Evaluating Our Affections

Introduction

Our English word affection refers to a persons feeling and emotions. Our feelings and emotions are driven by what is in our mind. Affections reflect our will. Jonathan Edwards in his Treatise of Religious Affections refers to affections as the inclination of the will and soul. In other words, what we are inclined to do in life reveals what we desire and focus on in our life.

Liz and I have been married for 15 years and have three amazing kids. My will is inclined to love them and want the best for them. That love is seen in my affections in relation to them.

If we do not crucify our earthly desires instead of seeking the desires of heaven we leave open the door for Satan and his followers to deceive others with a counterfeit religion. Peter in 2 Peter discusses the need for Christians to be aware of false teaching. Paul in his letter to the Colossian church discusses in Colossians 2:8 a warning to not get caught up in the worlds wickedness and way of life. He states this after commanding them to live according to Christ and to be built and rooted in Christ because of the false and deceptive teaching of the devil.

Colossians 2:8 NASB95

8 See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

People today in the church are convinced through Satan’s influential deception that they are saved when they truly are not. He lies to them about what to desire and what is desirable to God. He uses their own pride and desire for success. He convinces them of holiness in their life when holiness does not exist.

A Treatise concerning Religious Affections Introduction

And

The concept of our affections is laced all throughout the Bible. This morning we are going to look into 4 passages that help build to us a picture of what our affections truly should look like as we evaluate them. As we evaluate our affections, you may be this morning and do not know for sure you are saved. You may be here and know that you have never placed your trust and faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation from your wickedness and sin. This sermon can be of aid to you truly evaluating your eternal destiny. Jonathan Edwards put it this way:

A Treatise concerning Religious Affections Introduction

Therefore it greatly concerns us to use our utmost endeavors clearly to discern, and have it well settled and established, wherein true religion does consist.

Edwards use of the phrase “true religion” references salvation. Edwards is pointing to the fact that one’s affections help to clearly discern one’s eternal destination and relationship with God. We are going to again look at four passage of scripture that deal with the idea of what our heart and mind, the seat of our affections is inclined to will for one’s life.

Edwards belief regarding our affections is

“True religion (relationship with God), consists in great measure, in vigourous and lively actings of the inclination and will of the soul, or the fervent exercises of the heart.” - Jonathan Edwards

**What we believe flows from our affections. Our affections are directly related to our own life’s belief system.

Main Truth: Our affections must show God being our utmost affection.

God’s passion is for his own glory! If God’s passion, the inclination and will of His soul, his for his own glory then how much more should our affections, our passion, our heart be inclined and willed to see God glorified in every aspect of our life.

The purpose for the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ at it’s root is to first and foremost glorify God! This morning we are going to be looking at four passages of scripture that deal with passion and affections. Each passage deals with a slightly different perspective of life and how our affections are to be exercised. Let’s dive in together this morning and truly with humble and honest hearts let your Spirit point out to us where we may have wrong or misplaced affections!

Our first passage comes from Colossians 3:2

Colossians 3:1–4 NASB95

1 Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. 3 For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory.

I. God being our utmost affection is seen through our thinking.

The Christian’s position in Christ must MOTIVATE one to think with a heavenly mindset.

Explanation:

Paul begins throughout these four verses to remind the believers of their position in Christ and that it is Christ and his fullness that will keep us from falling victim to false teaching and heresy. Paul bookends both of his commands to how the Christian is to live with truths about our position in Christ. Paul gives to us 5 aspects to our unity in Christ. This is to be our motivation in seeking things above!

We died with Christ. This reference to our salvation implies death to the bondage of sin, this world, and the spiritual powers that rule this world. A story is told of two girls who loved to attend wild parties and dances. One day they realized their sin and asked Christ to save them from their sin and accepted Christ as Savior. Soon after that happened, they received a RVSP regarding a party. They wrote back with this response: “We regret we cannot attend because we recently died. We have died with Christ in the sense that we no longer are bonded to sin and this wicked world. This death is a spiritual death and brings to light what Paul said earlier in 2:20, “you died with Christ to the rudiments or elementary principles of this world.”

We have been raised with Christ (cf. Rom. 6:1-10). Being resurrected with Christ gives to us the power to live a righteous and holy life. This resurrection is talking of a spiritual resurrection. We were dead in our trespasses and sin and the moment of salvation we became dead to sin and alive to God through Jesus Christ.

Our life is hidden with Christ in God. Paul here is talking about the truth that as Christians we have security in Christ. Some OT/NT texts use the word hide to refer to safety. One commentator said “This suggests not only that the believer’s life is secure, but also that it belongs in a very real and profound sense to the invisible spiritual realm” (Vaughan, 210). We belong to Christ and no man can pluck us out of his hand (John 10:28-29). Christ is our security!

Christ is our life. He is the source and sustainer of our spiritual life, and we live it in His presence and through His power. Paul reflects this concept in Galatians 2:20 “I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.” Our life and destiny are inextricably bound up in Christ!

We will appear with Christ in Glory. This last clause probably means that our union with Christ will become evident to all at the second coming of Christ (the word Paul uses here to describe it is phaneroo, which means “open display” or “unveiling”). Our union with Christ will be displayed to the whole world as we come back with Christ at his second coming. This implies also that we are walking veils of Christ’s glory. Therefore, motivating us more to share the gospel with the lost knowing that one day the glory will be revealed and everyone will bow their knee to Christ.

Refutation/Application :

The world does not want us to live a life that is motivated by the work of Christ in our life. We as Christians constantly are failing to live motivated by our position in Christ. We have nothing to fear from the world. Through Christ we have power and security.

So motivation? We have just looked at 5 truths regarding the Christian and their position with Christ. What does it mean to you to be motivated about anything? For what do you get motivated for? Some get motivated for:

Exercising/losing weight/healthy lifestyle

Excelling in ability to play a sport/win a championship

Finding the ONE to marry

Providing for family

Job promotion

Does your position in Christ motivate you as much as or more than what we just mentioned or others we did not? See as we are about to look at two commands that are given to us, Paul gives to us this awesome motivation to obey them! Every area of life must be motivated by these beautiful truths about the Christian’s position in Christ.

Saved or unsaved these truths ought to result in a mind-set that is motivated to think with a heavenly mindset. Our position in Christ and his work in our lives ought to be motivating us to be obedient to the command given to seek things above.

So, we ask what does it mean to seek things above? Does it refer to observing something like seeking a certain tool or outfit at the store? We must be daily motivated and living in our union in Christ. How? Paul gives two commands answering how to act on our motivation. The action we are to take is seen in verse 1 and 2.

The Christian’s mindset must ACTIVELY immerse in their realities in Christ.

Explanation:

Seek things above v. 1

Paul gives the first imperative. We are to seek things above. The word “seek” can be substituted with the word “set.” Paul is telling us that we are to not be seeking for a heavenly status but rather to completely orient ourselves completely to the realities we have in Christ. We need to be taking the heavenly status already given to us and make it the guidepost for all our thinking and acting.

The word “above” speaks to the abode of God and sphere which believers belong to virtue of their identification with Christ. It is where Christ sits at the right hand of God. Believers are to seek/orient themselves with things above “by deliberately and daily committing ourselves to the values of the heavenly kingdom and living out of those values.” (Matthew 6:33 Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.)

Set your Mind v. 2

Paul reiterates his command to seek things above by telling us to set our minds/affections on things above. Paul uses a different word here. Instead of using “seek” he uses “set.” This word “set” carries a more colorful meaning than just seek. Paul here is telling us to think or meditate on things above. The object of our meditation must be the person, position, and work of Christ! The verb here is suggesting a continual inner attitude that is habitual. In other words, our entire being must be daily meditating on Christ and our union with him.

The second part of this verse states to not have a habitual inner attitude of meditation and continual thinking on the things, events, and people of this world. Habitual meditation on the world and its philosophy will only contaminate your life and leave you in shambles. The world has nothing to offer but grief and despair.

Believer’s everywhere are searching for more when everything they need to live a Christ-like life they already have at their disposal. This comes from a mind-set that has given into the philosophy “that salvation is insufficient to transform the believer’s life and equip them for Christian living.” They believe they need more of Christ, more of the holy spirit, more of something like a spiritual experience. Paul warns the believers in 2:8 not to be taken captive by vain, empty philosophy. This thinking only leaves the person wanting. As Christians we have all of Christ! We are one in him! Therefore, we should not be seeking in the sense of searching but as Paul states seeking or setting our entire attitude, the inner you, your heart, on Christ and all his glory! This is the type of mind-set, and attitude that will produce spiritual growth and blessing in your life.

Refutation/Application:

Our sufficiency will only come from Christ! The worlds different philosophies of humanism and materialism are counter-productive to a Christ-centered life. We are commanded as believers to have our complete person daily set on the person, position, and work of Christ. His entire being must be our focus everyday of our life, every moment of our life.

Think about spiritual growth for a second. If we do as God’s Word says by focusing and setting our attitude, our heart on Christ we will see his position in heaven at the right hand of God. When we contemplate and meditate as Christians, on the throne room of God and Christ’s person, the desires and philosophies of the world are conquered resulting in not allowing ourselves to be taken captive! What a glorious guidepost-Christ in heaven at God’s right hand! What are you focused on today? What vain philosophies have taken you captive? What is your attitude like—one that is setting your mind and attitude on Christ and living according as he desires? Are you acting on the motivation we as Christian’s ought to be motivated with?

People today spend not because they need, but for identity. Paul says in response that we are not to set our minds “on earthly things.” This includes not only material possessions, but the immaterial things of this world: earthly honors, position, advancement. We must note that Paul is not suggesting that the Christian withdraw from commerce and any possibility of prominence or achievement. Taken to absurdity, there would never be a Christian surgeon or chef; there would be no excellence. The difference is that the Christian is no longer to see these things as if they are all that matter. Moreover, his mind-set is to be dominated by “things above.” Paul is precise in his command: “Set your minds on things above” and keep it that way. Implicit here is the idea of concentration.

II. God being our utmost affection is expressed when going through trials, 1 Peter 1:8.

1 Peter 1:1–9 NASB95

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, 7 so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 8 and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, 9 obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

Peter in 1 Peter 1:1-9 shares a wonderful praise of the glorious salvation the believer has because of Jesus Christ and his great mercy. Peter shares blesses and praises God for salvation. You can see Peter’s affection, the inclination and will of his soul to rejoice greatly over God’s salvation in his life and in the life of the Christians to whom he is writing.

Let’s briefly look at the aspects of salvation Peter and the Christians going through trials are rejoicing over.

We have a living hope that we are no longer in slavery to sin because of the resurrection, 3.

We have an imperishable and undefiled inheritance waiting for us in heaven, 4.

We are kept secure and protected by God’s power through faith in Christ that provides a complete salvation in eternity, 5.

Rejoicing in these great truths propels us through temporary trials now, 6.

Rejoicing in the priceless value of our salvation in proving our our faith through the trials, 7.

Salvation provides the opportunity to praise, glroify, and honor God at the second coming of Jesus Christ, 7.

Our faith and love causes us to have an inexpressible joy that immensely acts in a way that glorifies God for the salvation he has given us even though we cannot see him physically, 8-9.

Let’s put this in context, is there anyone who you have wanted to see really bad but have never had the chance to see them? The people Peter is writing too had never seen Christ in person like Peter had the opportunity to have and in abundance.

These readers were located in Asia Minor or modern day are that is now Turkey. Peter was commending the believers for having hearts that were filled with love for Jesus Christ. Jesus was precious to them. None of the trials they had and were going through derailed them from having an immense joy in the relationship they had with Christ because of God the Father’s saving work through His Son! They now had an eternal hope and a priceless inheritance. This hope energized and mobilized them! They had a joy that could not be contained. It was a joy that was not expressible with words!

When Peter speaks of loving Jesus, he refers to unashamed, extravagant affection for the Son of God. One need not see Jesus in the flesh to experience unbridled passion for him. Rather, we see him in the revelation of God’s Word, and the Spirit quickens in our hearts and souls a passionate affection for him that is undeniable and unquenchable.

Second, such faith involves trusting Jesus. “Believe” in verse 8 means more than giving mental assent to doctrinal truths about Jesus. It certainly includes such assent, but it also requires yielding to him, relying on him moment by moment, entrusting one’s soul to him, and turning to him at all times for strength and encouragement and hope.

(Sam Storms, “1 Peter,” in Hebrews–Revelation, ed. Iain M. Duguid, James M. Hamilton Jr., and Jay Sklar, vol. XII, ESV Expository Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018), 305–306.)

Church family and friends, are you like these Christians from Asia Minor? Is the inclination of your will and soul to have joy that cannot be expressed by words when going through the difficulty of life? God is to be our utmost affection! If God is to be your utmost affection you must be having this same joy! Where in your life has your will and soul directed you that has been stealing the joy of your salvation?

This passage so wonderfully states the amazing truth of what we have in Christ. For these believers their affections were to praise and glorify God! It impacted their attitude about the situations and circumstances in their life. They were excited that one day they would see Christ in person. One day every believer will get to see Christ!

These joyful truths need to be what drives our affections! Life is never about what we want but about what God wants to do with and through our lives. This is the very reason he puts us through trial—to melt down the impurities in our life—in order that we live out accurately the affections we out to have because of our salvation through Christ!

Transition: Our affections are controlled through our thinking and expressed through inexpressible joy in salvation while going through trials. We also we our affections in the level at which we want God to be actively involved in our lives, in how close of a relationship we want with God.

III. God being our utmost affection reveals the level of desire we have to be close with God, Psalm 26:8

Psalm 26:8 NASB95

8 O Lord, I love the habitation of Your house And the place where Your glory dwells.

David is most likely taking a self-assessment in this Psalm. We can be safe in taking this approach as David asks God to examine and test him in Psalm 26:2.

Psalm 26:2 NASB95

2 Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart.

David in the verses 3-7 to express to God that he had a clear conscience before God. He is expressing that to the best of his knowledge he was right with God. He had right affections. The inclination of his will and soul was to walk in truth (3) because of God’s love and loyalty which was seen by him refusing to associate and interact with the wicked and deceitful men around him. He takes that further in verse 5 to express his hatred for the wicked and evil that they practiced. He expresses to God publicly his innocence through the washing of his hands.

David then reveals his motivation and affection in verses 7-8, he offered up public thanksgiving to God proclaiming the wondrous works of God to all that could hear him. His affection for God then overflowed with him proclaiming his utter joy of being in the temple and the place of God’s very presence. He loved to be with God and God to be with him!

His humility and understanding of God’s holiness and goodness continues to flow in his request to not be cast out with the sinners around him. He desired to live a life of integrity because he wanted to always be in the presence of God!

David went to the sanctuary to worship God and bear witness to His grace and mercy. His hands were clean (24:4), his sacrifice was acceptable (see Isa. 1:10–17), and his voice was clear as he praised the Lord.

Warren W. Wiersbe, Be Worshipful, 1st ed., “Be” Commentary Series (Colorado Springs, CO: Cook Communications Ministries, 2004), 107.

Christian, what affections are pulling you away from God’s presence? David refers to the physical temple, the place of worship. We know that today that today the Spirit of God resides in us and we are able to worship God directly because of Christ work. With that though, God has ordained the church to gather each week to worship Him.

Do you have affections that are pulling you away from the church? Do you have affections that are pulling you away from faithfully worshipping each Sunday?

Do you have the same heart as David that your affections, the inclinations of your will and soul, the passions of your heart are full to stand and bless the Lord in the assembly of the church?

Our affections are scene in our worship! Our affections are scene in our desire to have a close relationship with God!

Lastly, our affections can pull us away from loving God.

IV. God being our utmost affection repents and removes wrong affections.

Revelation 2:1–7 NASB95

1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: The One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks among the seven golden lampstands, says this: 2 ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false; 3 and you have perseverance and have endured for My name’s sake, and have not grown weary. 4 ‘But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 ‘Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lampstand out of its place—unless you repent. 6 ‘Yet this you do have, that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 ‘He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God.’

John does not begin his address to the church in Ephesus with a condemnation but actually a commendation. John in Revelation 2:2 for their perseverance and labor in living out the Christian faith.

Revelation 2:2 NASB95

2 ‘I know your deeds and your toil and perseverance, and that you cannot tolerate evil men, and you put to the test those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false;

They lived in a way that evidenced true salvation. This was also seen in their spiritual discernment. They did not give into the false teaching and teachers that were claiming themselves to be apostles. They rightly exposed the false teachers. This shows that they had right affections for doctrinal purity and in persevering in their faith. They were truly Christians.

The sad part, the part where Christ points out their wrong affections comes in verse 4 where he says “But I have this against you.” What he has against them is they had left their first love. They had garnered wrong affections.

The way we identify the love they left is by going to 1 John 4:20.

1 John 4:20 NASB95

20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.

They had fallen from having a love of God and a love of others (Mark 12:29-31).

Mark 12:29–31 NASB95

29 Jesus answered, “The foremost is, ‘Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord; 30 and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ 31 “The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

Christ in our passage is telling the Ephesian church that they had stopped loving him with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength. They may have been saying they love God but the way they were living went contrary to what John explains proves true salvation. Love for God is paramount and if you do not show consistent love for other Christians but say you love God you are a liar. How can one love God who is not seeable when they do not even love a brother who is seeable?

Schreiner said this regarding the Ephesian church departed from their first love:

Hebrews–Revelation Comment

Abandoning one’s first love means, then, that one has strayed from both love of God and love of fellow believers.

The problem in the Ephesian church was no small problem. Jesus takes this problem very serious. He tells the church that if they do not repent that he will remove their lampstand. He tells them to evaluate and remember from where they had fallen.

The church at Ephesus was a strong and healthy church. This church is the church that had the elders follow Paul to the dock and pray with him. The church wept over Paul departure. The church was sorrowful that they would not see him again. Paul provides for them a healthy admonition to beware of “fierce wolves” that would come and seek to destroy them. He warned them of people within the church that may rise up to draw them away from the love they had for God and living out the truth as they were doing.

According to Christ’s words here in Revelation 2:5, the church eventually gave in and did not heed Paul’s admonition and warning. They fell into the sin of not loving God with all of their being!

Christ is telling them to go back to the time when your affections were that of a burning passion for God. He is telling them to go back to when loving God, loving Christ was all that mattered! He tells them to repent!

To repent is to have a change of mind resulting in a change in your actions and attitudes. It is a changing of your affections from what is not God to God! It is to think differently about all of the sin in your life and see life through the lens of God’s Word and His precepts/commands. Yes, it will take hard work to daily live a repentant life.

Christian, today, repent where you have allowed your affections to turn and be inclined to that which does not show that God is the preeminent one you love. God must be our utmost affection! The problem of not loving God supremely impacts what you are seeking after and setting your mind on, it impacts how you handle the difficulties and trials in your life, it destroys the passion to know God intimately and grow in godliness.

We cannot afford as God’s children to give into the pitfalls of sin as the Ephesian church. Often it is deceptive that which steals our love.

Where are your affections this morning? What is robbing your heart of Christ being your highest affection? Don’t be like the Ephesian church!

Conclusion

Let’s review, our affections according to Johnathan Edwards are seen in True religion as,

“True religion (relationship with God), consists in great measure, in vigourous and lively actings of the inclination and will of the soul, or the fervent exercises of the heart.” - Jonathan Edwards

Our main truth this morning is that God must be our utmost affection. As we put this together, the most vigorous and lively actions in our life that we desire and do must be that which flows from a supreme love for God himself! Our life must be energetic about living with every thought consumed by Christlikeness, every trial and difficulty overshadowed by the joy we have through salvation in Christ, with our worship be satisfied that we are in God’s presence, and Christ’s mercy and grace to give us the opportunity to correct our wrong affections.

If you and I are to have proper affections we must each willingly submit to the Spirit’s exploratory surgery with the Word of God to show where each person’s affections have gone wrong and where they are right. You and I need to identify that apart of Christ my affections are predisposed to be self-centered at their core even when the external seems to be religious.

Jonathan Edwards discusses how the just the very beauty and glory of God is worthy to be the center of his admiration and love and even more how it appears in the face “of an incarnate, infintely loving, meek, compassionate, and dying redeemer.”

There also the hateful nature of our sins is manifested in the most affecting manner possible: as we see the dreadful effects of them, in that our Redeemer, who undertook to answer for us, suffered for them. And there we have the most affecting manifestation of God’s hatred of sin, and his wrath and justice in punishing it; as we see his justice in the strictness and inflexibleness of it; and his wrath in its terribleness, in so dreadfully punishing our sins, in one who was infinitely dear to him, and loving to us. So has God disposed things, in the affair of our redemption, and in his glorious dispensations, revealed to us in the gospel, as though everything were purposely contrived in such a manner, as to have the greatest possible tendency to reach our hearts in the most tender part, and move our affections most sensibly and strongly. How great cause have we therefore to be humbled to the dust, that we are no more affected!11 Jonathan Edwards, A Treatise Concerning Religious Affections: In Three Parts ... (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1996), 21.

This above quote by Jonathan Edwards beautifully touches on the tendency of the heart that sees Christ’s sacrifice in light of God’s hatred for sin and the magnitude of what Christ did for them on the cross! Here is just a couple sentences of Edwards description of responding with right affections:

“So has God disposed things, in the affair of our redemption, and in his glorious dispensations, revealed to us in the gospel, as though everything were purposely contrived in such a manner, as to have the greatest possible tendency to reach our hearts in the most tender part, and move our affections most sensibly and strongly. How great cause have we therefore to be humbled to the dust, that we are no more affected!”

Does what God did through His son, Jesus Christ, on the cross so move you each morning when you wake up? What affections are driving your life? The entire Bible is full of illustrations of righteous and unrighteous affections. How would you be characterized?

Is God your utmost affection!?