A Theology of Joy: Jonathan Edwards and Eternal Happiness in the Holy Trinity

The quest for joy is as universal as it is elusive. Happiness is that which all human beings desire; yet only few ever discover it in deeply personal and lasting experiences. Among the theologians and philosophers who sought to apprehend a personal experience of joy, the great colonial thinker Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) stands out as a brilliant voice from the past, speaking boldly on what constitutes the true nature of joy, as well as identifying the sad and deceiving counterfeits to real happiness. (taken from amazon).

mm.

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Hamilton Ramos

Hi Milkman:

Jonathan Edwards must know something about joy, as he spent time with the very source of it:

Quote out of L8 will follow:

"Jonathan Edwards, some of you have heard of him. He was a Congregational minister in New England 200 years ago. Listen to this little note from his prayer diary:

“Once, as I rode out into the woods for my health, in 1737 … I had a view that was for me extraordinary. [The inward eyes of my heart were opened and I saw the] glory of the Son of God … and his wonderful, great … pure and sweet grace and love.The person of Christ appeared ineffably excellent with an excellency great enough to swallow up all thought and conception, which continued as near as I could judge [as a condition of me, for] about an hour, which kept me the greater part of the time in a flood of tears and weeping aloud. I felt an ardency of soul to be … full of Christ alone; to love him with a holy and pure love; to trust in him; to live upon him; to serve … him.”

Now I don’t know about you, but when I read a statement like that, this is what I think. “Is this guy in the same religion I’m in?” Maybe I’m in the international league, and he’s in the big leagues or something. Don’t be discouraged. He was experiencing the presence of God at a heightened degree, and the presence of God is something you cannot push buttons and experience to the same degree when you go before him in your private prayer or when you come together and go before him corporately, but what the Scripture teaches is we expect far too little of this. We expect so little reality in our lives."

Keller, T. J. (2013). The Timothy Keller Sermon Archive. New York City: Redeemer Presbyterian Church.

Kind regards.

Milkman

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1072956#Comment_1072956

Hi Hamilton,

Good quote. Definitely in the junior league for me and sometimes sitting on the bench watching the other players from the sidelines.

Fell in love with Edwards my first year OUT OF Seminary, but started the courtship in my first year IN Seminary.

Hamilton Ramos

https://community.logos.com/discussion/comment/1072999#Comment_1072999

NIce.

Joy, truth, life, way, etc. Jesus Christ my friend, who said that He was not around to have communion with in modern times?

Jonathan Edwards was not one. LOL.

Peace and grace.