“The redeemed have all their objective good in God. God Himself is the great good which they are brought to posses and enjoy through redemption. He is the highest good and sum of all good which Christ purchased. God is the inheritance of the saints. He’s the portion of their souls. God is their wealth and treasure, their food, the tree of the paradise of God, their life, their dwelling place, their ornament, their diadem, their everlasting honor and glory. They have none in heaven but God. He is the great good which the redeemed are received to at death and which they are to rise to...

Just finished reading a fascinating book, Young, Restless, Reformed: A Journalist’s Journey with the New Calvinists by Collin Hansen (Crossway Books, 2008). Hansen is editor-at-large for Christianity Today magazine, and a phenomenal writer and story teller, in my humble opinion. His new book is an expansion and more detailed research project of his September 2006 article in Christianity Today magazine . During that time and afterward he traveled all around the country (for nearly two years) chronicling the diverse movement, from the Passion conferences to Southern Seminary, to Bethlehem Baptist...

"Humility is the most essential thing in true religion . . . the great Christian duty is self-denial. This duty consists of two things: first, in denying worldly inclinations and its enjoyments and second, in denying self-exaltation and renouncing one’s self-significance by being empty of self. . . . The humble Christian is more apt to find fault with his own pride than with that of other men. . . . A truly humble person who has a low view of his own righteousness and holiness is poor in spirit and modest in speech. . . . He is apt to put the best construction on others’ words...

God glorifies Himself toward the creatures also in two ways: 1) By appearing to . . . their understanding. 2) In communicating Himself to their hearts, and in their rejoicing and delighting in and enjoying the manifestations which He makes of Himself . . . . God is glorified not only by His glory’s being seen, but by its being rejoiced in. When those that see it delight in it, God is more glorified than if they only see it. His glory is then received by the whole soul, both by the understanding and by the heart. (Jonathan Edwards, The “Miscellanies,” ed. by Thomas Schafer, The Works...

BEING SENSIBLE THAT I AM UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING WITHOUT GOD’ S HELP, I DO HUMBLY ENTREAT HIM BY HIS GRACE TO ENABLE ME TO KEEP THESE RESOLUTIONS, SO FAR AS THEY ARE AGREEABLE TO HIS WILL, FOR CHRIST’S SAKE. Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’ s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriads of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general....

Jonathan Edwards made resolutions throughout his life, but it’s a list of 21 resolutions he made at the young age of 19 upon graduating from Yale that has expressely marked his deep and abiding godly character (and his influence for centuries, by God’s grace). Take for example his 28th: “Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly, and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.” Two of my favorites from this short list: #6, “Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live,” and #17, “Resolved,...

“A person who has a knowledge of doctrine and theology only–without religious affection–has never engaged in true religion.” – Jonathan Edwards SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Edwards on True Religion", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2007/11/12/edwards-on-true-religion/" });

Well, I’d rather we all get some genuine affections for GOD in our hearts and minds! Do you desire your Creator above all else? Christian Audio’s free audiobook download for November is Jonathan Edwards’ Religious Affections. Description: Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758), the central figure in New England’s first Great Awakening, offers here his most detailed description of the signs–true and false–of revival, while highlighting the role truly balanced emotions play within the Christian life. He takes a long, hard look at the evidence of true conversion–the...

“Labor to be brought closer to God.” – Jonathan Edwards SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: "Labor to be brought closer to God", url: "http://www.deTheos.com/2007/10/18/labor-to-be-brought-closer-to-god/" });

Christian Audio has made available a great free resource this month: The Life of David Brainerd (Unabridged) by Jonathan Edwards as a free audiobook. Be sure to use the coupon code OCT2007 I cannot recommend this book more highly. In fact, if I ever get my copy back, after someone borrowed it , I will read this book again, and again, and again. For now, I’ll listen to it. This book was chiefly compiled and expanded from Brainerd’s own daily journal by Jonathan Edwards, who was affected mightily by the young missionary. Although Brainerd died at the young age of 29 — of...