What is most worthy of your affections?

If we ought ever to exercise our affections at all, then they ought to be exercised about those objects which are most worthy of them. But is there anything which Christians can find in heaven or earth so worthy to be objects of their admiration and love, their earnest and longing desires, their hope, and their rejoicing, and their fervent zeal, as those things that are held forth to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ? In which not only are things declared most worthy to affect us, but they are exhibited in the most affecting manner. The glory and beauty of the blessed Jehovah, which is most worthy in itself to be the object of our admiration and love, is there exhibited in the most affecting manner that can be conceived of, as it appears shining in all its lustre in the face of an incarnate, infinitely loving, meak, compassionate, dying Redeemer.

All the virtues of the Lamb of God, His humility, patience, meekness, submission, obedience, love and compassion, are exhibited to our view in a manner the most tending to move our affections of any that can be imagined; as they all had their greatest trial, and their highest excercise, and so their brightest manifestation, when He was in the most affecting circumstances; even when He was under His last sufferings, those unutterable and unparalleled sufferings He endured from His tender love and pity to us. There also the hateful nature of our sins is manifested in the most affecting manner possible: as we see the dreadful effects of them in what our Redeemer, who undertook to answer for us, suffered for them. And there we have the most affecting manifestation of God's hatred of sin, and His wrath and justice in punishing it; as we see His justice in the strictness and inflexibleness of it; and His wrath in its terribleness, in so dreadfully punishing our sins, in One who was infinitely dear to Him, and loving to us, and in His glorious dispensations, revealed to us in the gospel, as though every thing were purposely contrived in such a manner as to have the greatest possible tendency to reach our hearts in the most tender part, and move our affections most sensibly and strongly. How great cause have we therefore to be humbled to the dust that we are no more affected!

- Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections (1746)

Edwards on Joy Unspeakable

Joy in Christ

Though their outward sufferings were very grievous, yet their inward spiritual joys were greater than their sufferings; and these supported them and enabled them to suffer with cheerfulness...

(Referencing 1 Peter 1:8) The nature of this joy; "unspeakable and full of glory." Unspeakable in the kind of it; very different from worldly joys, and carnal delights; of a vastly more pure, sublime and heavenly nature, being something supernatural and truly divine and so ineffably excellent; the sublimity and exquisite sweetness of which there were no words to set forth. Unspeakable also in degree; it pleasing God to give them this holy joy with a liberal hand, and in large measure, in their state of persecution.

Their joy was full of glory. Although the joy was unspeakable, and no words were sufficient to describe it, yet something might be said of it, and no words more fit to represent its excellency than these, that it was full of glory; or as it is in the original, glorified joy. In rejoicing with this joy, their minds were filled, as it were, with a glorious brightness, and their natures exalted and perfected. It was a most worthy, noble rejoicing, that did not corrupt and debase the mind, as many carnal joys do; but did greatly beautify and dignify it; it was a prelibation of the joy of heaven, that raised their minds to a degree of heavenly blessedness; it filled their minds with the light of God's glory, and made themselves to shine with some communication of that glory.

Hence the proposition or doctrine, that I would raise from these words, is this:

True religion, in great part, consists in Holy Affections.

- Jonathan Edwards, The Religious Affections
(First Published in 1746)

Stewardship... of everything

Jonathan Edwards, the great pastor theologian, has been very influential on many through his writings. Some say Edwards was the greatest Christian thinker America has ever produced. At a very early age (late teens through early 20s) Edwards wrote down an extensive list of life resolutions. I can't help but think that Edwards' effectiveness was in large part due to his diligence in keeping to these resolutions. Below I've listed just a few to highlight his motive and intentionality in attempting to be a good steward of his life.

5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

17. Resolved, that I will live so, as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

28. 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.

56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken, my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

The parable of the talents (Mat 25:14-30) is essential teaching on stewardship of everything, not to mention convicting. The picture of servants entrusted with the master's valuables is given to teach principles of stewardship. I can't help but think that we will be held accountable for our stewardship of everything including our time (leisure time), our serving, our giving, our finances, and more. I have been thinking recently about my stewardship of everything. I have some battles to fight, some fat to trim of my schedule (and my belly), some priorities to rearrange. Edwards has been a great help and motivation to me and so have these scriptures listed below.

I just noticed for the first time (funny how you can read something over and over again and miss so much - maybe it's just me) the relationship between the parable of the talents and the verses immediately following: the separation of the sheep from the goats. The entire passage seems to have a unified theme of stewardship, first with the talents and then with the very lives of the "sheep.":

The parable of the talents
Mat 25:14 "For it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted to them his property. Mat 25:15 To one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Mat 25:16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them, and he made five talents more. Mat 25:17 So also he who had the two talents made two talents more. Mat 25:18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.

Mat 25:19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. Mat 25:20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' Mat 25:21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Mat 25:22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' Mat 25:23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.' Mat 25:24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you scattered no seed, Mat 25:25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' Mat 25:26 But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sown and gather where I scattered no seed? Mat 25:27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. Mat 25:28 So take the talent from him and give it to him who has the ten talents. Mat 25:29 For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. Mat 25:30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

The separation of the sheep from the goats

Mat 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Mat 25:32 Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. Mat 25:33 And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Mat 25:34 Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Mat 25:35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, Mat 25:36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Mat 25:37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? Mat 25:38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you?Mat 25:39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' Mat 25:40 And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' Mat 25:41 "Then he will say to those on his left, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. Mat 25:42 For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, Mat 25:43 I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Mat 25:44 Then they also will answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?' Mat 25:45 Then he will answer them, saying, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' Mat 25:46 And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."