Choosing Christ as the Best of All
Jonathan Edwards often described a 'spiritual sight' of Christ as one of the marks of genuine conversion.But what exactly did he mean by that?He recognized that some would be confused and even begin to doubt their conversion because they had wrong ideas of what it meant to see Christ spiritually, so he explains:"A spiritual sight of Christ is a seeing or a being inwardly sensible of his excellency so as to be convinced that he is an excellent Saviour and a more excellent portion than all earthly things.This is a spiritual sight of Christ."But what does exactly does it look like to be convinced that Christ is an excellent Savior and better than all earthly things?Edwards continues,"When a person comes to be really convinced in his mind that Christ is an excellent saviour & a sufficient saviour, a savior suitable for them, that is choosing with Christ with the judgment. And when once the heart comes sincerely and really to incline to Christ as a most lovely person, more lovely than any earthly object and as a lovely savior and to the way of salvation by free grace and by Christ's worthiness ... and the inclination goes out to Christ and the soul longs after such a savior that is choosing Christ in the inclination."This is what it means to accept Christ, according to Edwards."There is no other accepting of Christ but ... the soul comes to choose Christ as the best of all and the way of salvation by Christ as the best and most desirable way and the heart is freely and without force willing to have Christ and it seems delightful to have Christ for a Saviour and to be saved in that way, that is accepting of Christ...If you have accepted of Christ thus you have accepted of him truly and savingly."