Edwards on Demonic Faith

I'm preaching a couple hours on lies people believe about salvation to our junior high group here at Compass. The sermon has been done for a while, but for last minute input I just finished reading Jonathan Edwards', True Grace Distinguished from the Experience of Devils, a sermon he preached in 1752 on James 2:19 "You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder."

It was a very good sermon that contrasts false marks of saving faith that a person can have from true ones. While there is a lot I want to reproduce here, I'll just leave you this gem:

"[Seeing the beauty of Christ] is a special gift of God, which he gives only to his special favorites. Gold, silver, diamonds, and earthly kingdoms are given by God to people who the Bible calls dogs and pigs. But this great gift of beholding Christ's beauty, is the special blessing of God to His dearest children. Flesh and blood cannot give this gift: only God can bestow it. This was the special gift which Christ died to obtain for his elect. It is the highest token of his everlasting love, the best fruit of his labours, and the most precious purchase of his blood."

Seeing the beauty of Christ is what Edwards gives as the main mark of true conversion (cf. 2 Cor 4:3-6). If you liked this quote and would like to read the whole sermon, click here.