Daily Meditation

Recognizing Our Enmity

Ligonier Ministries

As children we played games drawn from the scenario of war. When a friend approached we pretended that we were sentries. The dialogue was simple: “Halt! Who goes there? Friend or foe?” Our categories left no room for indifferent neutrality. They were restricted to two options, friend or enemy. Those are the only options we have in our relationship with God. No one is neutral. We are either God’s friends or God’s enemies.

Jonathan Edwards once preached a sermon titled, “Man, Naturally God’s Enemies.” In this sermon Edwards declared: “Men, in general, will own that they are sinners. There are few, if any, whose consciences are so blinded as not to be sensible they have been guilty of sin … And yet few of them are sensible that they are God’s enemies. They do not see how they can be truly so called; for they are not sensible that they wish God any hurt, or endeavor to do Him any.”

Yet despite human protestations to the contrary, Scripture clearly describes natural fallen men as enemies of God. Paul, in speaking of our salvation, wrote, “While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son” (Rom. 5:10). Again, “You … were alienated [from God] and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds” (Col. 1:21). Also, “The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God” (Rom. 8:7).

Coram Deo

Think of the characteristics and qualities of intimate friendship, then apply these to your spiritual relationship with the heavenly Father. Are you truly a friend of God?

Passages for Further Study

Romans 8:7
Colossians 1:21-22a
Romans 7:18

Douglas Wilson's Letter From Moscow

The Slaves of Jonathan Edwards


Douglas Wilson
Blog & Mablog

Introduction

Some people might want to raise the question why I have chosen to write on slavery as much as I have. The reason is actually a pretty simple one: I wrote the other day about the functional authority of Scripture, and the issue of slavery gives us a wonderful opportunity to see just how committed to Scripture we actually are. Unfortunately, in too many cases, the answer comes back, “not very.”

Heroes and Monuments

We live in a toppling time. As the corrosion of critical theory has made its way through our history texts and city parks, the demands for removing so-called hurtful images and reminders have grown increasingly urgent. Whether we are talking about Columbus, or Robert E. Lee, or some other miscreant, the snowflakes have done a good job organizing their blizzard. As the expression goes, you should visit the Washington monument while you still can.

And of course, given that this is the moment that has seized the unbelievers, and given that great evangelical principle of “monkey see, monkey do,” the cries to revisit our heroes have also gone aloft in Christian circles. Whenever the zeitgeist gets a going, you can count on evangelicals to show up with their relevance kites.

And so it is that the issue has now come to the legacy of Jonathan Edwards. He was a monumental theologian, a revivalist, a foundational figure in North American evangelicalism, and . . . a slave owner.

The Slaves of Edwards

We don’t have a ton of information about the slaves of Jonathan Edwards, but we do know a few things about his ownership of a handful of slaves, as well as his attitude toward some other issues related to race and slavery, such as the slave trade.

Gems From Jonathan Edwards On the Cost of Redemption

The "Champions of the World" Vs. the Lord of Righteousness

The Western world in general is filled with a spirit of self-righteousness.  "We," it is claimed, "are the champions of the world."  

The lyrics to Queen's anthem say it all. 

I've paid my dues
Time after time
I've done my sentence
But committed no crime
And bad mistakes
I've made a few
I've had my share of sand kicked in my face
But I've come through

We are the champions, my friends
And we'll keep on fighting 'til the end
We are the champions
We are the champions
No time for losers
'Cause we are the champions of the world

When it comes to that great and dreadful day when we shall all appear before the judgement seat of God most folk in the West think they have enough leverage.  They are not losers.  They have sufficient moral credit to persuade God to look favorably upon them.  They tell themselves, "I've come through." 

Jonathan Edwards writes:

Gems From Jonathan Edwards: The Dispersion of the Jews

Orthodox Biblical Judaism is Now an Impossibility

Edwards argues that the dispersion of the Jews through many nations prior to the coming of Christ served to prepare the world for His advent.  

Firstly, the presence of Jews throughout much of the known world served to increase an expectation of a coming Messiah.  This expectation was found not just amongst the people of the synagogues, but it actually spread to the non-Jewish populations as well.

. . . the birth of such a glorious person in Judea about that time began to be the general expectation of the nations of the world, as appears by the writings of the leaned men of the heathen who lived about that time; which are still extant; particularly Virgil, the famous poet who lived in Italy a little before Christ was born, has a poem about the expectation of a great prince who was to be born, and the happy times of righteousness and peace that he was to introduce; some of it very like the language of the prophet Isaiah.  [Jonathan Edwards, The History of Redemption, Comprising a Summary of the History of the Jews Up To The Destruction of Jerusalem (London: The Religious Tract Society, 1836), p. 155].

Another effect of the Dispersion was that it effectively undermined some of the key institutions of the Old Covenant church in such a way that it prepared believers for the universal, global Church of Christ.

Edwards writes:

Gems From Jonathan Edwards: The World By Wisdom Knew Not God

Idolatry and Ignorance Are Conjoined--And Ever Will Be

Jonathan Edwards
The History of Redemption

One of the longest dispensations of Divine grace was the period of Moses through to David.  This was a period when all the nations of the world, apart from the newly established nation-state of Israel, were left to the practice of idolatry.  Why might this be?

Jonathan Edwards gives us some insight into the wider, deeper issues at play.

[The Gentile nations] were concluded so long a time in unbelief that they might be a thorough proof of the necessity of a Saviour; that is might evidently appear by so long a trial, that mankind were utterly insufficient to deliver themselves from that gross darkness and misery, and subjection to the devil, which they had fallen under.

That is might appear that all the wisdom of the philosophers, and the sages that the heathen had among them, could not deliver them from their darkness, for the greater glory of Jesus Christ, who when he came enlightened and delivered them by his glorious gospel.  Herein the wonderful wisdom of God appeared, in thus preparing the way for Christ's redemption.  Thus the scripture teaches us; "For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe, " [I Corinthians 1: 21].  [Jonathan Edwards, The History of Redemption, Comprising A Summary of the History of the Jews Up To the Destruction of Jerusalem (London: The Religious Tract Society,1836),  p.76f.]

It is ironic that the flowering of Greek philosophy and research into the structure and operations of the natural order turned out to be precisely the time when idolatry reached its most intensive and extensive influence.  Hence Paul, when at Athens, found himself grieved to the depths of his heart over the profusion of superstitious idolatries on every street corner.  [Acts 17:16]  Likewise, although the Romans were some of the most sophisticated and clever engineers of their times, their superstitious bent was beyond credulity.

For over a thousand years the grip of universal idolatry over the Gentile world did not just hold tight, it increased in both intensity and extent.  That lesson is as vital today, as it was then.  We are to learn that the preaching of the Gospel of Christ is the only remedy for fallen humankind.

Gems from Jonathan Edwards: Seeing the End in the Beginning

Jewels and Treasures From the Past

About fifty years ago the theological community was confronted with an allegedly new discipline, named Biblical Theology.  This was contrasted with the discipline of Systematic Theology.  Systematics dealt with the content and structure of biblical doctrines (e.g. divine revelation, the Incarnation, etc).  Biblical Theology, on the other hand, dealt with the progressive accomplishment of redemption and revelation.

It turns out, however, that one of America's greatest theologians, Jonathan Edwards (working and writing in the mid-eighteenth century) was way ahead of the curve.  His book, The History of Redemption remains to this day one of the best works on biblical theology ever printed.

We reproduce his biblical-theological commentary on the Flood as a prime example.

Counter Revolution

An Australian Historian Lobs Some Grenades

Stuart Piggin was the director of the Centre for the History of Christian Thought and Experience at Macquarie University and head of the Department of Christian Thought of the Australian College of Theology.  Mark Powell published an interview with Dr Piggin in the Australian Presbyterian (Spring 2018).

Piggin has written numerous articles for academic books.  His most recent book is entitled The Fountain of Public Prosperity: Evangelical Christians in Australian History, 1740-1914 (Monash University.)  Part of the interview with Powell covered the supporting role of British evangelicals (Anglican and Methodist) in the transportation of convicts to Australia.  How could evangelical Christians be involved in such a horrid practice?