The first holy affection of a truly regenerate person is a longing after fellowship with God and Christ. Do you have a desire to commune with Him, to pray, to know Him, to be with Him? Be in his presence. This is the experience of abundant life, rich with joy, peace, love, purpose. And if you're pursuing that, that's a holy affection.
Welcome to Grace to You with John MacArthur. I'm your host, Phil Johnson. If God has forgiven you and made you His child, Should other people be able clearly to see evidence of your new life in Christ, in the way you live, how you talk? the way you dress, or the things you do? Should those close to you be thinking, there's something different about him?
Even more important, should you be able to spot those changes, to see evidence of your own salvation? The fact is there are indicators of genuine saving faith. Today on Grace to You, John MacArthur reminds us about what a Christian looks like and helps you tell if you bear that reflection. John's study is called Myths About Salvation. But before we get to the lesson, as I've been mentioning for the past two days, for today only you can get the entire 33-volume MacArthur New Testament commentary for basically the lowest price ever.
Keep in mind, we're able to offer this price only on the first 250 orders, so you need to get in touch quickly. You can use our website to order gty.org or you can call us at 80055Grace. And I'll repeat those details before we end today. But for now, let's get to today's lesson. Here's John.
Open your Bible, if you will, to 2 Peter chapter 1. And as we are going through this first chapter, we're studying under the general topic: our precious faith. Our precious faith. We have come to the section from verse 5 through 11. 2 Peter 1, 5 through 11.
This section deals with the assurance of salvation. And because it is such an important subject and one that is seemingly a topic of great discussion today, as it has been through the history of the church. I have indulged myself in a little bit of an extended discussion of this matter of assurance, and we still haven't gotten to the text yet. But it is very important that we have this preliminary understanding in place. I do want, as we look at the text, to draw you again to verses 10 and 11, which kind of set the theme in mind without going into a great amount of detail.
And Peter here It says, therefore, brethren, be all the more diligent to make certain about his calling and choosing you. And here he is talking about certainty with regard to your election. Certainty then with regard to your redemption. Certainty with regard to your salvation. He is concerned.
that you know that you're saved. Back in verse 9, he is concerned about those who lack Certain qualities, being blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. He does not want you to have forgotten your true spiritual state. But rather to have assurance about your calling and the election. And so this introduces to us the subject of assurance of salvation.
Now, that subject reduces itself to two basic questions, and we have been noting these in our study. Question number one is: is salvation Forever. Is salvation forever? Is our salvation eternal? Because we can't have assurance about our salvation being eternal unless in fact it is eternal.
So question number one, is salvation forever? Is it secure? Question number two, can I enjoy that security? First is the fact, then the feeling. First is the reality and then the experience.
Do I have an eternal salvation? And can I enjoy the assurance of that salvation. As we have noted, these two issues are inseparably related. Because if salvation is not eternal, then there can be no true feeling of assurance. If it is possible to lose my salvation, then I will have very great difficulty enjoying my assurance.
If my salvation can be temporary, then at best my assurance is temporary too. If, on the other hand, my salvation is eternal, my assurance can be permanent. This particular issue was again brought to my mind as I have been reading Ian Murray's careful and excellent biography of Jonathan Edwards. In seventeen forty-six Just about six years after the Great Awakening, In which Jonathan Edwards was the primary instrument of God to preach the gospel and bring the greatest revival in American history. Just about six years after that, in 1746, he wrote a treatise on religious affections.
The reason he wrote that was to deal with a problem not unlike the very problem we're discussing tonight. That publication, a treatise on religious affections, had to do with the matter of evidence for true conversion. The concern of Edwards in writing was to delineate the issues regarding who is really a Christian. In the explosive drama of 1739 and 1740, the years of the Great Awakening. It seemed as though conversions were happening in great numbers.
It didn't take long after those years. To begin to realize that there were some people who claimed conversions who were not real. There were many excesses. There were people who claimed to have had valid and real experiences with Jesus Christ, but whose lives did not demonstrate any evidence to verify it. There were thus those who were then attacking the Great Awakening and saying it was nothing but a big emotional bath and there was nothing real about it.
And so partly in defense of true conversion, And partly to expose false conversion, Jonathan Edwards took up his pen and wrote a treatise on religious affections. And his purpose was to present evidence for true conversion. And summing it up very simply. The supreme proof, said Edwards, of a true conversion. is holy affections.
Zeal for holy things. Longings after God. longings after holiness, desires for purity. And he really did touch the heart of true conversion. And at its heart, it is a set of new desires.
That's what he said. He said, where there is true conversion, there is a zeal for holy things. He had been very concerned about satanic counterfeits. of conversions during the Great Awakening. And so he wanted to distinguish between what he called saving.
Operations of the Holy Spirit and common operations of the Holy Spirit. Saving operations of the Holy Spirit obviously produce salvation. Common operations of the Holy Spirit, he said, may sober, arrest, and convict men. And may even bring them to what at first appears to be repentance and faith, yet these influences fall short of inward saving renewal. End quote.
So, the main thesis of this one of the greatest pieces of American literature, frankly, to say nothing of theology. The main thesis of this classic work is that holiness And the pursuit of holiness is necessarily involved at the very outset of true salvation. Grace, saving grace, planted in the heart at the time of the new birth. Is, he said, a principle of holy action or practice. Grace planted in the heart, said Edwards, produces holy action.
In fact, he said, as The principal evidence of life is motion.
So, the principal evidence of saving grace is holy practice. He said that. True salvation always produces an abiding change of nature in a true convert. Therefore, wherever a profession of conversion is not accompanied by holiness of life, it must be understood that the individual concerned is not a Christian.
Now historically He knew there were two alternatives. Alternative number one was this. Permanent Nature of regeneration. in reality and experience. That was alternative number one, theologically.
You could believe. In the permanent nature of regeneration, both in reality and in experience. In other words, if you were genuinely saved, You were saved forever. and you would experience The longings after holiness forever. until you were made holy.
The alternate view was this. Temporary nature of regeneration, both in reality and experience. The other of you said, no, salvation is temporary. You might lose it. It is temporary in its reality.
It is temporary also then in its experience. If you fall out of it, you'll no longer experience those longings. Theology had literally folded itself into those two perspectives. There were the traditional, reformed, Calvinistic Folks who said permanent nature of regeneration in reality and experience is what the Bible teaches. And then there were the Arminian Wesleyans.
And John Wesley himself became a protagonist against Edwards, who said, no. Temporary nature of regeneration, both in reality and experience. I point those two out because those are the only two alternatives. Today, however, We have a new one. Alternative number three.
Alternative number three is permanent nature of regeneration in reality, temporary nature of regeneration in experience. Where did that come from? Who knows? Not from the Bible. But there are those today who say, while your salvation is eternal in reality, it may be only temporary in experience.
You understand what I'm driving at? This is a new theology. This is a theology that Jonathan Edwards didn't bother to deal with. to any significant degree. Although I think the roots of it We're running around loose.
even in his day. I don't think Edwards would have stood for that. I know Wesley wouldn't have stood for that. Edwards would never have bought That the experience of pursuing holiness might be temporary, even though your salvation is permanent, and Wesley would never have bought that your salvation is permanent.
So we have something new today. We have a new doctrine that says you can be saved forever, but the longings for holiness might only be temporary. And you might become an unbeliever, an agnostic, an atheist, reprobate, live any way you want. Jonathan Edwards said, and this is the thesis of his whole treatise on religious affections, the truly saved. Pursue Holiness.
They aren't always as holy as they ought to be. They pursue it. They're Romans 7 type people who long to do what is right even if they don't. They have holy longings. holy aspirations and holy affections.
He stated then that the evidence for the reality of one's salvation was simply and comprehensively, quote, the love and pursuit of holiness. That he taught as the enduring mark of a Christian, and therefore Singularly, the best way to get in touch with the reality of a spiritual condition and thus the source of assurance. He said, while the experience of a young Christian maybe like a confused chaos. He will still follow holiness. and true religious affections.
Differ from false affections in that the true are always related to holiness. That is to doing what is right. to pursuing what honors God. Let me quote Edwards. from his religious affections.
Natural men have no sense of the goodness and excellency of holy things, at least for their holiness. But for the saints, holiness is the most amiable and sweet thing that is to be found in heaven or earth. When persons are possessed of false affections and think themselves out of danger of hell, They very much put off the burden of the cross, save themselves the trouble of difficult duties, and allow themselves more of the enjoyment of their ease and their lusts.
Some of these at the same time make a great profession of love to God and assurance of His favor and great joy in tasting the sweetness of His love. Where joys and other religious affections are false and counterfeit, he says, individuals, once confident that they are converted, have no more earnest longings after light and grace. They live upon their first work or some high experiences that are past. There is an end to their crying and striving after God and grace. But the holy principles that actuate a true saint have a far more powerful influence to stir him up to earnestness in seeking God and holiness.
End quote.
Now, that's a lot of words to throw at you. What he's basically saying is: the false Christian makes a profession but has no holy longings. The true Christian makes a profession and has holy longings. And when my desire is the same as his, it doesn't mean my flesh is always going to cooperate. But my holy longings are evidence of regeneration.
And so Jonathan Edwards insisted that the work of Christ. in justification. Was always accompanied by the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification. And to separate the two was to do terrible violation both to Scripture and the purposes of God. in redemption.
Free grace. And holy practice, he said, are not inconsistent, but perfectly joined. Even as the chief sign of life is motion. The chief sign. of saving grace is holy motion.
Movement toward holiness. In the very year, by the way, that the Treatise on Religious Affections was published, 1746, a man by the name of Reverend Philemon Robbins attacked it. And said, that the only real evidence of true salvation is some kind of feeling based on an experience. usually the experience at the moment of conversion.
Well that introduces this erroneous concept. that a person's True state. Is known by a past experience rather than a present experience. Present pursuit of holy things. Jonathan Edwards then went on to talk about assurance, and he said, Your assurance then is based on the fact.
That you see in your life the pursuit. of holy things. That's the substance of your assurance. Yeah. We have already affirmed in our study of scripture that salvation is eternal, right?
That if you have saving faith, you're saved forever. The only question remaining then is, was my faith saving faith? Was my faith the real thing? How do I know that? Ask yourself whether you have a longing for holy things.
Ask yourself whether you seek those things which honor God. Ask yourself whether you long to do his word, whether you love his law and delight in it. Ask yourself whether you are distressed greatly by your sin because you have such holy affections. Edwards would agree. He would say, yes, faith in Christ is sufficient for assurance.
Yes, faith in Christ is sufficient for assurance if you know your faith is real. How do you know it's real? By the love of holy things. By the love of holy things. Now this is precisely Peter's point.
Jonathan Edwards is right on track. with the Apostle Peter. What is Peter saying? Go back to verse 5 of chapter 1. Let's find out.
Now he says Having already discussed Matters of salvation and The first four verses. Verse five, he says.
Now, for this very reason also, applying all diligence in your faith, supply moral excellence. In your moral excellence, knowledge. In your knowledge, self-control. In your self-control, perseverance. In your perseverance, godliness.
In your godliness, brotherly kindness. In your brotherly kindness, love. What do you mean?
Well, just all these qualities you need to pursue. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, Two things happen. One. You will not be useless or unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Two You will not be blind and short-sighted about your spiritual condition.
See, the point is, if you add these things to your life, and these are all matters of holy affections. If you're longing after Moral excellence. Knowledge. Self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, love. Two things are going to happen.
You're going to start to be fruitful. Secondly, you're not going to forget. You're saved.
So, assurance, Peter says, is predicated on holy affections, the pursuit of holiness. And we'll get into that in some detail. Before we do that. I want to take us back to the text we've been looking at in 1 John, because this is John's whole point as well. I want us to go to 1 John.
Now we We have already affirmed principle number one, salvation is forever. We have already affirmed principle number two. That you should enjoy the assurance of that forever salvation. What Jonathan Edwards says. Is that if you want to enjoy your salvation and be sure you're saved, then.
Look at your life. And see if you have holy affections. if you pursue holiness. Peter says, If you are adding all these things and pursuing all these things and giving diligence to all these things, and you're going to be fruitful, then you're going to look at yourself and you're not going to forget whether you're saved. You're going to know.
Well, John. Essentially says the same thing. John in his whole first epistle delineates the factors of such a pursuit. Peter says it involves faith. and knowledge And self-control, and perseverance, and godliness, and brotherly kindness.
And love, and you want to know something? John says basically the same thing. Only John says it in much greater detail. John delineates those same elements that identify. Holy affections.
The pursuit of holiness, which is characteristic of the regenerate. Yeah. We already covered the first five. We asked a series of questions that help us get into the text of John. Question number one: let me just give them to you real quick: the first five we covered.
How do you know whether you're Pursuing Godliness, how do you know whether you have holy affections? How do you know whether you're longing after God and pursuing His will and His way and what is right? How do you know whether you belong to God? How do you know whether you're really saved? Question number one: Are you enjoying fellowship with Christ and the Father?
That's pretty basic. Remember, in chapter one, he talks about our fellowship. It is with the father, verse 3, and with his son. Jesus Christ And then he talks about it in chapter 5, verse 1: Whoever loves the father loves the child born of him. And we talked quite a bit about the fact that The first holy affection of a truly regenerate person is a longing after fellowship with God and Christ.
Do you have a desire to commune with him, to pray, to know him, to be with him? Be in his presence. This is the experience of abundant life, rich with joy, peace, love, purpose. And if you're pursuing that, that's a holy affection. If you're enjoying that fellowship.
If you are experiencing the God of all comfort, The Goddess supplies all our needs. The God who fellowships with us. and thus dispenses power for our Christian living. If you're seeking the God of wisdom who holds nothing back but gives liberally to all who ask. If you are pursuing time and fellowship with the God in whose presence you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs and sing and make melody in your heart.
If you're coming to the God to whom you cry, Abba. The one to whom you go for mercy and grace in time of need. If you're longing for fellowship with the Christ who is our consolation, who is our strength, who is our hope, whose love shines in us and through us, whose peace we possess and enjoy, these are clear indications that you have a longing for fellowship. Second question. Are you sensitive to sin?
If you have holy affections and are longing after holiness, you're going to be sensitive to sin in chapter 1, verse 5. John begins to deal with that. He talks about the fact that the true believer walks in the light, confessing his sin. and that the true believer is forgiven of his sin. And when he does sin, he recognizes chapter 2, an advocate, Jesus Christ the righteous, who is the propitiation, the atonement, the covering for sin.
Are you sensitive to sin? we asked. And John asks it. Or do you deny it? Do you say we have no sin?
If you do, you make God a liar. One of the evidences of holy affections is a hatred of sin in my own life, a revulsion.
Well, let's bow together in prayer. Father, we thank you that When you Sent your son. You sent him that we might have life. and have it more abundantly. And that part of abundant life.
Assurance. For how could we possibly enjoy our Christian life? And if we couldn't even be sure we were headed for heaven. And so you just loaded us up. With truth.
about assurance. Father, thank you. That we can have assurance from the very moment of saving faith if that saving faith is real, for there will be holy affections. Holy longings Not just the sense of, boy, I escaped hell. Not just the idea, well, uh Now I'm on God's side and He won't punish me.
Not just the idea, well now maybe my problems are solved. Not just the idea, well, now I belong to this group of nice people. No, the true salvation is indicated by those holy affections, and we believe they're there at the very beginning, Father. And they grow. Expand and become enriched.
We thank you for that confidence. You've not sought to take away our assurance. but to multiply it to us that we might have life. And have it more abundantly. Thank you that the work of Christ in justification.
is linked inseparably to the work of the Spirit in sanctification. that even as We first longed for Christ as he prompted our hearts. We now long for him. as he continues to prompt our hearts. Father, help us to enjoy the assurance that is ours in Christ.
For those who have no assurance because they have no true salvation, save them, Lord, for your glory in Jesus' name. Amen. Hatred shouldn't characterize any part of your life as a believer except where sin is concerned. John MacArthur made that clear on Today's Grace to You. John's current study is called Myths About Salvation.
Now, friend, perhaps John's verse-by-verse look at 2 Peter has made you want to dig deeper into that text of Scripture. And with that in mind, Remember that John has written commentaries on every book of the New Testament. And as I mentioned before the lesson, for today only you can get the entire 33-volume MacArthur New Testament commentary for the lowest price you'll find anywhere. This offer is available only on the first 250 orders.
Now for any orders placed after those first 250, we still have an outstanding discount for you. But for the opportunity to order the commentaries at the super lowest price, don't wait. Contact us today. The best way to order the commentary series today is at our website, gty.org. Again, that's gty.org.
And you can also order by phone during regular business hours. That's 7.30 a.m. to 4 o'clock PM Pacific time. at 800 fifty five Grace. And again, we have 250 complete sets of the MacArthur New Testament commentary series that, for today only, are available at the lowest price you'll find anywhere.
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Now for the entire Grace to U staff, I'm Phil Johnson. Thanks for making this broadcast part of your day and remember to watch Grace TU television this Sunday. You will find it on DirecTV Channel 378. And be here tomorrow as we continue John MacArthur's study, Myths About Salvation, with more tests of assurance from 1 John. It's another half hour of unleashing God's truth.
one verse at a time. On Grace to You.
