Jonathan Edwards on Revival: Part Two

Jonathan Edwards on Revival: Part One.

Few topics ignite the imagination of the church like the word revival. In times of spiritual intensity, the church instinctively asks: Is this the work of God? Large gatherings, viral testimonies, and widespread emotion can make us feel as if God is truly at work. The question is as old as the Christian community itself, and perhaps no figure from church history helps us answer it more clearly than Jonathan Edwards, the theologian-pastor at the center of the First Great Awakening in the eighteenth century.

Edwards lived through a revival so intense that entire towns were shaken, thousands were converted, and daily life in New England was transformed for years. Yet he also witnessed emotional extremes, doctrinal confusion, moral failures, and spiritual excess. He saw the glory and the chaos. He saw the genuine and the counterfeit—often mixed in the same event.

In response, Edwards wrote some of the most penetrating reflections on revival ever produced, especially in his work The Distinguishing Marks of a Work of the Spirit of God. One of his most enduring contributions was to identify certain “neutral signs” in a revival. These signs often accompany genuine revival but do not, in themselves, prove that God is at work. These signs may appear in a true awakening, in a counterfeit movement, or even in secular mass events. They are phenomena, not proof.

In a modern world where videos of large gatherings circulate online and revival reports spread instantly, Edwards’ counsel is indispensable. The following article explores these eight neutral events and explains why they cannot be used as decisive indicators of authentic revival.

1. Unusual Activity or Uncommon Results

Edwards observed that revivals often bring intense, sudden, or unusual spiritual activity. People may repent openly, crowds may gather spontaneously, or spiritual conversations may erupt everywhere. These extraordinary patterns can be striking. But Edwards insisted they prove nothing by themselves.

Unusual events can occur:

• In political movements

• In social upheavals

• In cultural trends

• In emotionally charged concerts or rallies

Unusual does not automatically mean supernatural.

What matters is not the strangeness of the results but the substance of the fruit. Edwards wisely warned that the church must avoid both extremes: dismissing something because it is unusual, and embracing it because it is unusual.

Many modern reports of revival focus on the extraordinary—the size of the crowds, the unique atmosphere, or the suddenness of the events. Edwards would caution us to look deeper.

2. Physical Effects: Tears, Trembling, Groans, Shouts

During the Awakening, observers noted people crying out, shaking, fainting, or crying tears of repentance. Edwards acknowledged these reactions without embarrassment—but he refused to treat them as proof of revival.

Human emotions express themselves in the body:

• Fear may cause trembling

• Joy may cause tears

• Conviction may produce groans

• Awe may render a person speechless

These reactions are normal human responses, not reliable signs of spiritual authenticity.

Edwards went even further: physical reactions may accompany deep spiritual work, but they may also arise from psychological factors, crowd dynamics, or emotional suggestion. In our era of viral videos, most “proofs of revival” shared online involve the physical reactions of participants. But Edwards would gently remind us that the body cannot authenticate the Spirit.

3. Widespread Publicity or Large Attention

Revival often attracts public attention—sometimes overwhelmingly so. Edwards watched as news of conversions spread rapidly from town to town. Preachers became famous. Letters circulated. The colonies buzzed with reports of God’s work.

But publicity, Edwards argued, is neutral. A true work of God may be widely known, but so may a false movement, a political frenzy, or a cultural spectacle.

In the digital age, Christian events can gain attention for reasons that have little to do with God—emotional appeal, novelty, controversy, or social media algorithms. Attention is neither proof nor disproof. It is simply a platform upon which discernment must operate.

4. Heightened Imagination Among the People

Edwards recognized that during intense spiritual seasons, human imagination can be stirred. People may have vivid mental impressions, dramatic emotional experiences, or mental images they interpret as spiritual.

But imagination is a natural human capacity. It can be influenced by:

• Emotional intensity

• Fear or hope

• Expectations set by leaders

• Cultural symbolism

• Group psychology

Edwards warned sternly against relying on imaginations, visions, or impressions as confirmation of God’s activity. Revival may inflame the imagination, but the imagination cannot authenticate revival.

5. Widespread Conviction of Sin

One of the most striking features of the First Great Awakening was the widespread sense of guilt people felt for their sins. Entire communities came under conviction. This often leads modern Christians to assume that deep guilt is itself a sign of revival.

But Edwards placed this phenomenon in the “neutral” category. Why?

Because guilt can arise from:

• Emotional pressure

• Fear of judgment

• Rhetorical persuasion

• Cultural shame

• Group influence

True conviction of sin leads to repentance and transformation. But guilt alone—especially when it produces despair or self-loathing—is not necessarily the work of God. Authentic repentance is a spiritual act produced by grace, not merely a psychological experience.

6. Occasional Errors, Confusion, or Demonic Deception

When God is working powerfully, the enemy opposes the work. Edwards saw this firsthand. He observed that revival seasons sometimes include:

• Confusion

• Errors in doctrinal judgment

• Excesses of enthusiasm

• Subtle deceptions

• Spiritual warfare

Yet he insisted that these problems do not invalidate the work itself. Just as weeds grow alongside wheat, error may arise in the midst of true revival.

Modern believers often assume that a single instance of false prophecy or misguided decision discredits an entire movement. Edwards takes a more nuanced view. A revival can be genuine even when human weakness and demonic resistance intermingle with divine activity.

What matters is not the absence of error, but the presence of truth and fruit.

7. Moral Failures of Leaders or Influential Figures

One of Edwards’ most surprising points is that even if a leader falls into sin, this does not necessarily mean the revival itself is false. The moral collapse of ministers during the Awakening was both devastating and confusing to witnesses.

But Edwards carefully distinguished between:

• The personal sins of individuals

• The corporate work of God

A fallen leader does not negate the entire movement, just as a godly leader cannot validate a false one. Revival is defined by the Spirit’s work on the people, not the perfection of its leaders.

In modern contexts, where leaders of large Christian events sometimes fail publicly, Edwards’ perspective protects us from oversimplified judgments.

8. Strong Emphasis on the Holiness and Judgment of God

During revival, preachers often proclaim the holiness of God with unusual clarity and boldness. This was especially true in Edwards’ day, culminating in his famous sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.

But Edwards insisted that the theme of holiness and judgment does not itself prove revival. Many religious movements—true and false—emphasize moral seriousness. Even non-Christian groups may stress discipline, judgment, or moral reform.

What matters is whether such preaching is joined to the gospel, produces humility, and leads to love for Christ.

Conclusion: Why the Neutral Signs Matter

Edwards’ list of neutral signs serves the modern church in two essential ways:

1. They prevent gullibility. They stop believers from assuming that excitement, emotion, publicity, or unusual phenomena are proof that God is moving.

2. They prevent cynicism. They also stop believers from rejecting every movement where emotions run high, errors occur, or publicity follows.

In a world filled with livestreamed worship nights, viral testimonies, and well-produced events, the church must go beyond surface-level assessments. Edwards teaches us to seek a deeper and more enduring test—one rooted not in the spectacular, but in the spiritual.

The question is not whether something is loud, exciting, emotional, or unusual. The question is whether it bears the fruit of God.

My next article explores the five scriptural evidences that indicate a genuine work of the Holy Spirit.