Jonathan Edwards’s Influence in Sinners in The Hands of an Angry God

Jonathan Edwards is one of the most prominent theologians and preachers in the history of the United States. He has been regarded as one of the most influential philosophers in the field of Protestantism theology as he has published several writings expressing his Christian views on issues such as salvation, eternity, God’s purpose as well as supernatural experiences such as his view and revelation on horrific nature of Hell. He says that Christians should live without waiting for awakening from Christ for them to change and adopt better Christian ways.

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is one of the sermons of Jonathan Edwards, which he often used in teaching his congregation on the realities of hell as from his views and revelations. In his opinion, he says that God has given human beings chances to confess their sins in order to avoid the wrath of hell. Through his writings, Christians understand that the wicked deserve to suffer in hell and that God does not have any obligation to save individuals from hell unless one had a covenant with His son, Jesus Christ. This paper will critically analyze Edwards' works, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, in understanding the teachings and the subjects Edwards discusses.

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God is a sermon that was developed by Jonathan Edwards after his observation on how the society had gone secular. Therefore, he delivered a warning to his congregation that God would punish them harder than how people have been taking it. In his sermon, Edwards uses Deuteronomy 32:35 in expressing that people are risking sliding into sin, a thing that sees them incur higher costs to one’s eternal life. Edwards feels that the way people are living is exposing themselves to the destruction that awaits them in hell, which he views as a place of suffering and danger to human life. He feels that one is liable in avoiding sliding into ways of sin to prevent the destruction. In the sermon, he warns those who have not fallen into sin, cautioning them that God's appointed time has not yet come and that God's power is what was keeping them and that those who will fall God will not rescue them. Edwards insists that God is full of vengeance and that he has the ability to throw individuals in hell failure to obey his commandments as it is provided in the bible and other Christian teachings offered by evangelicals. He insists that God will only punish the wicked as they are viewed as enemies of God. Divine justice of God, as per the understanding of Jonathan Edwards, means infinite punishment of sins through being thrown into hell with no objection. Hell is viewed as a place of condemnation and where those who break the teachings of Gods will be thrown and that no one is immune to such sufferings that exist in hell. The believers are not condemned in any way, according to Edwards (Edwards 6). In the sermons, he describes the nature of flames that awaits the sinners once they slide into the ways of sin and when human beings become disobedient to God’s teachings.

In his explanation of how the hell is, Edwards explains that Satan has been greedy and watching lustfully as Christians commit various sins in their day-to-day activities. Hell is regarded as a place of violence and suffering, which will make one troubled and regret. His description of hell is aimed at making Christians fearful and probably change their ways and uphold godly beliefs. He also aims to shun the effects of secularization in their lives. He gives a comparison of wicked souls and natural phenomena such as troubled sea for his congregation to understand the dangers that await them if they do not change their ways. His teachings call men to be prudent and caring in their lives for them to secure a divine moment with God. Those who reject Christ will escape to hell and be subjected to unending suffering. God will not save them no matter the pains they will be experiencing. He terms those who fall into sin as foolish children of men who often believe in their strengths. That leads them to lose God's grace, which is an essential component in the kingdom of God (Edwards 10).

During the mid-1750s, New England was undergoing some forms of modernity and secularization that was marked by political activism and the rise of other protestant faiths. People had a different interpretation of how Christians should be, as many people had diluted the real version of Christian beliefs. That led to people straying in their faiths (Zakai 1). New Englanders lacked traditional congregationalism, and this led to Jonathan Edwards leading other influential evangelicals joined together in teaching their followers and other people on conforming to real values of Christianity or else suffer the wrath of hell as a punishment by God Himself (Zakai 2). His sermons focused on instilling religious tension to the entire congregation as he described how violent hell was and that God would never forgive sinners. His teachings, however, became unpopular in the world's major cities since they opposed the Anglican beliefs that seemed to entertain some forms of secular beliefs in Europe and other parts of the world. As a way to redeem sinners from the risks of hell, he allowed people who were baptized but not full members of the church to receive holy communion in church, a thing that was unseen in major Christian churches. His sermons on Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God has sealed his outstanding fame on explaining the need to confess and remain in the ways of God to avoid sliding into devilish ways which could thereafter lead to great suffering (Hearn 454).

Different preachers may opt to use different strategies in explaining their sermons to their congregations as well as in helping them abide by the provisions of the teachings. Jonathan Edwards has profoundly used imagery to implicate the peace and mind of his congregation through explaining the nature of hell and how God is full of revenge to those who break from his teachings (Turley 510). In describing Deuteronomy 32:35, Edwards cautions his followers not to slide into hell using words that create images to the audience or the reader of his works. 'The Wrath of God burns against them, their Damnation don’t slumber, the Pit is prepared, the Fire is made ready, the Furnace is now hot, ready to receive them, the Flames do now rage and glow. The glittering Sword is whet, and held over them, and the Pit hath opened her Mouth under them” (Edwards 7). This phrase shows how the wicked will be subjected to eternal fires of hell and expose them to a hard life and other kinds of suffering. Imagery has been used to show how God's punishment is powerful and violent. It has also been used to draw the unforgiving nature of God to those who go against His will.

Edwards, in his sermon, has drawn God as one who is full of vengeance to sinners, unforgiving, angry, and one who is brutal in delivering judgment and punishments. In his view, Edwards comments that God is usually disappointed by men who do not abide by the instructions given by preachers and those outlined in holy scripts such as the bible. Those who do not repent their sins and turn to the ways of God will be subject to extreme punishments (Choinski & Rybicki 351). In the entire sermon, Edwards explains God as one who is unforgiving to those who slide into the ways of the devil. He clearly states that human beings live under the mercy of God, but He cannot deliver them once they fall into the trap of sins. The act of God kicking His children and who are perceived as special creatures in fires of hell without forgiving them explains that God is unforgiving and angry with sinners. He further explains that those in hell are beyond hope, and God may not save them since God wants individuals to repent their sins before their time of death has come (Blue Letter Bible).

According to Jonathan Edwards, sin and hell are closely related since sinning keeps human beings at higher risks of suffering the wrath of God. According to the author of the sermon, God's way of punishing rebels of his word is through fires of hell. He keeps on insisting that God is angrier with people who go against the will and that harsh judgment awaits them in hell (Thomas 65). The sermon relates that if the audience fails to repent their sins and get back to the ways that God wants them to be, then they will suffer in hell. The understanding of sin, in this case, has made the audience develop some fear of facing God's harsh judgments. Edward explains that slip can occur any moment in one's life, no matter how an individual think how strong or healthy he or she is. This encourages the believers to constantly seek forgiveness of sins and renew their covenant with Christ with his established ways. Additionally, Edwards shows that God has made no promise of delivering any sinner from hell, and therefore those who are in hell are bound to living there and suffering there all times in their eternal lives (Morelli, np). The relationship of God and His punishments in this sermon has been explained as harsh since God does not give individuals chances to redeem themselves once they are thrown into the fire of Hell.

The works of Jonathan Edwards are important in modern Christianity in helping Christians understand the nature of God and his attitudes toward sinners (Blue Letter Bible, np). This sermon has influenced how people view eternal life as well as helping believers in conforming to teachings by evangelists of Edwards's caliber. It has also explained the severity of God's judgment since most Christians have perceived God as all-merciful and forgiving using certain parts of the scripture that supports their reasoning (Morelli, np). The message has delivered persuasion among Christians to keep their ways holy for them to experience everlasting love of God.

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God remains one of the most outstanding achievements of Jonathan Edwards in explaining the plight of those who rebel against the will of God. Edwards's use of imagery in describing how the hell has created great fear among believers and has played a vital role in ensuring Christians follow the teachings of preachers in modern society. His work will remain influential in the development of theological studies and in understanding God’s nature and other forms of punishment that God will exercise on those who go against His teachings.