/So very much unlike those today.../

/Sucn men are the majority.../

I've never been around men of God or pastors or congregations who would dismiss outright the sermon by Edwards. This seems almost a type of one size fits all accusation.

Now that you have set yourself apart as not like the majority of other men what happens now?

Lk 18:9-14

Not that I'm the best example of walking in and showing humility but there is a pride of belief that is the opposite of the humility of faith. Just some food for thought.

_________________
David Winter

I am pretty impressed that you catalog all my posts. But I would certainly reiterate that the traditional view of hell may not be correct.

But you haven’t addressed the point I raised.

_________________
Todd

Good stuff.
Thanks for sharing, Savannah
I like that he says bearing fruit, not being elect, predestined, or loved is the guarantee against destruction, or else all would've raised their hands.

I love Edwards, he was a no- nonsense preacher, and paid for it too. No wonder he was voted out of his church by 90% of congregational vote. People hate to hear the truth that will save their souls.

Course that doesn't mean he didn't get it wrong on a few things😋

_________________
Fifi

David Winter asks,

"...what happens now?"

________

I answer;


If I were trusting in my own righteousness, Lk 18:9-14 would certainly apply here.

But, considering that I am persuaded that I could not merit my salvation, nor maintain my salvation by any good or bad I do, but rather that of Him I am in Christ, having been chosen/elected in Him from before the foundation of the world, and at the appointed time He gave me repentance and faith, changing my heart, working in me to will and to do of His good pleasure, keeping me by His power through that same faith He gave me, and prays that that same faith not fail, unto that final salvation to be revealed in the last day, nothing being able to separate me from His love for me in Christ, and no one being able to pluck me out of His hand, I have nothing to boast of nor glory in, but His amazing predestinating grace toward me and all of His sheep He loved and gave Himself for.

It's to the glory of God alone, by His grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, according to the Scriptures alone.

May His people return to that humility alone, produced by these Truths alone, which alone sets us apart making us to differ, as we pass the time of our sojourning here in fear, coming out from among them and being separate, obeying Him from the heart which does so by love, only loving Him because He first loved us.


Won't you sing with me if these words ring true in your heart;


And can it be that I should gain
An int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?

Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!

'Tis mystery all! Th'Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine!
'Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father's throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race;
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th'eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Amen.


One Gospel fits all.

Just some Truth for thought.

Fifi If I remember right, it was over his refusal to open the communion table to the youth who were not officially recognized as part of the believing community. They thought since they were infant baptized that would be good enough.

So, they asked to dismiss him. From there he went on to Princeton University. His final sermon to his congregation was wonderful and displayed a great maturity in the faith.

his congregation was well acquainted with his powerful sermons...though he read them like he would a lecture.

_________________
Marvin

"They thought since they were infant baptized that would be good enough."

__________


I think Fifi has the fruit bowl correct.

Because Edwards wouldn't have been opposed to their claim of infant baptism since he himself believed in infant baptism.

It'd have been more of a Baptist John thing.

Similarly, remember he said,

"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? “Therefore bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you, that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
Matthew 3:7-9

No disagreement there, Marvin. He wanted a public confession of Jesus before partaking in the Lord's table to which the the unbelieving half covenant congregants, a majority at the time, would not consent.

He was a man who stood for truth and wouldn't compromise his conscience.

Did I say something different،?

_________________
Fifi

Didn't say anything about self righteousness there, Savannah but to Edwards if you claim you were the elect, predestined, the fruit should show it.

Let me quote your verse again,

"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? “Therefore bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you, that God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.
Matthew 3:7-9

_________________
Fifi

"Did I say something different،?"

___________

I did not think that you said something different.

_______

Jonathan Edwards from his work, "Religious Affections"

Practice is the proper proof of the true and saving knowledge of God; as appears by that of the apostle already mentioned, "hereby do we know that we know him, that we keep his commandments." It is in vain for us to profess that we know God, if in works we deny him, Tit. 1:16. And if we know God, but glorify him not as God; our knowledge will only condemn us, and not save us, Rom. 1:21.

The great note of that knowledge which saves and makes happy, is, that it is practical: John 13:17 , "If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." Job 28:28, "To depart from evil is understanding."
    
Holy practice is the proper evidence of repentance. When the Jews professed repentance, when they came confessing their sins, to John, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; he directed them to the right way of getting and exhibiting proper evidences of the truth of their repentance, when he said to them, "Bring forth fruits meet for repentance," Matt. 3:8. Which was agreeable to the practice of the Apostle Paul; see Acts 26:20. Pardon and mercy are from time to time promised to him who has this evidence of true repentance, that he forsakes his sin, Prov. 28:13, and Isa. 55:7, and many other places.

Holy practice is the proper evidence of a saving faith. 

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 practice, act as though they expected to make a fool of their Judge. Which is implied in what the apostle says (speaking of men's doing good works and living a holy life, thereby exhibiting evidence of their title to everlasting life), 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 yourselves 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 pretence, instead of that good fruit which he expects, when the contrary to what you pretend appears plainly in your life, before his face." In this manner the word mock is sometimes used in Scripture. Thus Delilah says to Sampson, "behold thou hast mocked me, and told me lies." Judges 16:10, 13; i.e., "Thou hast baffled me, as though you would have made a fool of me, as if I might be easily turned off with any vain pretence, instead of the truth." So it is said that Lot, when he told his sons in law that God would destroy that place, "he seemed as one that mocked, to his sons in law," Gen. 19:14; i.e., he seemed as one that would make a game of them, as though they were such credulous fools as to regard such bugbears. 

And can it be that I should gain
An int'rest in the Savior's blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain?
For me, who Him to death pursued?
Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me?

Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, should die for me!

'Tis mystery all! Th'Immortal dies!
Who can explore His strange design?
In vain the firstborn seraph tries
To sound the depths of love divine!
'Tis mercy all! let earth adore,
Let angel minds inquire no more.

He left His Father's throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam's helpless race;
'Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.

Long my imprisoned spirit lay
Fast bound in sin and nature's night;
Thine eye diffused a quick'ning ray,
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free;
I rose, went forth and followed Thee.

No condemnation now I dread;
Jesus, and all in Him is mine!
Alive in Him, my living Head,
And clothed in righteousness divine,
Bold I approach th'eternal throne,
And claim the crown, through Christ my own.

Amen, and Amen

_________________
Fifi