Category Archives: preaching doctrine

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Moving From Stated Reality to Application: What I’m Learning From Reading Jonathan Edwards’s Early Sermons

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Edwards never let his listeners forget the goal of the sermon!

One of the things I’ve benefited from by reading Edwards’s early sermons is his emphasis on application. If you read his sermons you’ll see a balanced presentation of deep theology and practical exhortation.

In his sermon, The Way of Holiness, on Isaiah 35:8 (“And an highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called the way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it.”), Edwards concludes with an application section containing three elements. Here are the first two:

  1. By inference, Edwards reasons, “how many poor creatures are there that think they are in the way to heaven who are not?” (p. 476). I will never forget hearing veteran pastor, Chuck Swindoll, announce that the longer he pastored his church, the more he felt that less of his parishioners were saved.
  2. If this verse is true, then it is critical that his listeners “examine [them]selves by this doctrine to see whereabouts [they] are, and see whether or no [they] are in the way to heaven…” (p. 477). Under this point, Edwards exhorted: “Meditate on the holiness of God, and see if you cannot see a conformity, a likeness in your mind….It is not supposed that ever any copy comes near to this original, nor ever will; but yet they may perceive whether the same spirit, the same temper and disposition, in a lesser degree be in them, that was manifested by the life and conversation of Jesus Christ.” (p. 477)

Notice that Isaiah only presents stated reality. Edwards teaches by example that our job is to move from stated reality to the application inferred by that reality.

If you read this before tomorrow (Sunday), or early next week, see if your Scripture contains a stated reality that requires the same hermeneutical/homiletical move as Edwards.

And our Lord will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21),

Randal

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Help from Jonathan Edwards for Preaching on Sin: What I’m Learning from Reading Edwards’s Early Sermons

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Edwards sure thought a lot about sin!

In his sermon, Way of Holiness, Jonathan Edwards lists “reasons why none that are not holy can be in the way to heaven, and why those who never are so can never obtain the happiness thereof.” (p. 474, Kimnach)

Edwards’s fourth reason taught me much about the nature of sin and its affect on all of us. Take a moment and check this against your own understanding of sin and how you normally explain it to your congregants. If you’re like me, you will say something like, “Wow! My definition is a bit light!”

“The nature of sin necessarily implies misery. That soul that remains sinful must of a necessity of nature remain miserable, for it is impossible there should be any happiness where such a hateful thing as sin reigns and bears rule. Sin is the most cruel tyrant that ever ruled, seeks nothing but the misery of his subjects….Sin is a woeful confusion and dreadful disorder in the soul, whereby everything is put out of place…” (pp. 475-476, Kimnach)

The last part is extremely insightful. Unlike anything I’ve read in theologies.

This kind of analysis helps me whenever I try to communicate the meaning of sin. My definition or understanding of sin isn’t as robust as Edwards’s. What I’m learning from Edwards’s preaching is that he is working so hard to convince his listeners that they should avoid sin at all cost.

If your preaching portion for this coming Sunday contains explicit or implicit references to sin, maybe Edwards’s keen understanding may help you help your congregants. I know, as we do this our Lord will receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21).

Randal

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Where Does Your Church Stand With Doctrine?

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We will continue to face enormous pressure to rescind certain doctrine!

A couple of weeks ago, as I was preparing for upcoming lectures on theological interpretation, I came across this “plausible and sobering picture” in the Preface of Vanhoozer’s, The Drama of Doctrine (p. xii).

Vanhoozer quotes Alan Wolfe, sociologist from Boston College, who wrote a book back in 2003, The Transformation of American Religion: How We Actually Live Our Faith. He wrote,

“Evangelical churches lack doctrine because they want to attract new members. Mainline churches lack doctrine because they want to hold on to those declining numbers of members they have.”

Notice that Wolfe treats both sides, evangelicals and mainliners. So he recognized this phenomenon 20 years ago.

Do you think the situation has gotten better or worse? Do you ever feel that pressure?

This made me reflect on the Apostle Paul’s statement to the elders in Ephesus recorded in Acts 20:27

for I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God.

 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), Ac 20:27.

It made me wonder what could possibly cause Paul to shy away from certain Scripture in his day.

Wolfe identified the problem in our day. Vanhoozer wrote, “Christian doctrine is necessary for human flourishing: only doctrine shows us who we are, why we are here, and what we are to do” (p. xiii).

May our Lord receive glory in the church and in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 3:21) as we preach and teach as much of His Word as He gives us time and energy to do so.

Randal