His Word Today

“And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. ⁹ No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.” (Isaiah 35:8-9 (ESV)

As previously mentioned throughout this series on Jonathan Edwards, there remains a vast wealth and breadth of Edwards’ books and sermons for the edification of the believer in Christ. On such work by Edwards is a sermon entitled The Way of Holiness. It is based on Isaiah 35:8-9.

The phrase Way of Holiness in the Hebrew language refers to the believer’s journey and manner of conduct characterized by a separateness and apartness from sin and a sacredness unto God. As a believer in Christ, it is to be an object or person who is dedicated and consecrated unto serving God by a life of moral and inner purity.

What follows is an excerpt from Edwards’ sermon. The complete text, and many other of Edwards’ works, may be accessed at monergism.com.

“What is holiness? I shall answer to this question in three things which fully comprehend the nature of holiness, which are not in themselves distinct as so many parts of holiness, but the same thing in three different lights, to give us the fuller understanding of it. First, holiness is a conformity of the heart and the life unto God.”

Second, it is a conformity to Jesus Christ. Christ Jesus is perfectly conformed unto God, for he is God. He is his express image. Now Christ is nearer to us in some respects than God the Father, for he is our Mediator and is more immediately conversant with us; John 1:18, “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” Jesus Christ, he has been with us in the flesh and as one of us he appeared in the form of a servant, and we have seen his holiness brightly shining forth in all his actions. We have seen his holy life; we have a copy drawn, and an example set for us.”

“Now holiness is a conformity unto this copy: he that copies after Jesus Christ, after that copy which he has set us and which is delivered to us by the evangelists, is holy. He that diligently observes the life of Christ in the New Testament need not be at a loss to know what holiness is. Christ commands us to follow his example: Matt. 11:29, “Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls.”

“Have you ever read the four Gospels, and did you not observe in the life of Christ wonderful instances of humility, love to God, love to religion; wonderful instances of zeal for God’s glory, steadfastness in resisting temptations, entire trust and reliance on God, strict adherence to all his commands; astonishing instances of condescension, humility, meekness, lowliness, love to men, love to his enemies, charity and patience? Why, this is holiness. When we imitate Christ in these things, then are we holy, and not till then.”

Soli deo Gloria!  

“And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. ⁹ No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.” (Isaiah 35:8-9 (ESV)

As previously mentioned throughout this series on Jonathan Edwards, there remains a vast wealth and breadth of Edwards’ books and sermons for the edification of the believer in Christ. On such work by Edwards is a sermon entitled The Way of Holiness. It is based on Isaiah 35:8-9.

The phrase Way of Holiness in the Hebrew language refers to the believer’s journey and manner of conduct characterized by a separateness from sin and a sacredness unto God. As a believer in Christ, holiness means to be a person who is dedicated and consecrated unto serving God by a life of moral and inner purity.

What follows is an excerpt from Edwards’ sermon. The complete text, and many other Edwards’ works, may be accessed at monergism.com.

“What is holiness? I shall answer to this question in three things which fully comprehend the nature of holiness, which are not in themselves distinct as so many parts of holiness, but the same thing in three different lights, to give us the fuller understanding of it.”

“Frist, holiness is a conformity of the heart and the life unto God. Whatever outward appearance men may make by their external actions, as if they were holy, yet if it proceeds not from a most inward hearty and sincere holiness within, it is nothing. Amaziah did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, but not with a perfect heart all that he did was not acceptable to God, who searches the hearts and tries the reins of the children of men, and must be worshipped in spirit and in truth.”

“And whatever holiness they may pretend to have in their hearts, whatever hypocritical pangs of affection they may have had, it is all to no purpose except it manifest itself in the holiness of their lives and conversations: James. 1:26-27 says, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridles not his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.”

“And in the second chapter, eighteenth verse: “Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works.” And in the nineteenth and twentieth verses, “Thou believes that there is one God; thou does well: the devils also believe and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” So that there must be a conformity of both heart and life to God, in order to true holiness.”

“Holiness is the image of God, his likeness, in him that is holy. By being conformed unto God is not meant a conformity to him in his eternity, or infinity, or infinite power. These are God’s inimitable and incommunicable attributes; but a conformity to his will, whereby he wills things that are just, right, and truly excellent and lovely; whereby he wills real perfection, and goodness; and perfectly abhors everything that is really evil, unjust, and unreasonable. And it is not only a willing as God wills, but also a doing as he does: in acting holy and justly and wisely and mercifully, like him. It must become natural thus to be, and thus to act; it must be the constant inclination and new nature of the soul, and then the man is holy, and not before.”

Soli deo Gloria!

“And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. ⁹ No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.” (Isaiah 35:8-9 (ESV)

As previously mentioned throughout this series on Jonathan Edwards, there remains a vast wealth and breadth of Edwards’ books and sermons for the edification of the believer in Christ. On such work by Edwards is a sermon entitled The Way of Holiness. It is based on Isaiah 35:8-9.

The phrase Way of Holiness in the Hebrew language refers to the believer’s journey and manner of conduct characterized by a separateness and apartness from sin and a sacredness unto God. As a believer in Christ, it is to be an object or person who is dedicated and consecrated unto serving God by a life of moral and inner purity.

What follows is an excerpt from Edwards’ sermon. The complete text, and many other of Edwards’ works, may be accessed at monergism.com.

“Many are not sensible enough of the necessity of holiness in order to salvation. Everyone hopes for heaven, but if everyone that hoped for heaven ever got there, heaven by this time would have been full of murderers, adulterers, common swearers, drunkards, thieves, robbers,, and licentious debauchers. It would have been full of all manner of wickedness and wicked men, such as the earth abounds with at this day. There would have been those there that are no better than wild beasts, howling wolves, and poisonous serpents; yea, devils incarnate, as Judas was.”

“What a wretched place would the highest heavens have been by this time if it were so: that pure, undefiled, light and glorious place, the heavenly temple, would be as the temple of Jerusalem was in Christ’s time, a den of thieves; and the royal palace of the Most High the holy metropolis of the creation, would be turned into a mere hell. There would be no happiness there for those that are holy. What a horrible, dreadful confusion would there be if the glorious presence of God the Father; the glorified Lamb of God; and the Heavenly Dove, spirit of all grace and original of all holiness; the spotless, glorified saints; the holy angels; and wicked men, beasts and devils were all mixed up together!”

“Therefore, it behooves us all to be sensible of the necessity of holiness in order to salvation; of the necessity of real, hearty and sincere inward and spiritual holiness, such as will stand by us forever and will not leave us at death, that sinners may not be so foolish as to entertain hopes of heaven, except they intend forthwith to set about repentance and reformation of heart and life.”

Matthew 7:13–14 (ESV) says, “¹³ “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. ¹⁴ For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”  

Are you on the way of holiness?

Soli deo Gloria!

“And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. ⁹ No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.” (Isaiah 35:8-9 (ESV)

As previously mentioned throughout this series on Jonathan Edwards, there remains a vast wealth and breadth of Edwards’ books and sermons for the edification of the believer in Christ. On such work by Edwards is a sermon entitled The Way of Holiness. It is based on Isaiah 35:8.

The phrase Way of Holiness in the Hebrew language refers to the believer’s journey and manner of conduct characterized by a separateness and apartness from sin and a sacredness unto God. As a believer in Christ, it is to be an object or person who is dedicated and consecrated unto serving God by a life of moral and inner purity.

What follows is an excerpt from Edwards’ sermon. The complete text, and many other of Edwards’ works, may be accessed at monergism.com.

“In the words observe the holy nature of this way described: first, by the name by which it is called, “the way of holiness”; “and it shall be called the way of holiness.” Secondly, the holiness of those that travel in it, and its purity from those that are unclean, or unholy; “the unclean shall not pass over it.” No wicked person shall ever travel in this way of holiness.”

“To the same purpose is the next verse, “No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up there on, it shall not be found there.” That is, none of the wicked men of this world, which are like lions or ravenous beasts more than like men: in their eager raging and lustful appetites and evil affections, or by their insatiable covetousness, are like hungry wolves, are violently set upon the world and will have it, whether by right or by wrong.”

“Or make themselves like ravenous beasts by their proud, invidious, malicious dispositions, which is directly contrary to a Christian spirit and temper. They are more like wild beasts than Christians, that are wrongful and injurious, are all for themselves and the satisfying their own appetites, and care nothing for the welfare of others, their fellowmen that are of the same blood, make a god of their bellies, and therein resemble tigers and wolves.”

“Now,” says the Prophet, “none such shall go upon this highway to Zion; such unclean and ravenous beasts shall not be found there. No, but the redeemed shall walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion.” This way is a way of holiness and not to be defiled by wicked persons.

“That in Rev. 21:27 will serve well for an explication of these words: “And there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defiles, neither whatsoever works abomination nor makes a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.”

Consider today whether you are on the way of holiness by grace alone, through faith alone, in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

Soli deo Gloria!

“And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.” (Isaiah 35:8 (ESV)

As previously mentioned throughout this series on Jonathan Edwards, there remains a vast wealth and breadth of Edwards’ books and sermons for the edification of the believer in Christ. On such work by Edwards is a sermon entitled The Way of Holiness. It is based on Isaiah 35:8.

The phrase Way of Holiness in the Hebrew language refers to the believer’s journey and manner of conduct characterized by a separateness and apartness from sin and a sacredness unto God. As a believer in Christ, it is to be an object or person who is dedicated and consecrated unto serving God by a life of moral and inner purity.

Edwards explains, “Observe in our text the subject spoken, that is, the way to salvation: ‘A highway shall be there, and a way.’ This highway is the common and only way to heaven, for the way to heaven is but one. There is none ever get to heaven except they walk in this way. Some men don’t get to heaven one way and others another, but it is one highway that is always traveled by those that obtain heaven.”

“It is the same narrow way that Christ tells us of. Some don’t go to heaven in a broad way, and others in a narrow; some in an easy and others in a difficult way; some in a way of self-denial and mortification, and others in a way of enjoyment of their lusts and sinful pleasures; some uphill and others down: but the way to heaven is the same, and it is the highway here spoken of. There is only one highway or common road, and no by-paths that some few go to heaven in an exceptions from the rest.”

“If we seek never so diligently, we shall never find out an easier way to heaven than that which Christ has revealed to us. We cannot find a broader way, but if we go to heaven, the way is so narrow that we must rub hard to get along and press forward. The kingdom of heaven must suffer violence; it must be taken by force, or else it never will be taken at all. If we don’t go by the footsteps of the flock, we shall never find the place where Christ feeds, and where he makes his flock to rest at noon.”

It appears that the way here spoken of is the way of salvation, by the last verse of the chapter. When speaking of this way, it is said, “the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion,” etc. “Zion” is the common appellation by which, in the Old Testament, the church both militant and triumphant is signified.”

Are you on the Way of Holiness as a believer by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone?

Soli deo Gloria!

⁷ For we walk by faith, not by sight. ⁸ Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 5:7–8 (ESV)

Jonathan Edwards left a lasting and enduring legacy of books and sermons. He lived an exemplary life dedicated to living for the glory of God. In his excellent biography of Edwards, George Marsden provides some thought provoking perspective on the 18^th century pastor and theologian who continues to edify the 21^st century church.    

“Edwards spent his whole life preparing to die. As he often reminded his congregations, those who were sitting comfortably one Sabbath might be in the grave by the next. For those who spurned God’s Spirit, life was like walking on a rotten canvas, and at any moment they might suddenly find themselves plunged simply by the weight of their sins into everlasting hell. By contrast, if one had experienced God’s transforming work, then death would be a release in which one was borne upward to see Christ’s glory. Holding to that hope, Edwards worked constantly to cultivate gratitude, praise, worship, and dependence on his Savior.”

Edwards was not a perfect man and this series in no way attempts to imply otherwise. In spite of his failings, Edwards attempted each day to see Christ’s love in everything, to live according to God’s Word, and to give up worldly pleasures in anticipation of that spiritual union with Christ that his physical death would bring.

Marsden explains, “In an era when life was precarious and when on every return home one had to hope one would not be greeted by a new grave, the Edwards family had been remarkably free from such sorrows. At the beginning of 1758, when Edwards accepted the position at Princeton, both his parents were still living. His father, though failing, was in his eighty-ninth year. His mother was in fine health and would live until 1771, dying at age ninety-eight.”

Edwards would not enjoy such longevity of earthly life. Neither would his daughter Esther. She would soon die from a similar reaction, as her father, to the smallpox vaccine.

Sarah Edwards did not arrive in Princeton until that summer of 1758. When she did arrive, Dr. Steven J. Lawson states, “she stood over the fresh graves of her son-in-law, her husband and her daughter. Then she herself contracted dysentery and died Oct. 2, 1758. Sarah was buried next to her husband in the Princeton Cemetery.”

Edwards’ grandson Timothy Dwight, in writing about his grandfather, said, “It was the glory of this great man, that he had no love for innovation… To the Scriptures he yielded the most profound reverence and the most implicit confidence.”

Soli deo Gloria!     

“For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21 (ESV)

In today’s text, English translators twice use the present active state of being verb “is.” The Greek text literally reads, “For me to live, Christ, to die, gain.”  The Apostle Paul’s focus while living on earth was to honor and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. Whenever his physical death would occur, that would be profitable resulting in great gain.

The Apostle Paul summarized his life with these eight words. Today’s text could well summarize, and be the lasting legacy of, Jonathan Edwards.

Shortly after assuming the presidency of Princeton College, there was an outbreak of smallpox. The Mayo Clinic explains that smallpox is a contagious, disfiguring and often deadly disease that has affected humans for thousands of years. Symptoms include fever, overall discomfort, headache, severe fatigue, severe back pain and possible vomiting.

Naturally occurring smallpox was wiped out worldwide by 1980 — the result of an unprecedented global immunization campaign. However, in the 18^th century smallpox was common and deadly.

With the sudden outbreak of the infectious disease, Edwards chose to be inoculated with a smallpox vaccine. However, lesions in his mouth and throat caused by the disease prevented him from swallowing. Consequently, his inability to drink a sufficient amount of fluids to combat a fever resulted in his death.

Shortly before his death, Edwards spoke to his daughter Lucy. He said, “Dear Lucy. It seems to be the will of God that I must shortly leave you. Therefore give my kindest regards to my dear wife and tell her that the uncommon union, which as so long subsisted between us, has been of such a nature as I trust is spiritual and therefore will continue forever. I hope she will be supported under so great a trial and submit cheerfully to the will of God. As to my children, you are now likely to be left fatherless, which I hope will be an inducement to you all to seek a Father who will never fail you.”

Like his late son-in-law Aaron Burr, Sr., Edwards did not want his funeral to involve excessive pomp and cost. He preferred funeral expenses to be used for other charitable means.

Edwards’ last spoken words were “Now, where is Jesus of Nazareth, my true and never-failing Friend” and “Trust in God, and you need not fear.”

In a letter from Edwards’ Princeton physician to Sarah Edwards, dated March 22, 1758, it says, “This afternoon, between two and three o’clock, it pleased God to let him sleep in that dear Lord Jesus, whose kingdom and interest he has been faithfully and painfully serving all his life. Never did any mortal man more fully and clearly evidence the sincerity of all his professions, by one continued, universal, calm, cheerful resignation and patient submission to the Divine will through each stage of his disease. Death had certainly lost its sting to him.”

Upon receiving the news of her husband’s death, Sarah Edwards wrote, “What shall I say? A holy and good God has covered us with a dark cloud. O that we may kiss the rod, and lay our hands on our mouths! The Lord has done it. He has made me adore his goodness, that we had him so long. But my God lives; and he has my heart. O what a legacy my husband and your father, has left us! We are all given to God; and there I am, and love to be.”

Echoing Sarah Edwards’ words, we are all given to God; and there I am, and love to be. Have a blessed day in the Lord.

Soli deo Gloria!

“The enjoyment of God is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of earthly friends, are but shadows; but God is the substance. These are but scattered beams, but God is the sun. These are but streams. But God is the ocean. Therefore, it becomes us to spend this life only as a journey toward heaven, as it becomes us to make the seeking of our highest end and proper good, the whole work of our lives; to which we should subordinate all other concerns of life. Why should we labour for, or set our hearts on, anything else, but that which is our proper end, and true happiness?” – Jonathan Edwards

Jonathan Edwards arrived on the Princeton campus in January, 1758. Prior to leaving Stockbridge for Princeton, Edwards said goodbye to his immediate family. His wife Sarah, and the rest of the Edwards’ family, remained in Stockbridge due to the harsh winter conditions. Edwards’ daughter, Susannah, wrote, “My father took leave of all his people and family and affectionately; as if he knew he should not come again.”

Edwards’ inauguration as the third president of Princeton took place on February 16, 1758. In many minds, Princeton would become the single greatest influencer for orthodox, Reformed theology in America.

Edwards biographer Iain Murray explains, “Edwards set about his new work in a spirit which suggested nothing of the tears of January 4 (his departure from Stockbridge).”  With his daughter Esther, her two children, and another daughter, Lucy, already at Princeton, he was not as lonely as he could have been, and had been in the first months at Stockbridge.

Edwards preached every Sunday in the college hall. He introduced the senior class to a variety of questions on divinity of which they would need to prepare to answer and discuss in class. This new tactic was met with great enthusiasm.

One author writes, “During this time, Mr. Edwards seemed to enjoy an uncommon degree of the presence of God. He told his daughters he once had great exercise, concern and fear (regarding the presidency of Princeton). It now appeared, so far as he could see, that he was called of God to that place and work, He would cheerfully devote himself to it leaving himself and the event with God, to order what seemed to Him good.”   

What seemed good to God for Edwards would be a brief tenure at Princeton. This would then be followed by an eternity in heaven upon his death.  

Hymnwriter William Cowper (1731-1800) expressed the providential work of God in the following verse.

1 God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform.
He plants his footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

2 You fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds you so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

3 His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding ev’ry hour.
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flow’r.

4 Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan his work in vain.
God is his own interpreter,
And he will make it plain.

Soli deo Gloria!

Jonathan and Sarah Edwards’ daughter Esther was born in 1732 in Northampton, MA. She was the third of their eleven children and was named after her father’s mother and grandmother. She grew up in Northampton and was content to live there until the congregation removed her father from the pastorate in 1750 when she was eighteen.

Esther accompanied her parents in 1751 to their new ministry among the Native Americans in Stockbridge, MA. It was there that she met and eventually married Aaron Burr, Sr.

One historian writes, “In 1752, Esther married Aaron Burr, Sr. She was just seventeen when she received her first and only marriage proposal, Aaron Burr, Sr. was the president of the College of New Jersey (now Princeton University). In 1754 Esther had a daughter named Sarah nicknamed Sally and in 1756 she gave birth to Aaron Burr, Jr. who would become vice president of the United States (1801–05). The marriage seems to have been a happy one. Esther, however, desperately missed her friends and close-knit family. Her new husband’s duties frequently kept him away from home, and Esther found her own responsibilities as the wife of a university president and prominent minister. Esther managed the affairs of the household and hosted many of the scholars of the school at her home.”

The College of New Jersey had originally been located in Pennsylvania. It was moved across the Delaware River to Newark. It was decided, due to its more central location in the colony, to move the college to the village of Princeton.

Dr. Stephen J. Nichols explains, “Edwards was the great theologian of the Awakening, and (George) Whitefield was the great evangelist of the Awakening. They were joined by a whole cast of others. Gilbert Tennent was an Irish immigrant and famous Presbyterian minister. He preached a sermon titled “The Danger of an Unconverted Ministry.” The sermon, as one might imagine, helped lead to a split in the Presbyterian church between the New Side and the Old Side. (In the Congregational churches, where Edwards roamed, the split was referred to as New Lights and Old Lights.) Another factor in the split was disagreement over ministerial training, especially concerning the training provided at the Log College in Neshaminy, Pa., which was founded and led by Gilbert Tennent’s father, William. The college moved east across the Delaware River and was renamed The College of New Jersey before it received the name Princeton. For two generations Princeton University provided well-trained and confessional Presbyterian ministers as well as lawyers and physicians. In 1812, Princeton Theological Seminary was founded to take on the task of training ministers. That great legacy of Princeton, which endured through the time of J. Gresham Machen in the 1920s, all started at the First Great Awakening.”

Aaron Burr Sr. died while he was still president of the college in 1757 at the age of forty-one. His legacy was of a man who became worn out in his service for the LORD.

Four days following Burr’s death, the first Commencement of the College at Princeton took place. The pursuit for a new president immediately was undertaken.  It should be no surprise that Jonathan Edwards was seriously considered and asked to assume the presidency.

Edwards was initially reluctant to accept the offer and office. While he supported the school, he was content to remain in Stockbridge where he remained convinced that was where God wanted him to be.

Persistent interactions between the college leadership and Edwards eventually resulted in Edwards accepting the position as President of Princeton. A new ministry for America’s foremost colonial theologian was about to begin.

Take the time today to consider how the LORD has led you throughout the many circumstances and situations in your own life. Have a blessed day in the LORD.

Soli deo Gloria!

2 Timothy 3:16–17 (ESV) – “¹⁶ All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”  

“There must be some Word of God. ’Tis unreasonable to think that God would always keep silence and never say anything to mankind. God has made mankind and given him Reason and Understanding. Has made him the chief of all the creatures. Given him reason that he might know God and serve Him. Did not give the other creatures reason: He did make ’em to serve Him. Other creatures are made for man. Man was made for God: to serve God, or else he was made for nothing. But we may be sure He did not make such a creature as man for nothing. But how unreasonable is it to think that God would make us for Himself and never say anything to us. God is the King that rules over all nations. But how unreasonable is it to think that God would make us for Himself and never say anything to us. God is the King that rules over all nations. But how unreasonable is it to suppose that He should be a King and never say anything to His subjects…. be a King and never tell them what His will or what His commands are, that His subjects may obey Him.” – Jonathan Edwards, 1753

Jonathan Edwards served as a frontier pastor and missionary from 1751-1757. He ministered to the Mohican and Mohawk Indians in Stockbridge, MA. The town was forty miles from Northampton.

It was in Stockbridge that Edwards preached and ministered to approximately 250 Native Americans and English settlers. Some might speculate that this ministry was beneath such a learned scholar like Edwards. Nothing could be further from the truth. Edwards understood the providence and sovereignty of God. He knew that what the congregation of Northampton meant for evil, God meant for good (Gen. 50:20). Edwards grasped that he was exactly where the Lord wanted him to be.

Edwards’ ministry in Stockbridge had its highs and lows. Through it all, God provided many converts (I Cor. 3:5-9).

However, the Ephraim Williams’ family, who had caused Edwards many problems in Northampton, continued to do the same while Edwards was in Stockbridge. Ephraim accused Edwards of embezzlement from the Indian school in Stockbridge. Edwards was cleared of all wrongdoing but the damage was done. The Mohawks left the school because they were weary of the conflict. The school eventually closed.

Yet it was also during these years that Edwards, spending thirteen hours a day in study of God’s Word, produced his most memorable works that remain in print today. These include The End for Which God Created the World (1755), Original Sin (1758), and his greatest literary achievement, Freedom of the Will (1754).

It was in Freedom of the Will that Edwards biblically argued that only the regenerate individual can truly chose Christ as Savior and Lord. This choice can only be made through the monergistic regeneration by the Holy Spirit. In other words, the one who wills to believe in Christ is the one in whom the Holy Spirit has already regenerated enabling the individual to believe in Christ (Ezekiel 36; John 3:1-8; 6:35-66; Eph. 2:1-10).  

Edwards understood that regeneration precedes faith. Unfortunately, many in the church today believe that faith precedes regeneration. Instead of following the biblical teaching that sinners are born again in order to believe, many teach that people believe in order to be born again. This latter and unbiblical teaching is an unfortunate result of people seeking to make the Bible teach and say what they want the Bible to teach and to say.

As believers in Christ we must resolve to teach, preach and believe what the Bible says is true and never to teach, preach and believe what we want the Bible to say is true. Have a blessed day.

Soli deo Gloria!