Edwards

Dane Ortlund has written a profound book, A New Inner Relish, (thanks Steve for the recommendation) on Christian motivation by unpacking the truths found in Jonathan Edward's writings. Travis has been pushing me to consider the "why's" of Christian obedience-- something I can tend to drift into is mere moral behavior changes and this quote speak directly to what we should be looking at to motivate us to change:

Edwards is pointing out that while one may hae true affections for God which are a result of the benefit that one receives by them, yet authentic affections are those which are primarily based on the intrinsic beauty of God-- the 'supreme excellent nature of divine things.' In other words, gratitude is not enough. The love a person feels for God is an immediate experience. The believer does not first calculate all that God has done in the past and then act in response to careful consideration of such things, despite the quite real power of such truths. While believers must certainly make a regular habit out of preaching the gospel to themselves and reviewing God's mercies, and supremely the cross of Christ, the very ability to do this effectively is a fruit of something deeper. Fundamentally, obedience is the fruit of seeing God. Affections and obedience naturally follow a divinely-given vision of the moral beauty of God. The point is that there is no such thing as any kind of true affection for God which has not first experienced the breathtaking reality of the love and glory of God in Christ. After one has been forgiven and regenerated andunited with Christ, then one sees the power of gratitude , the incentive of adoption, the motivation of profit. ~ pg 70