Required reading
Remarks on Important Theological Controversies in Vol 2 of the Works by Jonathan Edwards (Available from Amazon or free here) - Conclude Chapter VI 'Concerning faith'.
My summary
This week we learn about the connection of faith to :
(i) salvation;
(ii) obedience.
But most of the reading is concerned with discussing the difference between saving faith and common faith.
What grabbed me
I really enjoyed Edwards' comments about saving faith and common faith.
I particularly liked his admission of the limits of the English language to describe saving faith:
'Supposing saving faith to be what Calvinistical divines have ordinarily supposed it to be, there seems to be no one word in common language, so fit to express it, as faith, pistis, as it most commonly is in the original. Orthodox divines, in the definitions of faith, do not all use exactly the same terms, but they generally come to the same thing. Their distinctions generally signify as much as a person’s receiving Christ and his salvation as revealed in the gospel, with his whole soul; acquiescing in what is exhibited as true, excellent, and sufficient for him. And to express this complex act of the mind, I apprehend no word can be found more significant than faith, which signifies both assenting and consenting: because the object of the act is wholly supernatural, and above the reach of mere reason, and therefore exhibited only by revelation and divine testimony: and the person to be believed in, is exhibited and offered in that revelation, especially under the character of a Saviour, and so, as an object of trust: and the benefits are all spiritual, invisible, wonderful, and future.'
Faith, belief, trust. All of these words have shades of meaning that are important for our understanding of what it means to have saving faith.
Next week's reading
Read Chapter VII 'Concerning the perseverance of saints'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
No comments:
Post a Comment