Thoughts on Jonathan Edwards's "Religious Affections": Day 5

Section II begins with a defense of Edwards postulation, "True religion, in great part, consists in the affections." The holy life God requires of true followers should not result "in weak, dull, and lifeless wishes, raising us but a little above a state of indifference." (237) After all, Romans 12: 11 commands us to "be fervent in spirit |as we serve| the Lord." Deuteronomy 10:12 commands us to serve the Lord our God, "with all our heart, and with all our soul." Edwards also cites the Shemah - Deuteronomy 6:4-5. All of which are parts of memory passages for me; I use Piper's Fighter Verses system. It is not surprising therefore that some of the first passages I memorized from Piper's system were some of the first Scriptures Edwards used in defense of this writing. Piper makes it very clear, frequently, that he consumed Edwards's writings; in many ways, he continues to lay out and live the exhortations therin. Through the rest of Section II, Part 1, Edwards emphasizes that true religion, that is - holiness - consists of powerful affections towards God. Lukewarmness is completely out of the question. He also calls true religion, "the power of godliness." (238)