颜无暮 發表於 16-10-4 07:16:42

The Inspiration of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" is a sermon written by Christian theologian Jonathan Edwards, and in his sermon, he tries to describe God's anger and the  horrors of hell. So, the whole sermon is emotional. He tried to prove that God is powerful, he can punish us when he is angry, but he doesn’t punish our sin, so we should confess to him before it’s too late. From showing us the three imagery: spider over a fire, purer eyes of God and wide bottomless pit.
        In Edwards’ sermon, he described “the God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider” (154). This is a metaphor which means God is authority and rage, we are just like spiders small and weak. “They have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it.” (154) That means sinners deserved their sin. In Edwards' view, he stresses God’s mercy and encouraging his audience to struggle for forgiveness in God’s eyes at the same time. Edwards makes his audience feel fear and the sensation of lowliness for read this part.
He also described “a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God.” (156) That means the bottomless pit is dreadful, and the punish is uncharitable. In order to render this atmosphere more effective, he indicates: “You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder;” (156) Edwards utilizes this approach advocate about what he believes to be God’s fury and make the congregation aware how formidable the God's punishment is.
God’s pure eyes indicate kindness: “He is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight.” (154), that way he composes God's pure, because God is angry, and he can’t bear sinner, so God doesn’t want to see them. In comparison, Edwards wrote about God is angry, but we think God is kind. As an illustration, “You are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours.” (154) This quote from this sermon shows that we are sinners, and God has forgiven us.
We should confess to God before it’s too late, and the author tried hard to show us God’s angry. Because we are sinners, God still didn’t decide to make us go to hell right now, even he is angry at our sin and powerful enough, therefore, we should repent and confess to Christ.
頁: [1]
檢視完整版本: The Inspiration of “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”