
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  OK, So what is it then? It's primarily a strength of
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  mind enabled by grace, shown first in ruling your own spirit.
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  Controlling your passions. It's exactly suppressing anger,
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  malice, pride, the things that might make someone look strong
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  in a worldly sense but are actually signs of inner chaos.
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  Remember Proverbs 16.32 He. Who is slow to anger is better
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  than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who
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  takes a city. Right there, true strength is
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  self mastery. Inner control achieved through
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  grace and 2nd fortitude is shown in steadfastly pursuing good
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  godly affections and actions without being swayed by fear or
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  opposition. Standing firm for what's right,
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  but calmly. Yes, maintaining that holy,
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  calm, meekness, sweetness, and benevolence, even when things
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  are difficult, even when you're being attacked or misunderstood.
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  That takes real strength. So Christ himself, especially
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  during His passion, His suffering, His strength, wasn't
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  shown in angry outbursts. Not at all, Isaiah 53 says he
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  was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his
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  mouth. Like a lamb to the slaughter.
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  And like a sheep, that before its shearers is silent, His
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  incredible strength, His holy boldness was shown in his
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  silence, His patience, His submission to the Father's will.
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  He prayed for his enemies while they were killing him.
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  Father forgive them. That's unparalleled strength.
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  He conquered not by force but by all, conquering patience and
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  love, as Edwards puts it, shedding his own blood, not
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  others. And he rebuked Peter for drawing
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  the sword. Gently rebuked him, yes, and
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  healed the servant's ear. At his moment of greatest trial,
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  he most clearly showed the Lamb like dove, like spirit.
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  That was his glory, his strength.
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  It completely flips our usual ideas of power and heroism.
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  It really does. Worldly fierceness, Edwards
• 18:59
  argues, often comes from weakness, from pride,
• 19:02
  insecurity, the need to dominate like.
• 19:04
  Paul warning the Corinthians about divisions and strife
• 19:07
  coming from spiritual immaturity.
• 19:08
  Exactly. True boldness, Edward suggests,
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  is shown in humility. Being willing to confess your
• 19:14
  own faults, not just attack others.
• 19:16
  Being willing to be unpopular even with your own side for the
• 19:20
  sake of truth or peace. That requires real courage.
• 19:23
  Immense courage. Now what about zeal?
• 19:26
  Is there room for passion? Right.
• 19:27
  Can a lamb like person be zealous?
• 19:29
  Edward says yes, absolutely, but true Christian zeal is a sweet
• 19:33
  flame. Sweet, How so?
• 19:35
  It's the heat and fervor of divine love, of Christian
• 19:37
  charity. Remember, charity is kind,
• 19:40
  patient, not irritable. So true Zeal's opposition is
• 19:43
  directed against things meaning sin and error and not persons.
• 19:48
  Ah, so it's not about attacking people.
• 19:49
  No bitterness against people is contrary to true zeal.
• 19:52
  In fact, the warmer true zeal gets, the more it should be full
• 19:56
  of love both to the evil and to the good, love for the Sinner
• 19:59
  even while hating the sin. That's a crucial balance.
• 20:02
  It is, and significantly true. Zeal is primarily directed in
• 20:06
  words first. Against your own sin.
• 20:08
  Yes, against the evil things in the person himself.
• 20:11
  That's our main battleground. Only secondarily is it concerned
• 20:15
  with the sins of others. So it starts with self
• 20:17
  examination and repentance. Always.
• 20:20
  Therefore, true zeal isn't opposed to meekness and
• 20:22
  gentleness. It's entirely agreeable with it.
• 20:25
  It flows from love and promotes love.
• 20:27
  It's a passionate desire for God's glory and true holiness,
• 20:31
  starting in one's own heart. OK, so this lamb, like dove,
• 20:34
  like spirit, isn't about adding behaviors.
• 20:36
  It's about a fundamental change in who you are.
• 20:39
  Yes, Edwards insists that true conversion brings about a
• 20:42
  remarkable change in this direction.
• 20:44
  Grace works to mortify, to put to death the sins contrary to
• 20:49
  the spirit. Pride, anger, selfishness,
• 20:52
  malice. Scripture uses those
• 20:54
  transformation metaphors, doesn't it?
• 20:56
  It does like the famous prophecies in Isaiah 11 and 65.
• 20:59
  The wolf shall dwell with the lamb.
• 21:01
  The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf, and
• 21:04
  the lion and the fattened calf together, and a little child
• 21:07
  shall lead them. A picture of enemies living in
• 21:09
  peace. Exactly symbolizing A radical
• 21:12
  change in human nature brought about by the Messiah's reign and
• 21:14
  the knowledge of the Lord. Nature itself is changed.
• 21:18
  And the early Church letters describe this change in
• 21:20
  converts. Yes, passages like Titus three
• 21:23
  describe believers before conversion as foolish,
• 21:27
  disobedient, LED astray, slaves to various passions and
• 21:31
  pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others
• 21:35
  and hating one another. That's quite a list.
• 21:37
  It is, but then it says But when the goodness and loving kindness
• 21:41
  of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, regenerated us by the
• 21:44
  Holy Holy Spirit. Colossians 3 also talks about
• 21:47
  putting off the old self with its practices like anger, wrath,
• 21:50
  malice, slander. So there's a definite before and
• 21:53
  after. A definite change in disposition
• 21:55
  is expected, which leads Edwards to issue a pretty stern warning,
• 21:59
  especially to ministers. About false conversions.
• 22:01
  Yes, he says, ministers should be very careful not to assure
• 22:05
  people of their salvation if they consistently display a
• 22:08
  sordid, selfish cross and contentious spirit.
• 22:10
  Even if they have a dramatic testimony, bright lights, big
• 22:13
  emotions. Even then, no matter how fair
• 22:16
  their story of illuminations and discoveries, if the fundamental
• 22:20
  character remains unchanged, marked by selfishness and
• 22:23
  strife, encouraging them would be dangerous because it would
• 22:27
  contradict Christ's own standard in John 13.35.
• 22:32
  By this all people will know that you are my disciples.
• 22:34
  If you have love for one another, love is the evidence.
• 22:37
  So fruit inspection is necessary.
• 22:39
  Absolutely, Edwards states flatly.
• 22:41
  The Scripture knows of no such true Christians as are of a
• 22:44
  sordid, selfish cross and contentious spirit.
• 22:47
  He doesn't mince words. Not at all.
• 22:49
  He even calls the idea of a morose, hard, close, high
• 22:52
  spirited, spiteful, true Christian and absurdity like a.
• 22:57
  Contradiction in turn. Exactly.
• 22:59
  Now, does this mean true Christians are perfect?
• 23:01
  Of course not. There are still remnants of the
• 23:03
  old nature. We still sin.
• 23:04
  We absolutely do. There are remains of a contrary
• 23:06
  skerrit. We stumble, we fall short
• 23:08
  constantly. But Edwards argues this lamb,
• 23:11
  like dove, like spirit, must be the prevailing spirit.
• 23:14
  It's the dominant character. The direction in the heart is
• 23:16
  fundamentally oriented, even amid struggles.
• 23:19
  It's the underlying reality. It's the underlying reality, he
• 23:22
  says. Everything in Christians that
• 23:23
  belongs to true Christianity is of this tendency and works this
• 23:27
  way. The new nature, implanted by
• 23:29
  grace moves inevitably towards love, humility, meekness and
• 23:34
  mercy. That's its grain.
• 23:36
  That gives a lot to think about as we wrap up this deep dive.
• 23:39
  This whole concept really reframes what authentic
• 23:42
  Christian faith looks like. It pushes past just external
• 23:45
  actions or even intense religious experiences, right
• 23:48
  down to the core disposition, the character of the heart.
• 23:51
  It really does, and it reminds us that cultivating the Spirit
• 23:54
  isn't just about trying harder in our own strength.
• 23:56
  It's presented as a divine work. It's the result of Christ's own
• 23:59
  Spirit dwelling in US, conforming us to his image.
• 24:03
  It should shapes every interaction, our inner life, how
• 24:05
  we approach God and others. So for you listening, maybe the
• 24:09
  question isn't just do I believe the right things, but is this
• 24:13
  lamb, like dove, like spirit becoming more characteristic of
• 24:16
  me. Perhaps think about one specific
• 24:19
  area today. How you react to frustration,
• 24:21
  how you handle disagreement, how you respond to someone in need.
• 24:25
  Where can you consciously yield to the Spirit and allow this
• 24:28
  gentle, loving character to show through a bit more?
• 24:31
  The challenge isn't to manufacture the Spirit
• 24:33
  ourselves, but to allow the Spirit we've already received if
• 24:36
  we are in Christ to work more freely, to prevail more fully in
• 24:39
  our lives. It's about trusting that as we
• 24:42
  cooperate with him, as we yield, his character, his meekness, his
• 24:45
  love, his mercy will become more evident in US.
• 24:48
  And that's a powerful witness in itself.
• 24:50
  A. Powerful witness indeed.
• 24:52
  Well, thank you for joining us for this deep dive on Reformed
• 24:54
  thinking. Until next time, may you
• 24:56
  continue to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and
• 24:59
  Savior Jesus Christ.