Deep Dive into Religious Affections by Jonathan Edwards - Nothing Can Certainly Be Determined Concerning the Nature of the Affections, by This, That Comforts and Joys Seem to Follow Awakenings...

Based on the sources, relying on a specific order or method of religious experiences, such as awakenings and terrors followed by comfort and joy, is not a certain sign of genuine conversion. While God often brings people through a sense of sin and misery before granting deliverance and comfort, this common manner does not make the sequence itself a reliable test.Here's why the order is not a certain sign:Terrors and conviction are different. Terrors can stem from Satan's influence or a person's temperament, not necessarily true conviction of sin against God.Satan can counterfeit both individual experiences and, more easily, their order. The nature of divine things is harder for the devil to imitate than their order.There is no revealed certain connection between pre-conversion experiences and saving grace; Scripture points to the nature of gracious operations and their fruits as signs.Experience shows that many who follow the "expected" order do not prove to be genuine.The Spirit's work is often mysterious and unsearchable, not confined to a fixed method.Therefore, the true test for authenticity is the nature of the effect God has brought about in the soul, specifically its spiritual and divine nature, and the fruits it produces. Discernment should focus on this intrinsic quality, not the sequence of steps that led to it.Reformed Theologian GPT: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-XXwzX1gnv-reformed-theologianPatreon: patreon.com/edi_reformed