Doubtless there is true religion in heaven. Heaven’s religion, indeed, is absolutely pure and perfect. According to the pictures of heaven Scripture gives us, its religion consists mainly in love and joy, expressed in the most fervent and exalted praises. Now, the religion of the saints in heaven is the religion of earthly saints made perfect. Grace here is the dawn of glory hereafter. Texts such as 1 Corinthians 13 prove this. So if the religion of heaven is a religion of emotion, all true religion must be a religion of emotion.
The way to learn the true nature of anything is to go where that thing is found in its purity. We must therefore raise our minds to heaven, if we would know what true religion is. This is because all who are truly spiritual are not of this world. They are strangers here, and belong to heaven. They are born from above, and heaven is their native country. The nature which they receive from their heavenly birth is a heavenly nature. The life of true religion in the believer’s heart is a seed of the religion of heaven, and God prepares us for heaven by conforming us to it. So if heaven’s religion is one of emotion, ours on earth must be too.
*Excerpted from The Experience That Counts by Jonathan Edwards (Christian Heritage, 2016).
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