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Gracious Affections Bear Fruit in Christian Practice | Jonathan Edwards · Reformed Thinking

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Welcome to Reform Thinking, a special segment where we delve
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into the truths of Christian faith and practice.
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Today you're joining us for the Deep Dive, where we take your
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sources and distill them into clear, actionable insights.
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Hello, and thank you for joining us for this Deep Dive.
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Our focus today is on a concept central to Reform Thought.
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How well, how authentic Christian practice serves as the
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clearest indicator of true grace.
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We've collected a stack of sources that layout the
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characteristics of living a truly Christian life, and they
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contrast it with simply showing, you know, outward signs of
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piety. That's right, Our aim is to help
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you understand not just what holy practice looks like, but
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why it is inherently connected to real spiritual life.
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This connection, it comes from a divine operation within the
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heart itself. We'll look at the comprehensive
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character of obedience, the call to sincerity, and the need for
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constancy and faith through all of life's challenges.
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This discussion is about providing you with a clearview
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of how real faith appears in daily life, hopefully allowing
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you to examine your own experience and discern what
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matters most. OK, let's unpack this.
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Our sources layout 3 core characteristics of what they
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describe as Christian practice, the actual expression, and,
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well, the beneficial results of genuine spiritual affections.
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These aren't just good suggestions, they are
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fundamental. They formed the very framework
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of a life that truly demonstrates internal change.
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The first characteristic is universal obedience.
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This means a person's behavior must be entirely consistent with
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Christian directives, not just sometimes or in some convenient
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areas, but across the board in every aspect of their existence.
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And it goes beyond simply avoiding actions that are wrong,
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which are often called sins of Commission, like theft or
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falsehood. So.
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It's not enough to say I don't steal, I don't get drunk, I
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don't lie. That's sort of the baseline.
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Maybe our sources clarified that a true Christian also needs to
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be universal in the positives of religion.
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This means actively showing virtues, not merely refraining
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from vices. It's a profound alteration of
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character, isn't it? Not just about avoiding the bad,
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but about actively manifesting the good.
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Exactly. The sources describe these
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positive aspects as being serious, religious, devout,
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humble, meek, forgiving, peaceful, respectful, and here's
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an interesting one, condescending.
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Not in the modern negative sense, like being patronizing,
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but in the older, beautiful meaning of genuinely stooping
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down, meeting others where they are, and serving them humbly.
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It also includes being benevolent, merciful,
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charitable, and beneficial in all your walk and conversation.
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Neglecting these positive duties, what we might call sins
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of omission, is considered just as serious as committing a clear
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wrong. It's a failure to fulfill God's
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directives just as much as actively doing something
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forbidden. You know, Christ's teachings
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frequently point to these positive actions as being of the
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greatest significance. That idea of universal obedience
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is compelling, but it also brings up a particular
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challenge, doesn't it? What about those especially
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stubborn areas, those sins that are deeply ingrained?
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Our sources delve into the crucial need to part with one's
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dearest iniquities. Can you explain what they mean
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by that and why it's so critical?
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Certainly these dearest iniquities are identified as the
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sins that are like a right hand and right eye, those that cling
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most tightly to us because of our natural tendencies,
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established habits, or particular life circumstances.
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They're the ones we have a deep fondness for, perhaps even
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deriving a sense of identity or comfort from them.
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The sources argue that this applies to even the most
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challenging duties, those to which we might feel a great
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reluctance. It's a call to a complete
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renunciation of all ungodliness, not just the easily discarded
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ones. The sources use the powerful
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illustration of Joseph. Remember how he didn't reveal
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himself to his brothers who had wrung him deeply?
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Not until Benjamin, the most cherished brother, the one Jacob
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found hardest to give up, was brought to Egypt.
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This symbolizes that Christ will not fully reveal His love, His
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presence, and His peace until we surrender our most beloved
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desires and undertake the most difficult obligations for His
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sake. It implies a total, unreserved
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giving of ourselves. It's a real testing point.
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And our sources don't leave us without powerful examples of
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what happens when we refuse this radical surrender.
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Think about biblical flists like Saul.
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He failed by sparing A gag the Amalekite king, despite
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conquering all his other enemies.
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His partial obedience, Bolton, ultimately led to his downfall
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in ruin. Or Naman, the Syrian general,
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despite being miraculously healed of leprosy.
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He wanted an exception for bowing in a Pagan temple.
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He saw it as just a minor concession.
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Or Herod, who did many things at John the Baptist preaching but
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stubbornly refused to part with Rodeus.
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These examples reveal that partial obedience isn't
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sufficient. It points to a deeper issue, a
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failure to truly let go of 1's own will.
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For gods, it shows that if even 1 corrupt member, however dear,
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is not cut off, it could drag the entire life into spiritual
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ruin. Precisely.
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The sources see this as the very essence of the straightness of
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the gate and the narrowness of the way that leads to life.
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It demands an utter denial and a final turning away from all
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ungodliness, a full yielding of oneself that many find too
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difficult to embrace. It's a willingness to cut off
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what feels like a part of oneself for the sake of Christ
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and his reign in the heart. So if the first characteristic
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is about the breadth of obedience being comprehensive,
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the next is about its depth or intensity.
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It's one thing to say you're doing the right things, but what
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about the effort? Our sources speak of a true
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Christian who makes a business of such a holy practice above
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all things. What is that kind of earnestness
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and diligence truly look like, and why is it so central?
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It means giving whole hearts and the chief of their strength to
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God's service. The Christian experience is
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described using images of intense physical exertion,
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running a race, wrestling against spiritual forces,
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fighting a good fight. It is not a casual stroll nor
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1/2 hearted attempt. It's a vigorous,
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all-encompassing engagement where the Kingdom of heaven is
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not to be taken but by violence. Note, true Christians are called
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to labour in God's vineyard with purpose, not idleness.
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They are seen as diligent servants, good and faithful
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soldiers fully engaged in the spiritual conflict.
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It's an act of pursuit, a principal aim.
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That image of running, wrestling, fighting truly
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underscores the intensity. It suggests this isn't just
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about showing up, but about a profound application of energy.
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And the sources are incredibly clear on the consequences if
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that earnestness is lacking, aren't they?
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They issue a stark warning. Slothfulness in God's service
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and his professed servants is as damning as open rebellion.
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The slothful servant is deemed wicked and destined for outer
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darkness. This isn't just about avoiding a
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particular action. It's about the very disposition
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of 1's energy and zeal. Those who are slack and
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neglectful in their course are described as not so running as
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that they may obtain the prize. It implies a posture of
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continuous fervent effort, not mere occasional engagement or
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half hearted participation. Indeed, this active engagement
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mirrors the urgency of the Israelites eating the Passover
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lamb. Remember as those that were in
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haste with their loins girded, their shoes on their feet and
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their staff in their hand. It conveys a posture of
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readiness and active participation in God's will,
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always pressing forward, aiming for the mark of the high
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calling. Without the sincerity this
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vigorous pursuit, there is no successfully navigating the
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narrow way that leads to life. It's a continuous, focused Dr.
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that characterizes true faith. And the third characteristic
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brings it all together. This comprehensive obedience and
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sincere pursuit must continue to the end of life, through all
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changes and under all trials. It's not a temporary season of
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faith, but the continuous business of 1's entire life.
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This idea of constancy is vital, isn't it?
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It truly is. This constancy is a critical
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indicator of true grace, especially when facing trials,
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those things that make faithfulness difficult.
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Trials can stir up sinful desires, present temptations to
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compromise, or cause suffering like pain, contempt, or loss.
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Our sources indicate that God often brings these trials
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specifically to reveal sincerity.
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They serve to provide conviction to consciences and to the world
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that an individual possesses an internal divine principle and a
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truly changed nature that enables them to maintain a holy
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life despite challenges. It's the refining fire that
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shows what's genuine. So what does this all mean for
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someone who stumbles or falls into sin?
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Because that happens, our sources say.
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True Saints may be guilty of some kinds and degrees of
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backsliding. It may be foiled by particular
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temptations and may fall into sin, even great sins.
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But there's a key distinction here that separates them from
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those without genuine grace, isn't there?
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There is they never can fall away so as to habitually dislike
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or neglect religion, or cease their comprehensive obedience.
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They do not become habitually more occupied with other things
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than religion. While they may err, their
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fundamental disposition towards God and holiness remains.
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If their behavior ceases to show a remarkable difference from
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their previous life, or if they turn back to a life of sin, it
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suggests they were never truly risen with Christ.
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The sources referenced the Jews in Matthew 12.43 to 45.
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Remember after a superficial change they became full of
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themselves and spiritually proud, showing their last state
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far worse than the first. This indicates a false
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transformation where the underlying corrupt nature was
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merely re channel into a new form of wickedness, perhaps even
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a more subtle form of self righteousness.
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Rather than being truly put to death.
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They never lost their attachment to sin.
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We've clearly defined what true Christian practice looks like
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based on these sources. But for many listeners, I think
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the deeper question might be why it manifests this way.
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Why is this holistic, sincere, and constant practice so
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inherently linked to what our sources called gracious
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affections? What's the fundamental
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connection there that makes this kind of practice the natural
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outflow? Well, at its core, gracious
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affections refers to a divine, internal and active principle of
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life implanted by God himself. It's not just a feeling or an
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emotion, it's something divine, a communication of God, a
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participation of the divine nature, Christ living in the
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heart, the Holy Spirit dwelling there.
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This isn't a passive presence, it's the very vital force of God
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operating within the soul, fundamentally altering its
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direction and desires. That's right, the sources state
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Christ is not in the heart as in a sepulchre or as a dead savior
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that does nothing, but as in His temple and as one that is alive
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from the dead. This divine presence is
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inherently active, powerful, and effectual.
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With the divine strength on its side, it brings about a full and
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steadfast determination of the will for God and holiness,
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effectively governing a person's life from its deepest springs.
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Think of a beautiful statue that looks alive but has no internal
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principle of life. False affections are like that.
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True affections, however, reach the very depths of the heart,
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taking hold of the inmost springs of life and activity,
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which is what the apostle refers to as the working of godliness.
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It's an internal transformation that radiates outward.
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One fundamental reason for this practice is that these gracious
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affections are founded on the transcendently excellent and
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amiable nature of divine things as they are in themselves.
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This means your regard for divine matters is for their
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inherent value for their own excellent and lovely nature, not
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merely for how they might benefit self or self-interest.
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This is a critical distinction. It truly is.
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This explains why there's a universal practice.
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If you love religion for its intrinsic worth, its beauty and
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truth in itself, you embrace the whole of religion, not just the
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parts that serve a turn or offer a personal advantage.
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And because the nature of religion, rooted in God's
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unchangeable character, is invariable, this love also leads
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to persevering practice through all circumstances.
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Selfish motives, by contrast, are unstable.
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They can quickly fade when circumstances change or personal
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benefits cease. When you pursue something only
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for what it can give you, well, that pursuit ends when the
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giving stops. But when you love the thing
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itself, you remain constant. Moreover, the divine instruction
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of the Spirit grants a natural relish of the sweetness of that
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which is holy, and the dis relish and disgust of everything
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that is unholy. This spiritual understanding
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involves seeing the supreme and excellent nature of divine
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things, especially Christ, not just intellectually but with a
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deep experiential appreciation. It leaves a lasting mark on the
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soul. This spiritual perception of
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Christ's excellence makes him supremely worthy to be chosen
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and adhered to. It draws true Christians to
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forsake all for him, and follow him whithersoever he goes,
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making them constant to him, and unwilling to be drawn away by
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anything else. They become thoroughly disposed
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to be subject to Him, and eager to labor with sincerity in his
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service, because they have seen his singular value.
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And these gracious affections come with a thorough conviction
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of the judgement of the reality and certainty of divine things.
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Those who genuinely hold to the infinite significance of God's
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revealed truths are necessarily influenced by them above all
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else in their practice. It's that conviction that drives
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the action, isn't it? If you're not fully convinced
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that spiritual matters are real, supremely significant, and
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eternally impactful, well, you won't undertake the labor and
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trouble of a sincere, comprehensive, and persevering
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practice, especially through difficulties.
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Our nature is such that we are guided by what we truly believe
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to be of infinite moment. If our actions don't align with
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our professed beliefs, it's a strong indication that our
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beliefs, at least in their active form, are not truly held.
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A fundamental reason for this practice is the change of nature
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that comes with gracious affections.
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As the saying goes, until the tree be made good, the fruit
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will not be good. This means the old nature be
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indeed put to death, and a new and heavenly nature infused into
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the soul. It's a deep internal renewal.
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Otherwise, any outward religious strictness is a force against
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nature. Like a stone thrown upwards, it
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will eventually lose momentum and return to its natural
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downward course. A corrupt nature, if not truly
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altered by God's grace, will always prevail again.
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But if a new nature is given, then newness of life will
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continue to the end of their days as its natural expression.
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Without this radical change at the core, external reforms are
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temporary. They'll eventually dissipate as
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the old inclinations reassert themselves.
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Furthermore, a spirit of humility, which is essentially
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an obediential spirit, always accompanies holy affections.
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A proud spirit is rebellious and resists authority, but a humble
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spirit is yieldable, subject, obediential.
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This disposition naturally leads to submission to God's will and
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His directives. And there's a lamb like dove
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like spirit, which fulfills the duties of the second table of
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the law, that is our relationships with others, which
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is a significant part of Christian practice.
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This refers to the commandments that govern how we interact with
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our neighbors. Also, a tenderness of spirit
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produces a quick sense of distress from evil and a fear of
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its appearance, fostering strict, universal, and constant
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obedience. This sensitivity helps true
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Christians recoil from sin and pursue holiness with great care.
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Our sources also stress making a full choice of God as our only
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Lord and portion forsaking all for Him, and a full
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determination of the will for God in Christ through self
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denial. This includes embracing religion
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with all its difficulties, even hating our dear earthly
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enjoyments and even our own lives for Christ's sake.
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Now, this isn't literal hatred, obviously, but a prioritization
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so absolute that everything else pales in comparison, and it's
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willingly given up if it conflicts with serving Christ.
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This wholehearted giving of ourselves with all that we have,
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holy and forever unto Christ, without keeping back anything or
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making any reserve. This naturally leads to actually
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forsaking all when self-interest clashes with Christ's will.
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This ensures constancy through trials because the self is no
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longer the ultimate ruler. It is a complete renunciation of
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1's own sovereignty and an acceptance of Christ's.
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It seems all these reasons point to 1 clear conclusion.
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True grace is not inactive. It is life itself and the most
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active kind of life possessing an inherent tendency to fruit.
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It relates to practice as a fountain has to stream.
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It's not a barren thing, but rather a spiritual and divine
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life that inherently expresses itself through action.
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And here's a particularly insightful point from our
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resources. They clarify that holy practice
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is as much the end of all the God does about his Saints as
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fruit is the end of all the husbandman does about the growth
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of his field or vineyard. This means regeneration,
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Christ's redemption, and even God's choice of us are all for
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the purpose of good works, so that we should be holy and
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without blame before Him in love.
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Every grace given, every spiritual insight received, and
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every element of Christian experience ultimately leads to
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this practical food of holy living.
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It's the very objective of God's work in us.
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So with all these reasons in mind, it becomes clear why our
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sources assert that Christian practice or a holy life is a
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great and distinguishing sign of true and saving grace.
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In fact, they call it the chief of all the signs of grace, both
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for assessing ourselves and for discerning the sincerity of
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others. It's the most reliable evidence.
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The connection between this internal grace and outward holy
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living is constant and indisputable, illustrated in
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various biblical symbols. Consider the golden Candlestick
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in the temple, which is seen as a representation of the Church
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of Christ. It was made with knops and
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flowers, where the knop signifies fruit and the flower a
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beautiful confession. The design indicates that
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wherever there was a flower, there was also an apple or
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pomegranate with it. The flower held the principle of
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the fruit, and it was never a deceptive appearance.
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The show of fruit always had real fruit accompanying it or
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succeeding it. This symbolizes how a fair and
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good declaration of faith is always joined with actual fruit
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in holy practice. Then there are the ornaments on
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Aaron's ephod, which was the high priest ceremonial garment
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and also represents the Saints. These were golden bells
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representing a good declaration of faith, and pomegranates
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representing the fruit they bear.
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Just as these were constantly connected in the design, so to
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their good declaration and their good fruit do constantly
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accompany one another. The pleasant sound of their
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faith is always echoed and validated by the fruit they
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bring forth in life, demonstrating consistency.
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And Christ's description of his spouse and canticles.
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Thy belly is like a heap of wheat set about with lilies.
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Again, beautiful flowers and good fruit accompanying one
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another. These images all convey an
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inseparable link between internal spiritual life and
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outward holy conduct. It is a constant and unbreakable
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connection between the inner principle of grace and its
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external manifestation in practice.
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Our sources make a very strong declaration here.
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This comprehensively obedient, sincere and constant life is
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found in them only. What does this mean for everyone
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else? For those who might appear
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religious but lack this kind of practice?
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It means that all unsanctified men are workers of iniquity.
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Hypocrites will not go through with the business of religion
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when it truly cost them something, and will not endure
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the trials God has won't to bring on those who declare their
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faith. They may appear exceeding strict
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and mightily engaged for a season, perhaps when it's
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convenient or socially advent pages, but they're still
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servants to sin. The chains of their old
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taskmasters are not broken. Their desires have yet a
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reigning power in their hearts, and therefore to these masters
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they will bow down again. They will not be brought to
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finally renounce sin and truly part ways with it, because it is
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too dear to them. This brings us to a compelling
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illustration from our sources that helps explain the downfall
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of hypocrisy. The story of Pharaoh Ah.
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Yes, Pharaoh, under the severe pressure of God's plagues, he
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would make temporary confessions and promises to let Israel go.
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But crucially, when the immediate threat lifted, he
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would break his promises because his desires of pride and
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covetousness were never really put to death in him, but only
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violently restrained by external pressure.
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He sought to serve God while retaining his desires.
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He wanted to serve God and enjoy his sinful inclinations too.
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And our sources draw a powerful parallel between Pharaoh and
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many who appear to reform their lives.
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They might part with some of their sins, but not all.
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Or they might give up more obvious acts of sin, but not
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part with their desires and lesser indulgences of them.
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This is exactly like Pharaoh's various responses to Moses.
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Remember, at one point he said go sacrifice in the land,
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implying limited freedom. Later, go but not too far,
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attempting to control their return.
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Then let the men go, but leave the women and children, holding
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back families as collateral. Finally, go but leave your
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cattle behind, attempting to limit their resources.
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In each instance, he tried to retain something for himself,
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unwilling to let go completely. But true deliverance, as Moses
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declared to Pharaoh, requires letting go of all that they had
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not a a flock behind the failure to utterly deny and fully
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renounce all ungodliness, to give up every single part.
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That is what makes the straightness of the gate and the
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narrowness of the way that leads to life so difficult for
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unregenerate people. It means parting with all sins,
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great and small, and everything that belongs to them, without
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any reservation. Pharaoh's repeated backsliding
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after seeming compliance led to his dreadful and remedy less
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destruction, a chilling warning against superficial changes that
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do not spring from a truly altered nature.
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Like the dog to his vomit, they return to their former ways.
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Their seeming compliance was merely a forced obedience
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without the true cessation of the inward principle of sin, and
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thus it could not endure or reach its proper conclusion.
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The old nature reasserted itself, leading to a worse
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state. This also applies to false
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disciples of Christ time who followed him for a while, but
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none of them followed him to the end.
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They turned back for various reasons when trials or cost
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became too great. Their apparent adherence was
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temporary and failed when truly tested, revealing a lack of
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genuine internal transformation. So what does this all mean for
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you listening today? Our sources clearly lay out that
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Christian practice, characterized by comprehensive
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obedience, sincere diligence, and constancy, stands as the
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principal indicator of genuine grace.
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It's the practical, observable fruit of a divine operation
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within the heart that changes everything.
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This deep dive into these sources presses us to consider
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is our Christian life marked by a holistic alignment with divine
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directives, an intense devotion to God's will, and a steadfast
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continuation through all the challenges we meet?
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Or is there any area, maybe, like Pharaoh, we are unwilling
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to surrender fully to Christ? This understanding of Christian
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practice as the fruit of true grace offers a vital lens for
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self-assessment and discernment. It redirects our focus from
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fleeting feelings or outward shows to the active, lifelong
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process of becoming more like Christ in every facet of our
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being. It invites us to consider not
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just what we say we believe, but what our lives actually
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demonstrate. What asect of your Christian
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walk might this insight illuminate further for you,
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prompting you perhaps to seek a deeer congruence between your
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internal affections and your outward actions?
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Something to think about.