Obedience ~ Continued
Feeling rebuked and challenged after reading Edwards is almost a "given" for believers it seems - and I think that Jonathan Edwards hit the nail on the head with this observation:
"The people manifested that they had a heart to intend to keep God's commandments, and to be very forward in those intentions; but God manifests, that this was far from being the thing that He desired, wherein true godliness consists, even a heart actually to keep them.
It is therefore exceedingly absurd, and even ridiculous, for any to pretend that they have a good heart, while they live a wicked life, or do not bring forth the fruit of universal holiness in their practice. For it is proved in fact that such men do not love God above all. It is foolish to dispute against plain fact and experience. Men that live in ways of sin, and yet flatter themselves that they shall go to heaven, or expect to be received hereafter as holy persons without a holy life and practice, act as though they expected to make a fool of their Judge. Which is implied in what the apostle Paul says Gal 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." As much as to say "Do not deceive yourself with an expectation of reaping life everlasting hereafter, if you do not sow to the Spirit here; it is in vain to think that God will be made a fool of by you, that He will be shammed and baffled with shadows instead of substances, and with vain pretense instead of that good fruit which He expects, when the contrary to what you pretend appears plainly in your life before His face."
Excerpt from: The Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards
"The people manifested that they had a heart to intend to keep God's commandments, and to be very forward in those intentions; but God manifests, that this was far from being the thing that He desired, wherein true godliness consists, even a heart actually to keep them.
It is therefore exceedingly absurd, and even ridiculous, for any to pretend that they have a good heart, while they live a wicked life, or do not bring forth the fruit of universal holiness in their practice. For it is proved in fact that such men do not love God above all. It is foolish to dispute against plain fact and experience. Men that live in ways of sin, and yet flatter themselves that they shall go to heaven, or expect to be received hereafter as holy persons without a holy life and practice, act as though they expected to make a fool of their Judge. Which is implied in what the apostle Paul says Gal 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." As much as to say "Do not deceive yourself with an expectation of reaping life everlasting hereafter, if you do not sow to the Spirit here; it is in vain to think that God will be made a fool of by you, that He will be shammed and baffled with shadows instead of substances, and with vain pretense instead of that good fruit which He expects, when the contrary to what you pretend appears plainly in your life before His face."
Excerpt from: The Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards
posted by Jen2 | 1:34 PM
5 Comments:
Sigh...
Thought-provoking post, Jen. This brings me to the conundrum that has existed for me between Romans 7 and 1 John 3. I've heard "good answers" to this over the years, but I'd love to hear your (and anyone else's) interpretation of how one can sin and still expect to go to heaven.
Hmmm...wellp, there's a sermon where Pastor Piper mentions something like this and I'm thinking he's right on.
There is no guarantee of forgiveness on the other side of willful disobedience;
As in Heb 10:26
"If we go on deliberately sinning after receiving the full knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice to cover sins, but the fearful expectation of judgement, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries."
He said something to the affect that when a Christian is tempted to sin.....and not just the 'whoops' kind of sin, but rather, being fully convinced that what they are about to do is sin, they have thought about it, and the language of their heart is - "I know this is sin, and God will forgive me so I'm going to do it anyway"
Such persons may not be regenerate, and they have good reason to tremble and fear the judgement of the Almighty.
Ex: Esau sold his birthright for a single meal and couldn't gain the blessing afterward, THOUGH HE SOUGHT IT WITH TEARS.
There is no guarantee of forgiveness or of obtaining the blessed inheritance, and we can't expect to find it on the other side of sin. But rather ~
"Be not wise in your own eyes, but FEAR the Lord and shun evil."
Also ~
In witnessing, Ray Comfort found many who thought themselves converted. When speaking of those who claim to be Christians, whose lives do not match their profession - He said - "What's happening? They are using the Grace without God for an occasion of the flesh; They do not esteem the sacrifice; To them it is not a bad thing to trample the blood of Christ underfoot."
Sorry so long ~ I have a few more thoughts on this, and look forward to talking about it more with you dear sister !
One more side note that I should have included ~
~ Every single time ~ we are given the precious gift of repentence - When the force of Calvary collides with our sin and we see our sin as it really is and hate it with utmost hatred, and turn from it.......it is a miracle of God that should make us adore Him and praise Him all the more that He hasn't given us over to our sin. (Romans 1:24 and 1:26)
ahhh...Jesus......there is just no one like Him.
Thanks, Jen. Those help. I just struggle with the definitive "No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother." 1 John 3: 9,10
There isn't a loophole in this passage for deliberate, willful disobedience versus other "whoops" sins, as you called them, and that has always caused me alarm. I suppose we can use the passages that God inspired through other authors of scripture to balance it, such as Hebrews 10:26, and that seems perfectly logical. But there is part of me that still condemns myself when I have an uncharitable thought or say something inappropriate ("What's wrong with me? I must not be indwelt after all..."). This is heavy for a blog, so I, too, look forward to conversing in person.
I thank God for you brother - you really have a gift of communicating God's word -where our human experience and scripture meet. I tend to be so black and white for fear cheapening grace in my own heart...
(Bonhoeffer scared me a bit)
Thanks for your post - the balance of the scripture. :)
Jen2
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