Fourteen Distinguishing Signs

How can we tell whether a person truly knows and loves God, even whether we do?  

Jonathan Edwards listed fourteen signs that can be counted on as certain evidence of this love, distinguishing signs of truly gracious religious affections.  His wise counsel from his observations of human emotions during times of revival still guides us regarding such matters.

Edwards was the most prominent pastor and theologian of America’s First Great Awakening during the mid-eighteenth century.  Below is his list of fourteen signs that are conclusive in determining one way or the other whether a person has come to a true experience of God’s love in Jesus Christ.

1. Affections that are truly spiritual and gracious, arise from those influences and operations on the heart, which are spiritual, supernatural, and divine.
2. The first objective ground of gracious affections, is the transcendently excellent and amiable nature of divine things, as they are in themselves; and not any conceived relation they bear to self, or self-interest.
3. Those affections that are truly holy, are primarily founded on the moral excellency of divine things.  Or, a love to divine things for the beauty and sweetness of their moral excellency, is the spring of all holy affections.
4. Gracious affections arise from the mind being enlightened rightly and spiritually to apprehend divine things.
5. Truly gracious affections are attended with a conviction of the reality and certainty of divine things.
6. Gracious affections are attended with evangelical humiliation.
7. Another thing, wherein gracious affections are distinguished from others, is, that they are attended with a change of nature.
8. Truly gracious affections differ from those that are false and delusive, in that they naturally beget and promote such a spirit of love, meekness, quietness, forgiveness, and mercy, as appeared in Christ.
9. Gracious affections soften the heart, and are attended with a Christian tenderness of spirit.
10. Another thing wherein those affections that are truly gracious and holy, differ from those that are false, is beautiful symmetry and proportion.
11. Another great and very distinguishing difference is, that the higher gracious affections are raised, the more is a spiritual appetite and longing of soul after spiritual attainments increased:  on the contrary, false affections rest satisfied in themselves.
12. Gracious and holy affections have their exercise and fruit in Christian practice.
13. Christian practice or holy life, is a manifestation and sign of the sincerity of a professing Christian, to the eye of his neighbors and brethren.
14. Christian practice is a distinguishing and sure evidence of grace to persons’ own consciences.

See also Twelve Uncertain Signs.