An Angry God Thesis

In his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (1741), Jonathan Edwards claims that anyone who is not “born again” is a sinner and is waiting to be thrust down to hell in a state of endless misery and the only way to be saved from this is to become a Puritan. Edwards supports his claim of the Puritan religion being the only saving thing from damnation by explaining how hell is being prepared for those who are not “born again,” that any unconverted are in the hands of an angry God, and then concluding by saying to the people that they have the chance to be saved and live in a happy state, of they are “born again.” His purpose is to illustrate the woe that awaits for those who are not “born again” in order to persuade them to want to be

"God has so many different unsearchable ways of taking wicked men out of the world and sending them to Hell, ..., or go out of the ordinary course of his providence, to destroy any wicked man, at any moment... (Edwards 41). Preacher Jonathan Edwards is saying in his sermon that if they do not get born again God will deal with them in unsearchable ways, He will take them out of the world and send them to Hell. "Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in Hell (Edwards 43). Edwards is trying to persuade the unconverted to be born again. He wants them to think of the danger they are in because they have not been

Jonathan Edwards’s “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” is sermon with the theme sinners will perish in Hell: God is the only person standing between sinners and Hell. From lines 8-13 of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” Edwards writes “The devil is waiting for them, hell is gaping for them, the flames gather and flash about them, and would fain lay hold on them, and swallow them up; the fire pent up in their own hearts in struggling to break out: And they have no interest in

In deliverance of his sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” Jonathan Edwards is able to entice sinners across the globe in a warning that God will be judging their actions, and that the punishments to ensue will be unimaginable to all. The rhetorical situation that is prevalent throughout the text is that following God will allow individuals to live an eternal bliss in Heaven, and those who wish to go against God’s will are to come to terms with an everlasting perdition in Hell. Edwards incorporates many rhetorical devices throughout his sermon, including the use of ethos and pathos to appeal to ethics and emotion. In using logos, Edwards introduces Bible verses to his audience to give credit for the corroboration of his points of

Edwards tone and use of vivid imagery and similes targets his audience's fears. Edwards knows that emotion is a substantial component of religion, so instead of bombarding his audience with tedious information, destined to be ignored and overlooked, he overwhelms them by targeting their fears and anxieties. He creates this trepidation with his negative, urgent tone and descriptions of “God [holding] you over the pit of hell”. His vivid similes of God’s wrath being “like great waters that are dammed”, also help to support his impactful use of pathos. Throughout his sermon, Edwards targets his audience's fears, making them revere God’s wrath and in turn achieve his

Without Edwards dedicating most of his life to trying to interpret God, preachers today would have a tougher time creating a sermon, but his writing talents are also what would backfire on him. His imagery helped show God’s hell, instead of showing God’s beauty. Although before you say Edwards was just an angry man or that he was angry with God you must realize the time it was written. The Great Awakening was a time where people started becoming more concerned with worldly matters. He thought that some people found the pursuit of wealth to be more important than the pursuit of God. People even started suggesting that predestination was wrong and that by doing good works, they could earn their way to heaven. Edwards was furious with that idea and that is why he calls God an “angry judge.” Although Jonathan Edwards had some unorthodox beliefs, he tried to help bring people closer to God. Because of his intense sermons and trying to make people fear God, people today do not understand the context of his work. Jonathan Edwards was an extremely religious man, he was so intense in his beliefs that when people did not share his views it made him angry. I believe he makes God look angry because of his anger towards nonbelievers. For that reason, Jonathan Edwards is one of the most misunderstood Americans in history.

He wants them to feel that they must change their sinning ways or be damned to hell and the eternal lake of fire. Edwards most powerful threat makes his church fear that “they are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but sentence… of God… is gone out against them…” Every listener understands

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” written by Jonathan Edwards is one of the most infamous sermons ever written. I chose this work because I found it to be such a radical sermon full blunt and harsh interpretations of God. Edwards’ work certainly gets his message of “the wrath of God that is expressed in the torments of Hell” to make an impact on his audience, but I do not feel as though he interpreted the judgement and wrath of God in a viable way. Edwards begins his sermon by basically saying everybody will sin it is just a matter of time before it happens. He gives this feeling by quoting Deuteronomy 12:35 “Their foot shall slide in due time.” Another excerpt from Edwards’ piece that frightens his audience into feeling as though God

Jonathan Edward’s Sermon, “Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God”, proposes many questions, such as how Edward’s pictures human nature. Edward preached and pictured human nature with many moving and powerful ways. In his sermon, Jonathan lectures about how human nature is naturally dreadful. Claiming how everybody in the world sins, it’s the corrupt sinners who don’t pray and worship to God who will be emitted to Hell. Jonathan Edwards preaches how the people of our planet must repent our sins, praying to God and asking for forgiveness. If people do not repent their sins or ask for forgiveness, they will be sent to Hell, suffering forever. Edward uses imagery and describes how Hell is resembled. He describes it as a “fiery pit” and how people will “absolutely despair of ever having

In Jonathan Edwards’ sermon, “Sinner in the Hands of an Angry God”, he explains what will happen to a person who has wrongful actions. He continues to talk about Hell, forgiveness, and wickedness. God is angry, he abhors all sinners. No person wants to spend eternity in Hell. Edwards’ imagery is very disturbing.

Edwards preaches of sinners and non-Christians that do not convert going to hell by the hands of God. Edwards states “all that were never born again, and made new creatures, and raised from being dead in sin to a state of new and before altogether unexperienced light and life, you are thus in the hands of an angry God; its nothing but his mere pleasure that keeps you from being this moment swallowed up in everlasting destruction”. Passages like this is the entire sermon. As a Christian we realize that sin is wrong and there are consequences on earth and in heaven if we do not ask God for his forgiveness. What this sermon fails to mention is God knows all humans sin. During this “fire and brimstone” sermon people might have outwardly proclaimed Christianity and having a sin-free life, but they did this out of the fear of God and hell not from the Love of God, the God that sent his son Jesus to die for our sins, because he loves us. Instead of preaching about snakes, burning in hell, terror….to led people to God, a sermon of the love, kindness and the forgiveness of God might have had lasting and genuine effects on his congregation and the community as well. God is our judge not another

Back in 16th and 17th century, reformed protestants thrived to “purify” the Church of England, going to extreme lengths to keep the people authentic to their strict uniform. The quota was that if you didn’t follow the scriptures, then you were bound and destined to go to hell; resulting in the consequence of fear in people. The puritan belief was very draconian towards the believers and members of the church, believing in the idea that man existed for the glory of god and accomplishing it by pushing ecclesiastical purity to the highest level. Jonathan Edwards, a congregationalist preacher, held a sermon called, “In the Hands of an Angry God.” During this lecture, Edwards presses a constant aroma of fear to his audience by telling them that,

Several times the speaker does reference to God as being angry and embraces the idea that the all-powerful would be plaesed in making your soul suffer and burn in hell for the eternity. Edwards says God sees us as spiders being burned on the fire and thinks we are even more abominable to his eyes than the most venemous and hateful snake. In my opinion, Jonathan Edwards adresses the completely wrong way of believing in God. It is completely wrong that God is waiting for the moment to send us to hell, he does not see us as serpents or any animal, he has eyes of love towards us, he wants us to live happily and live in the truth, to find joy and happiness through him, this is completely the opposite of what the speaker tries to put on everyone’s

“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” was able to obtain its desired purpose in 1741 because people believed it was normal to be scared into salvation. People in the 1700’s were scared by the imagery portrayed in Edwards’ sermon. People did not worship God because of his love for them; people worshiped God to prevent themselves from going to Hell. Today, however, Edwards’ sermon would have gotten a very different reaction from a crowd. If this type of sermon was used today, it would push people away from religion. It is better for Christians to set an example for people who do not practice a religion. They need to be shown the omnipotence of God and his love for them, rather than be told that they are going to Hell if they do not change their

In “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Jonathan Edwards expresses his interpretation of who a sinner is and what will become of them. As you look through religions you can see that their idea of God’s personality differs. Some see Him as a loving God, some a God of anger, and some a God who cares nothing of us. Edwards has a rough view of God. He sees Him as a person who is angry and doesn’t quite mention God’s amazing love and mercy.