The subject of beauty connected to God was at the center of biblical thinking in the past and thus at the center of living the Christian life. Unfortunately, beauty is a topic that can sound strange to modern ears when speaking about God. Whatever the reason for this phenomenon, the idea of what those in older theological traditions call the beatific vision needs to be revisited as one deals honestly with the God who created humanity for himself and his glory. The main argument of this paper is that the subject of beauty is missing today in Christian conversation about God and, specifically, in the understanding of sanctification. A person is saved once their eyes have been opened to the beauty of Christ. Yet, the beatific vision continues as Christians move forward in sanctification. It is thus crucial to this process that the believer sees the sight of something better in the continual fight against sin through a vision by faith based on God’s revelation of himself in Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit. This process of transformation happens in union with Christ and abiding in him, enabling participation in the same love, happiness, and grace of the Triune God, who is most beautiful. To put it more simply, the beauty of Christ is the Christian’s lighthouse as they seek to grow in holiness. Or, to put it more boldly, the believer is ultimately sanctified by beauty, the often-missing drive in speaking about sanctification.
The method this paper will use to bring out the missing drive of the beauty of God in sanctification will first start by establishing the foundation of sanctification by looking specifically at the doctrine in its definition, tensions, and debates. The drive of sanctification will also be covered in looking at sanctification and its connection to the beatific vision while also discussing the beauty of the Trinity, the ground of all beauty, happiness, and obedience. Second, the paper will turn to the outworking of sanctification in seeing the importance of relationship in union with the One who is most magnificent, looking specifically at happiness, which is the outcome of the pursuit of beauty as found in God, and then look to obedience as the overflow of a relationship with the God. Third and finally, the research will turn to practical aspects of the pursuit of beauty in sanctification and the necessity of faith, as well as help in the journey and application of the argument of this paper in valuing true beauty in a sexualized world. The paper will conclude by looking at the purpose of seeking beauty in God, his glory.
The research of this paper will begin with the works of Jonathan Edwards, which are found in both the Yale Works (Works of Jonathan Edwards) and the Yale online database (Works of Jonathan Edwards Online). There will also be interaction with his ideas concerning Scripture in observing how Edwards comes to the conclusions that he posits, as well as work within the corpus of soteriological studies that deal with sanctification. This research will also look to other Edwards scholars to see how to understand the work of this American theologian, all the while trying to be faithful to his theology and thinking in gaining help on this crucial doctrine. The paper will limit itself to how Edwards can aid in the theological conversation today, particularly on the beatific vision as it connects to the doctrine of sanctification.