Questions to check for a converted heart

Are you a nominal Christian? How can you tell? Trevin Wax has shared a very helpful list of questions gleaned from his reading of Jonathan Edwards (the new compact series from Moody Press called The Essential Edwards Collection by Owen Strachan and Doug Sweeney, specifically the volume on True Christianity.

[note on these books: they are well edited, small paperbacks, designed to introduce a whole new generation to America’s greatest theologian. They are highly recommended. pdb]

There, says Trevin, “the authors gather a series of questions to help us discern the true state of our hearts and expose the reality of nominalism.” The big questions (below) are all followed by a sub-list of 5 or 6 questions.

Do you love God?

Do you love the Bible?

Do you love living out and sharing the gospel?

Do you love Christians?

Do you enjoy church and draw nourishment from it?

Does the matter of eternity concern you?

Does the Bible shape your ethics and morals?

The whole thing is here.

Foundation for peace

Without justification it is impossible to have real peace. Conscience forbids it. Sin is a mountain between a man and God, and must be taken away. The sense of guilt lies heavy on the heart, and must be removed. Unpardoned sin will murder peace. The true Christian knows all this well. His peace arises from a consciousness of his sins being forgiven, and his guilt being put away. His house is not built on sandy ground. His well is not a broken cistern, which can hold no water. He has peace with God, because he is justified.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Old Paths, “Justification”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1999], 215.