A Difference of Nature, Not Degree: True Grace Explained | Jonathan Edwards

Deep Dive into Treatise on Grace by Jonathan Edwards - Shewing That Common and Saving Grace Differ, Not Only in Degree, but in Nature and KindJonathan Edwards argues that common grace and saving grace are fundamentally different in nature and kind rather than merely differing in degree. While common grace involves moral attainments possible for both saints and sinners, saving grace is a unique fruit of the Spirit’s higher influence reserved for true Christians. Edwards illustrates this distinction through the biblical dichotomy of flesh and spirit, asserting that natural men possess only fleshly principles that cannot be refined into spiritual ones. Consequently, those who have not experienced a new birth remain entirely destitute of the Spirit and its associated fruits, such as love, joy, and peace.This spiritual absence renders natural men incapable of discerning or valuing divine truths, which appear as foolishness to them because they lack the necessary spiritual anointing; they are as a blind man is to colors, lacking any perception of the matter. True conversion is thus presented as a supernatural event comparable to a new creation, a resurrection from the dead, or the opening of blind eyes. Edwards emphasizes that this transition from death to life is instantaneous, occurring at the moment God calls the soul, much like Christ’s immediate healing of the sick or calling of His disciples. Because saving grace is an entirely new principle, it cannot be achieved through human industry or the gradual improvement of natural qualities. Even with moral suasion or external assistance, natural faculties can only produce modifications of existing traits rather than the divine nature required for salvation. Therefore, grace must be an immediate infusion of God’s power, creating a union with Christ that enables genuine communion. Ultimately, the presence of this divine seed is considered incompatible with a state of sin, as it fundamentally transforms the individual into a new creature.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianYoutube: https://www.youtube.com/@ReformedExplainerSpotify Music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1t5dz4vEgvHqUknYQfwpRI?si=e-tDRFR2Qf6By1sAcMdkdwhttps://buymeacoffee.com/edi2730