Religious Affections – Letter 1: The First Sentence

Dear Nathaniel,

Your last letter showed me you are ready for more. You asked for help reading Jonathan Edwards, and I am honored to walk with you through one of the most important books a Christian can ever study. We will take it slowly, one letter at a time, and I will do my best to explain each part plainly so that the truth Edwards saw can reach your heart as clearly as it reached mine.

Let us begin at the very beginning.

Edwards opens Religious Affections with these words:

“Concerning the nature of the affections, and their importance in religion.”

That single sentence carries more weight than most entire books. Edwards is not writing about emotions for emotion’s sake. He is writing about the affections — the deep, settled movements of the heart toward God. He wants us to understand that true religion is not cold and lifeless. It is not merely correct ideas in the head. It is a living, breathing reality in which the heart is awakened, drawn, and changed by the Holy Spirit.

Over these next weeks, I will help you see what Edwards meant by true religious affections and how we can tell the difference between the genuine work of the Spirit and the many counterfeits that so easily deceive us. We will look at the signs that are no certain proof of grace, and then we will look at the marks that truly distinguish the children of God.

But we will not rush. Each evening I will write to you again, and we will take the next portion together. You do not need to have a copy of the book in front of you — I will bring the important passages to you and explain them as we go.

Nathaniel, this is not light reading. It is the kind of truth that searches a man. But it is also the kind of truth that brings real comfort and lasting joy. If you are willing, I am ready to begin.

Write back when you have read this, and tell me what you think so far. I am praying for you.

With love and prayers for your soul,
Your Uncle