Jonathan Edwards, Champion of the Faith

By all accounts, Jonathan Edwards was one of the greatest theologians of all time. He was also one of the greatest minds that America has ever produced. Edwards wrote on a number of scientific and philosophical topics, but the bulk of his writings were devoted to Scripture and theology. His religious writings took the form of sermons, treatises, commentaries, letters, diaries, and notebooks. Edwards was a major exponent of Reformed thought, but he was also a gifted pastor. He preached and wrote about the Christian faith with uncommon power, intelligence, wisdom, and grace; and, through his preaching and writing, he played an important role in the First Great Awakening.

Today, Edwards is largely known for "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God", a sermon he preached at Enfield, Connecticut in 1741. This sermon is an outstanding example of Reformed preaching - it teaches that man is utterly depraved and corrupted by sin; that he deserves death for his sin; that God has both the power and the moral authority to strike him dead at any moment for his sin; that death will visit us all soon; and that we will all be damned unless we accept Christ before we die. The language of the sermon is powerful and moving, and the doctrines it teaches are taken straight from the New Testament. However, these doctrines strike many Americans today as unreasonable and offensive, even horrible, and so Edwards is seen by many today as a purveyor of intolerance and cruelty. Unfortunately, Edwards' reputation also suffered during his life: many colonial Americans strongly resented Edwards' commitment to Reformed teachings, and his church in Northampton even succeeded in having him fired.

I fully accept the Bible's teachings on sin and grace, and I think that they are a vital part of the gospel of Christ; but, I understand that they can be difficult to grasp, especially for Christians who haven't heard them defended on the basis of Scripture. Be that as it may, I am greatly saddened by the fact that so many Americans today - including Christians - dismiss these doctrines out of hand. And, I am also saddened - though not nearly to the same extent - that so many Americans today know nothing of Jonathan Edwards apart from "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". For, while I admire that sermon, I also know that Edwards wrote in powerful terms about the loveliness, beauty, and sweetness of God. One of my favorite works by Edwards is a short autobiography that focuses on his spiritual life. Here are a few passages from that work:

I have loved the doctrines of the gospel: they have been to my soul like green pastures. The gospel has seemed to me to be the richest treasure; the treasure that I have most desired, and longed that it might dwell richly in me. The way of salvation of Christ, has appeared in a general way, glorious and excellent, and most pleasant and beautiful. It has often seemed to me, that it would in a great measure spoil heaven, to receive it in any other way. That text has often been affecting and delightful to me, Is. 32:2, "A man shall be an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land".

It has often appeared sweet to me, to be united to Christ; to have him for my head, and to be a member of his body: and also to have Christ for my teacher and prophet. I very often think with sweetness and longings and pantings of soul, of being a little child, taking hold of Christ, to be led by him through the wilderness of this world. That text, Matt. 18, at the beginning, has often been sweet to me: "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." I love to think of coming to Christ, to receive salvation of him, poor in spirit, and quite empty of self; humbly exalting him alone; cut entirely off from my own root, and to grow into, and out of Christ: to have God in Christ to be all in all; and to live by faith on the Son of God, a life of humble, unfeigned confidence in him...

I have sometimes had a sense of the excellent fullness of Christ, and his sweetness and suitableness as a Savior; whereby he has appeared to me, far above all, the chief of ten thousands. And his blood and atonement has appeared sweet, and his righteousness sweet; which is always accompanied with an ardency of spirit, and inward strugglings and breathings and groanings, that cannot be uttered, to be emptied of myself, and swallowed up in Christ. (291-93, John E. Smith et al., eds.)

I find these passages inspiring. They speak eloquently of God's loveliness, beauty, and sweetness. They are full of grace, but they are also full of truth - Scripture teaches, and the Holy Spirit daily testifies, that God is every bit as lovely, beautiful, and sweet as Edwards describes. In fact, Scripture teaches that Edwards hasn't even scratched the surface of these qualities of God, and the Holy Spirit daily testifies to this as well.

I wonder what would happen if more people heard testimony about the loveliness, beauty, and sweetness of God. Would more people come to faith in Christ through the Holy Spirit? Perhaps. But the same God who shows mercy is also the God who dispenses justice, and we can't omit either fact in witnessing to others. At the same time, I think the the church can do a much better job of preaching both the mercy and the justice of God. Good preaching may be in short supply, but we have an excellent model in Edwards, and he is waiting to be put to use.

We should not remember Edwards as a man who preached a terrible sermon on God's wrath - we should remember him as a man who preached difficult, but true sermons on God's wrath, but who also preached wonderful, true sermons about God's loveliness, beauty, and sweetness. Even better, we should remember Edwards as a Christian who was able to look soberly at the reality of his own sin without losing sight of the boundless love and goodness of God. In that, too, he is an excellent model for all of us today.