Twelve Uncertain Signs

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

Jonathan Edwards listed twelve signs that we often take as certain evidence of this love, but in reality are no sure 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 twelve signs that are inconclusive in determining one way or the other whether a person has come to a true experience of God’s love in Jesus Christ.

1. It is no sign, one way or other, that religious affections are very great, or raised very high.
2. It is no sign that affections have the nature of true religion, or that they have not, that they have great effects on the body.
3. It is no sign that affections are truly gracious, or that they are not, that they cause those who have them, to be fluent, fervent, and abundant in talking of religious things.
4. It is no sign that affections are gracious, or that they are otherwise, that persons did not excite them by their own endeavors.
5. It is no sign that religious affections are truly holy and spiritual, or that they are not, that they come to the mind in a remarkable manner with texts of Scripture.
6. It is no evidence that religious affections are saving, or that they are otherwise, that there is an appearance of love in them.
7. Persons having religious affections of many kinds, accompanying one another, is not sufficient to determine whether they have any gracious affections or no.
8. Nothing can certainly be determined concerning the nature of the affections, that comforts and joys seem to follow in a certain order.
9. It is no certain sign that affections have in them the nature of true religion, or that they have not, that they dispose persons to spend much time in religion, and to be zealously engaged in the external duties of worship.
10. Nothing can be certainly known of the nature of religious affections, that they much dispose persons with their mouths to praise and glorify God.
11. It is no sign that affections are right, or that they are wrong, that they make persons exceeding confident.
12. Nothing can be certainly concluded concerning the nature of religious affections, that the relations persons give of them, are very affecting.

See also Fourteen Distinguishing Signs.