There is yet still hope

books:


	• The Spirit of Revival: Discovering the Wisdom of Jonathan Edwards Archie Parrish, R. C. Sproul Crossway Books, 2000 - 224 pages average customer review:based on 3 reviews view larger image
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Edwards knows best!

Excellent book on discerning true revival movements. Especially with all the strange stuff that goes on in our day.

There is yet still hope

This book is similar to Piper's God's Passion for His Glory in that iit contians a commentary on Edwards and tthe text of one of Edwards' books (although this book is an infinitely easier read than Piper's. Sproul and Parrish do a fantastic job in the introduction where they give the background to the state of revival in New Engalnd. At the end of the book are exercises for those who would like to prepare for revival

The text of Edwards, Concerning the marks of the Spirit of God is much easier to read than his other works (although Sproul modernizes the text--this probably a good thing for many of Edwards' sentences would go on for pages). I would recommend this book for the challenge it offers Bible Believers (who else could be involved in a revival?) as they pray for revival. May God raise up another Edwards to combat the secularist, charismatic, postmodern onslought facing our churches!

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1 James 4:1

The Spirit of Revival

Many times one may hear is this of God or by mere man. In this work Jonathan Edwards discusses how one may know if a revival is from God or the construction of man. What is from the Holy Spirit and what does not come from the Holy Spirit. Through arguments and reasoning he urges the believer to explore whether a revival is a true Revival of God's church or just human activity. Pastor Edwards elaborates how human emotional expression and the body physically reacting God's word preached/shared may be the result of the Holy Spirit working within the individual; He also argues that emotional expression and bodily reaction is not conclusive proof it is the work of God.

Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1 AV)

Jonathan Edwards argues every spirit should be tested. He does not argue the response has to be miraculous. Just because the reaction could occur without supernatural response does not mean the Holy Spirit has not intervened. God uses ordinary means to build His kingdom and the Holy Spirit leads the Christian in sharing God's word and to serve God. The Holy Spirit also leads the follower of Christ to respond emotionally. Rarely does the Holy Spirit use people to do God's miracles. The Holy Spirit commonly uses less spectacular methods. Erwin Lutzer's book titled Seven Convincing Miracles goes into greater detail about this.

So how does the Christian discern whether a revival is from God? Emotional reaction and physical response is worthy praise to God. But to some individuals may be ends to their own: a type of entertainment. Edwards asks whether the reaction is in response to God's word preached? Is the Gospel of Jesus Christ being preached? To elaborate, is man's sinfulness expressed, do people learn about Jesus not sinning when living as man on this earth, do people hear about the suffering of Jesus, do people hear Jesus dying on the cross and on the third day raising from dead? Do people know they are sinners and only through Jesus can they avoid spiritual death?

Jonathan Edwards continues to argue that a sign of the Holy Spirit is whether the Bible is preached and shared. Included in this is whether people seek to be obedient to the Word of God. Co-author Archie Parrish tries to elaborate after the words of Jonathan Edwards are finished; Parrish's words do not seem to express continuity. Sproul's chapter before the message by Edwards will help the reader to comprehend the Jonathan Edwards' message. Arguments in how to use the book to bring revival to your own church are unconvincing.

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The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God by Jonathan Edwards is one of the great classics of revival literature. A key figure of the Great Awakening, Edwards wrote this important discourse in 1741 just after the revival had reached its peak. In it you will discover a thorough examination of the true and false signs of revival based on the exhortations found in 1 John 4. Edwards concludes that while many a Spirit-led movement is accompanied by excesses and actions of a questionable nature, these negative signs do not necessarily disqualify it as authentic. You may be surprised at Edwards's remarkable balance in embracing the genuine enthusiasm in these elements while disavowing that there is definitely no supernatural origin for them. His critique is kind and gentle as he points to the true marks of revival: love and humility.

In The Spirit of Revival, editor Dr. Archie Parrish makes Edwards's entire work accessible by modernizing the text and adding explanatory footnotes. R. C. Sproul's extended Introduction effectively compares Edwards's nineteenth century to our society, and the Preface by Edwards's contemporary, William Cooper, also rings resoundingly to today's church. Edwards's work therefore provides more than just insight into the Great Awakening of his day. It is a map to follow for all revivals in all times and is of abiding value for us today.

"One studies the time and backgrounds of some men in order to understand them. Others have such rare greatness that one studies them in order to understand their times.... Jonathan Edwards was such an original." --Paul Ramsey, editor of Edwards's ethical writings in the Yale critical edition

"No man is more relevant to the present condition of Christianity than Jonathan Edwards." --D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones

"The western church... much of it drifting, enculturated, and infected with cheap grace... desperately needs to hear Edwards' challenge." --Charles Colson

"He speaks with an insight into science and psychology so much ahead of his time that our own can hardly be said to have caught up with him." --Perry Miller, former Harvard historian

"One of the most holy, humble and heavenly minded men that the world has seen since the apostolic age." --Ashbel Green, 1829, former president of the College of New Jersey

"... the profoundest reasoner, and the greatest divine... that America ever produced." --Samuel Davies, 1759

"He was a man who put faithfulness to the Word of God before every other consideration." --Iain Murray, Edwards biographer

"The disappearance of Edwards's [theocentric] perspective in American Christian history has been a tragedy." --Mark Noll, Wheaton College historian

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