Spiritual Affections in Biblical Application and Practice
Scripture distinguishes between natural and spiritual affections, the latter being those emotions and desires renewed by grace and directed toward God and his purposes [1]. The biblical witness consistently calls believers not merely to intellectual assent but to wholehearted devotion—affections supremely set upon God himself (Deuteronomy 6:5; Mark 12:30) [2]. This emphasis appears throughout the canon: the psalmist delights in God's commandments with longing desire (Psalm 119:20, 97, 103, 167), finds the house of God lovely (Psalm 84:1–2), and experiences full spiritual satisfaction in worship (Psalm 63:5) [2, 8].
The Object and Ordering of Christian Affections
Colossians 3:2 commands believers to "set your affections on things above," a directive that requires active engagement of mind, favor, and desire toward heavenly realities [7]. John Gill notes that this involves contemplation, conversation in heaven, and a disregard for what is merely earthly [7]. The affections are not to be diffused equally: Christ claims the first place (Matthew 10:37; Luke 14:26), and where the treasure is, the heart follows [2, 7]. Yet this supreme love for God generates derivative affections—toward God's people (Psalm 16:3; Romans 12:10), toward the worship and house of God (1 Chronicles 29:3; Psalm 26:8), and toward the commandments themselves [2].
The New Testament develops this further by embedding affections within the architecture of Christian virtue. Second Peter 1:7 places "brotherly affection" (philadelphia) as penultimate in a chain leading to love (agape) [4]. Hebrews 13:1 exhorts the church to let this brotherly love continue, a grace for which the Jerusalem believers were known [9, 10]. Matthew Henry identifies this as "that special and spiritual affection which ought to exist among" those united in Christ [10]. The early church embodied this: the multitude of believers in Acts 4:32 were "of one heart, and of one soul," a unity Henry describes as reflecting the church's "age of infancy and innocence" [11].
Affections Enkindled and Tested
Spiritual affections are kindled through communion with Christ—the Emmaus disciples' hearts burned as he opened the Scriptures (Luke 24:32) [2, 6]. Yet these affections are also refined through affliction, which turns believers toward God (Deuteronomy 4:30–31; Hosea 2:6–7), teaches his will (Psalm 119:71), and prevents further departure from him [3]. The exhortation remains: affections must be zealously engaged for God (Psalm 69:9; Galatians 4:18), guarded by knowledge and spiritual perception lest love become ill-judged [2, 5].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Affection — Feeling or emotion. Mention is made of "vile affections" (Rom. 1:26) and "inordinate affection" (Col. 3:5). Christians are exhorted to set their affections on things above (Col. 3:2). There is a distinction between natural and spiritual or gracious affections (Ezek. 33:32).”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Affections, The — Should be supremely set upon God -- De 6:3; Mr 12:30. Should be set Upon the commandments of God. -- Ps 19:8-10; 119:20,97,103,167. Upon the house and worship of God. -- 1Ch 29:3; Ps 26:8; 27:4; 84:1,2. Upon the people of God. -- Ps 16:3; Ro 12:10; 2Co 7:13-15; 1Th 2:8. Upon heavenly things. -- Col 3:1,2. Should be zealously engaged for God -- Ps 69:9; 119:139; Ga 4:18. Christ claims the first place in -- Mt 10:37; Lu 14:26. Enkindled by communion with Christ -- Lu 24:32. Blessedness of making God the object of -- Ps 91:14. Should not grow cold -- P”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Afflictions Made Beneficial — In promoting the glory of God -- Joh 9:1-3; 11:3,4; 21:18,19. In exhibiting the power and faithfulness of God -- Ps 34:19,20; 2Co 4:8-11. In teaching us the will of God -- Ps 119:71; Isa 26:9; Mic 6:9. In turning us to God -- De 4:30,31; Ne 1:8,9; Ps 78:34; Isa 10:20,21; Ho 2:6,7. In keeping us from again departing from God -- Job 34:31,32; Isa 10:20; Eze 14:10,11. In leading us to seek God in prayer -- Jdj 4:3; Jer 31:18; La 2:17-19; Ho 5:14,15; Jon 2:1. In convincing us of sin -- Job 36:8,9; Ps 119:67; Lu 15:16-18. In leading us to con”
- 2 Peter “and in godliness brotherly affection; and in brotherly affection, love. -- 2 Peter 1:7”
- Philippians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Philippians 1:9: The subject of his prayer for them (Phi 1:4). your love--to Christ, producing love not only to Paul, Christ's minister, as it did, but also to one another, which it did not altogether as much as it ought (Phi 2:2; Phi 4:2). knowledge--of doctrinal and practical truth. judgment--rather, "perception"; "perceptive sense." Spiritual perceptiveness: spiritual sight, spiritual hearing, spiritual feeling, spiritual taste. Christianity is a vigorous plant, not the hotbed growth of enthusiasm. "Knowledge" and "perception" guard love from being ill-jud”
- Ecclesiastes (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ecclesiastes 4:11: (See on Kg1 1:1). The image is taken from man and wife, but applies universally to the warm sympathy derived from social ties. So Christian ties (Luk 24:32; Act 28:15).”
- Colossians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Colossians 3:2: Set your affections on things above,.... For unless the affections are set on them, they will never be sought after in a proper manner. The word signifies to mind them, and think on them, to favour and approve of them, to be affectionately desirous of them, and concerned for them; for where the treasure is, the heart should be; and as the saints' best things are above, their minds and affections should be there likewise; their contemplation should be on those things, and their conversation should be in heaven; nor should they regard anything but what is there, or c”
- Psalms (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Psalms 63:5: Full spiritual blessings satisfy his desires, and acts of praise fill his thoughts and time.”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 13 (introduction): EXHORTATION TO VARIOUS GRACES, ESPECIALLY CONSTANCY IN FAITH, FOLLOWING JESUS AMIDST REPROACHES. CONCLUSION, WITH PIECES OF INTELLIGENCE AND SALUTATIONS. (Heb. 13:1-25) brotherly love--a distinct special manifestation of "charity" or "love" (Pe2 1:7). The Church of Jerusalem, to which in part this Epistle was addressed, was distinguished by this grace, we know from Acts (compare Heb 6:10; Heb 10:32-34; Heb 12:12-13). continue--Charity will itself continue. See that it continue with you.”
- Hebrews (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Hebrews 13:1: The design of Christ in giving himself for us is that he may purchase to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Now the apostle calls the believing Hebrews to the performance of many excellent duties, in which it becomes Christians to excel. I. To brotherly love (Heb 13:1), by which he does not only mean a general affection to all men, as our brethren by nature, all made of the same blood, nor that more limited affection which is due to those who are of the same immediate parents, but that special and spiritual affection which ought to exist among the ”
- Acts (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Acts 4:32: We have a general idea given us in these verses, and it is a very beautiful one, of the spirit and state of this truly primitive church; it is conspectus saeculi - a view of that age of infancy and innocence. I. The disciples loved one another dearly. Behold, how good and how pleasant it was to see how the multitude of those that believed were of one heart, and of one soul (Act 4:32), and there was no such thing as discord nor division among them. Observe here, 1. There were multitudes that believed; even in Jerusalem, where the malignant influence of the chief prie”