Required reading
Remarks on Important Theological Controversies in Vol 2 of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter VI 'Concerning faith' by reading up to the paragraph commencing: '86. Faith in Christ is the condition of salvation.'
My summary
This week we learn about the connection of faith to:
(i) constituent acts;
(ii) the cleaving of the heart to Christ;
(iii) calling;
(iv) love;
(v) justification;
(vi) repentance;
(vii) conviction.
What grabbed me
I liked Edwards' articulation of the relationship of faith and repentance: 'The conditions of justification are, repentance and faith; and the freedom of grace appears in the forgiving of sin upon repentance, or only for our being willing to part with it, after the same manner as the bestowment of eternal life, only for accepting of it. For to make us an offer of freedom from a thing, only for quitting of it, is equivalent to the offering the possession of a thing for the receiving of it. God makes us this offer, that if we will. in our hearts quit sin, we shall be freed from it, and all the evil that belongs to it, and flows from it; which is the same thing as the offering us freedom only for accepting it. Accepting, in this case, is quitting and parting with, in our wills and inclination. So that repentance is implied in faith; it is a part of our willing reception of the salvation of Jesus Christ; though faith, with respect to sin, implies something more in it, viz. a respect to Christ, as him by whom we have deliverance. Thus by faith we destroy sin, Gal. ii. 18.'
You can't have one without the other.
Next week's reading
Conclude Chapter VI 'Concerning faith'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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