Why Counterfeit Virtue So Often Looks Genuine | Jonathan Edwards

Deep Dive into The Nature of True Virtue by Jonathan Edwards - The Reasons Why Those Things That Have Been Mentioned, Which Have Not the Essence of Virtue, Have Yet by Many Been Mistaken for True VirtueJonathan Edwards explains several reasons why certain natural human affections and principles are frequently mistaken for true virtue. The primary reason is that natural affections, such as pity, gratitude, and familial love, share the general nature of virtue, which is love and benevolence. However, they fall short of true virtue because they are essentially private and limited in scope, rather than being directed toward universal existence or being in general. Because of the narrowness of human perspective, people often mistake these limited, private affections—such as love for one's country or party—for true virtue, especially when they fail to consider the Divine Being as the head of the universal system.Another reason for this confusion is that natural principles resemble virtue's secondary operations, specifically in how they approve of good and disapprove of evil. For instance, a natural conscience approves of virtue and condemns vice, but it does so out of a sense of uniformity and natural agreement rather than a genuine love for the essential beauty of virtue.Additionally, these natural affections possess a negative moral goodness. Their presence does not equal positive virtue, but their absence would indicate a severe degree of moral evil, such as profound pride, selfishness, or sensuality. Furthermore, natural principles often produce the same practical effects as true virtue. Ordained by a wise Creator, instincts like pity and natural affection promote the general good of mankind and help restrain vice and wickedness, much like genuine benevolence does.Finally, people confuse natural instincts with true virtue because there are genuinely virtuous versions of these same affections. When traits like pity, gratitude, or familial love are governed by a superior principle of disinterested general benevolence, rather than mere instinct or self-love, they are indeed elevated to the status of true virtue.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