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Convictions of faith must be based on real evidence and not education

November 8, 2008

This related in some small part to the post from last night about Calvinism.

But if the religious affections that persons have, do indeed arise from a strong persuasion of the truth of the Christian religion, their affections are not the better, unless their persuasion be a reasonable persuasion or conviction. By a reasonable conviction, I mean, a conviction founded on real evidence, or upon that which is a good reason, or just ground of conviction. Men may have a strong persuasion that the Christian religion is true, when their persuasion is not at all built on evidence, but altogether on education, and the opinion of others; as many Mahometans are strongly persuaded of the truth of the Mahometan religion, because their fathers, and neighbors, and nation believe it. That belief of the troth of the Christian religion, which is built on the very same grounds with a Mahometan’s belief of the Mahometan religion, is the same sort of belief. And though the thing believed happens to be better, yet that does not make the belief itself to be of a better sort; for though the thing believed happens to be true, yet the belief of it is not owing to this truth, but to education. So that as the conviction is no better than the Mahometan’s conviction; so the affections that flow from it, are no better in themselves, than the religious affections of Mahometans.
—-Jonathan Edwards-The Religious Affections pp 146-147

This entry was posted on November 8, 2008 at 2:19 pm and is filed under Jonathan Edwards, Ponderizations, Quotes.

3 Responses to “Convictions of faith must be based on real evidence and not education”

  1. Beth Nagle Says:

    November 9, 2008 at 3:58 am

    I think he makes a very good point here. I wonder what counts for him as a “reasonable” persuasion? I do agree that faith and reason are not different things or at least should not be. Our faith grows as our understanding grows. Faith is not opposed to reason but to sight (physical sight). Just chipping in here!

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  2. Deejay Says:

    November 9, 2008 at 6:42 am

    Thanks gel. Yeah I agree. It is interesting what he said to in the same chapter earlier on, I quoted it on my puritan at heart site:

    He said that there has never been so few thorough conversions since people were able to have a good education in the True Religion. (since the Reformation) and the way people rely on Calvin at times, more than they do the Scriptures, I think he has a very good point.

    And if we come to fact and experience, there is not the least reason to suppose, that one in a hundred of those who have been sincere Christians, and have had a heart to sell all for Christ, have come by their convection of the truth of the gospel this way. If we read over the histories of the many thousands that died martyrs for Christ, since the beginning of the Reformation, and have cheerfully undergone extreme tortures in a confidence of the truth of the gospel, and consider their circumstances and advantages; how few of them were there, that we can reasonably suppose, ever came by their assured persuasion this way; or indeed for whom it was possible, reasonably to receive so full and strong an assurance, from such arguments! Many of them were weak women and children, and the greater part of them illiterate persons, many of whom had been brought up in popish ignorance and darkness, and were but newly come out of it, and lived and died in times wherein those arguments for the truth of Christianity, from antiquity and history had been but very imperfectly handled. And indeed, it is but very lately that these arguments have been set in a clear and convincing light, even by learned men themselves: and since it has been done, there never were fewer thorough believers among those who have been educated in the true religion; infidelity never prevailed so much, in any age, as in this, wherein these arguments are handled to the greatest advantage.
    —Jonathan Edwards

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  3. Deejay Says:

    November 9, 2008 at 7:19 am

    I think a “reasonable persusaion” means on Biblical Revelation itself. Not for instance on what John Calvin said. Something that has a sure foundation and is first hand faith, rather than the second hand faith of just believing something because the REformers said it. I think its the difference he was talking about, between education and true conviction, for ourselves, and from a reasonable source or foundation for why we believe as we do. Historic Chrisianity, is a big pit fall in the Reformed faith. Where there beliefs have their basis on the what the Church has taught, rather than what the Scritpures say. Its little different to popishness! I think that was his point about a reasonable persusaion.

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