Incidental human emotions
Thoughts vs Emotions in the economy of God:
Notice that in Roms 8:6-8 when Paul, in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, describes the spiritually dead, hostile toward God sinner, he describes him as one whose “mind is set on the flesh”. Paul didn’t even offer an acknowledgement of human emotions or feelings. He makes reference to one thing – man’s rational mind. Why? In considering the possibility of “Why?”, it is eternally significant to be ever mindful of the fact that Paul faithfully wrote exactly what the Holy Spirit of God Sovereignly directed him to write (Ps 19:1-6,7-11; II Tim 3;16-17; II Ptr 1: 19-21). That said, consider that the Holy Spirit didn’t inspire Paul to include anything about human emotions in his description of sinful man’s attitude toward God because, in the created plan & economy of God, human emotions were and are “incidental”. This is not to say that they don’t exist, that they aren’t real, that they are bad, or that they should be denied, etc., but, that they are “incidental” in the sense that, in God’s created order, they were never intended to have any bearing or influence on man’s thinking, decision making or conduct. As created by God, each believer is commanded, by the Holy Spirit’s immutably faithful enabling grace, to keep his or her emotions, thru obedient control of his or her thinking (Gal 5:22-23; II Cor 10:3-5; II Ptr 1:3-4,5-7), in proper relationship to & with Godly, righteous thinking. When, as faithful obedient believers, they do so, then their emotions will be a meaningful, good blessing in accordance with God’s intended good and perfect order & purpose. The glorious truth of the uniqueness of every individual ever created by God as revealed in Ps 139:14-16(all) obviously includes human emotions as ordained by God.
Ps 139:14-16: “14 I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the depths of the earth; 16 Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; and in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when yet there was not one of them.”
JGW, 8/13/2021(revised/expanded 2/22, jgw).
From a letter to Sally Jones from Thomas Charles (11/18/1780) in his attempt to win her hand in marriage (which he did in 1783). Charles was the leader of the WCM secession from the Church of England (Welsh Calvinistic Methodist) and played a key role in the development of the Sunday School movement in Wales.
“And I am still more satisfied that this regard (he speaks of his love for her) is not so much from blind passion as from clear conviction. Passions are unsteady things: they are no sooner excited but they subside again and cannot be depended upon, but what proceeds from conviction is likely to be lasting. Passions are blind and dangerous leaders, but when they faithfully follow conviction they preserve their proper place and are not amiss ….”
Jonathan Edwards rightly distinguished the difference between “affections” and “emotions”. Edwards defined “affections” as “strong inclinations of the soul that are manifested in thinking, feeling, and acting.” He further clarified his definition by stating “The difference between affections and emotions are that “affections” are 1) long-lasting, 2) deep, 3) consistent with beliefs, 4) always result in action, and 5) involve mind, will, and feelings. “Emotions”, on the other hand, are 1) fleeting, 2) superficial, 3) sometimes overpowering, 4) often unable to produce action, and 5) often disconnected from mind and will.”
Edwards description of “affections” in essence describes the response, to Christ, of the new believers new, God given, indestructible heart of tender loving flesh for God in all of His Trinitarian majesty & glory. It is this response of unfeigned “affection” that Christ testified to in Jn 14:15,21,23, as being the foundational evidence of true love for Christ – “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Jn 14:15; “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and disclose Myself to him.” Jn 14:21; “Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our abode with him.” Jn 14:23. What then, is true evidence of love for Christ? Unfeigned, unashamed, unceasing “affectionate” love of & for Christ that produces a life of diligent, consistent, joyful obedience of Christ – I Jn 1:9-10; 2:1-3,4,5-6,15-17; 5:18.(jgw)