Formed for the Glory of God: Learning from the Spiritual Practices of Jonathan Edwards

by Kyle Strobel

At the moment of salvation one is united to Christ. This union is by the Spirit and can never be lost. It is a static reality. Communion, on the other hand, is dynamic.[9] Our lives, particularly the sin in our lives, can affect communion. Communion is a relational term explaining our experience of God. Importantly, even if we do not experience communion with Christ (maybe because of sin), that does not mean that we are not united to Christ. Union is unwavering because of the gratuitous grace of God. Therefore, the path we are on is a path of love as it is a path to heaven. The way is “uphill”—it is a way of ascent—but that is not in reference to “getting to God” or “becoming perfect.” Ascension is a way to denote the closeness of our relationship with God in Christ.