saving, justifying faith in Christ, acceptance with God, & union with Christ - Jonathan Edwards

“The end of the doctrines and precepts of Christianity, is to bring about this sweet harmony between the soul and Jesus Christ… The grace of faith is often spoken of in Scripture as that by which especially the union between Christ and the soul is made. And therefore 'tis called in Scripture, a coming to Christ, and a receiving Christ. 'Tis a coming to Christ as being drawn to him: 'tis the opposite to disallowing and rejecting of Christ (1 Peter 2:7).

And therefore saving, justifying faith in Christ, don't consist merely in the assent of the understanding, nor only in the consent of the will; but 'tis the harmonizing of the whole soul with Jesus Christ, as he is revealed and held forth in the gospel.

'Tis the soul's embracing the revelation of Jesus Christ as its Savior. 'Tis the whole soul's entirely adhering to him and acquiescing in him, according and symphonizing with the revelation and offer of Christ as its Savior. There is an entire yielding to it, and closing with it; adhering to it with the belief, with the inclination and affection; admitting and receiving it with entire credit and respect as true, and worthy, and excellent.

Faith is no other than that harmony in the soul towards Christ that has been spoken of in its most direct act. And it may be defined [as] the soul's entirely uniting and closing with Christ for his Savior, acquiescing in his reality and goodness as a Savior, as the gospel reveals him. And hence it is that by faith that we are justified, not as commending us to God by its excellency as a qualification in us, but as uniting us to Christ. The foundation of persons' acceptance with God, is their union with Christ, or that relation to him, whatsoever that is, by which in Scripture we are said to be in Christ. And faith is that by which we are thus united; for it is the active uniting [and] closing with Christ as a Savior.”

Jonathan Edwards, The Sweet Harmony of Christ

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