Themes: The Immediate Danger of Damnation
Edwards begins by saying that the text he has chosen to expound upon in his sermon is Deuteronomy 32.35:
Their Foot shall slide in due Time.
This relates to God’s punishment of the wicked. The wicked are in constant danger of destruction, as “he that walks in slippery Places is every Moment liable to fall”—and when he does fall, he does so without warning. The only reason that Edwards’s hearers have not fallen and are not in hell already is that it is not yet “due Time,” the time appointed by God.
Edwards points out that God has infinite power, so he can clearly cast wicked people into hell whenever he wants. In this, God is not like an earthly prince, who may have difficulty in subduing a rebel. God does not depend on the number of his followers or on any other temporal factor for his power: he has infinite power in and of himself, and there is no way for anyone to guard against it.
There is no Fortress that is any Defence from the Power of God.
Not only that, but the Devil is poised “to fall upon them [the wicked] and seize them as his own, at what Moment God shall permit him,” since they already belong to the Devil by right.
Edwards spends much of the sermon countering the feeling of security that his listeners may have because they do not appear to be in immediate peril. He does this by emphasizing that there are many different sources of danger, any one of which may cast them into hell without notice. It may be that, as far as people can see, no means of imminent death are at hand—but this is because they cannot see very far. “The manifold and continuous Experience of the World in all Ages, shews that this is no Evidence that a Man is not on the very Brink of Eternity”; the next step, therefore, may take any of us into another world. “The Arrows of Death fly unseen at Noon-Day,” Edwards says, and the sharpest sight is unable to discern them.
There are any number of ways in which people may immediately die in their sins and be cast into hell. Edwards describes the sinner as hanging “by a slender Thread, with the Flames of divine Wrath flashing about it.” Much of the powerful energy and imagery of the sermon is devoted to this theme; Edwards clearly regards it as his primary mission to pierce the complacency of his listeners and awake them to a sense of their imminent danger. This must be accomplished in order for them to become sufficiently receptive to his other messages, including his final argument concerning the opportunity for salvation.
Expert Q&A
What is the purpose of Edwards's metaphor "the bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string?"
Edwards's purpose in the expression “the bow of God's wrath is bent, and the arrow made ready on the string” is to provoke a sense of urgency among the members of his congregation. He wants his audience to realize that God can take action against sinners at any time he chooses.
According to the sermon, what constant threat do all human beings face?
According to the sermon, the constant threat all human beings face is wickedness, which incurs God's wrath. This wickedness is seen in those who reject God's grace or live in spiritual indifference. It is believed that this inherent wickedness and the potential for eternal damnation are always present, and only through God's grace can humans hope to avoid this fate. It is therefore essential to embrace and focus on God, particularly through unwavering faith in Jesus Christ.
In Edward's view, what must sinners do to avoid God's wrath?
According to Jonathan Edwards, sinners must seek salvation through Christ with humble hearts to avoid God's wrath. In his sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," Edwards emphasizes the precariousness of human security and the constant threat of hell for the unconverted. He uses vivid imagery to convey the urgency of conversion, portraying unconverted sinners as walking over a fragile covering above hell. Edwards's message serves as a wake-up call to inspire genuine religious conversion.
What parts of Edwards' "Sinners" sermon could have caused listeners to cry out and faint?
The intense emotional impact of Edwards' sermon likely arose from his vivid imagery of humanity's precarious state, such as being dangled over a fiery pit. More frightening, however, was his portrayal of an angry God, provoked by human sinfulness, who holds mankind like a "loathsome insect" and possesses "floods of vengeance." This depiction of God's wrath, combined with the notion that only this wrathful deity offers hope, could have distressed listeners profoundly.
Why does Edwards think some of his congregation doesn't fear Hell?
What themes can be deduced from the following quotation?
"The God that holds you over the pit of Hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath toward you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire."
What is the meaning of the following quote from "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"?
"We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that anything hangs by; thus easy is it for God when he pleases to cast his enemies down to hell...."
This quote from "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" by Jonathan Edwards emphasizes the ease with which God can punish sinners, paralleling it to how humans effortlessly crush insects or destroy spider webs. Edwards uses this imagery to highlight human insignificance and the potential for divine wrath, suggesting that just as humans disregard small creatures, God can easily cast his enemies into hell. Ultimately, it serves as a call for repentance and faith in God.
According to Edwards, what do listeners mistakenly believe prevents them from falling into hell?
Listeners of Edwards' sermon mistakenly believe their own prudence, care, and actions can prevent them from falling into hell. Edwards argues that this is a false belief, as only God's will and pleasure keep them from damnation. He emphasizes that without experiencing a genuine conversion of faith, no personal wisdom or schemes can save them from the fiery pit of hell. Ultimately, Edwards asserts that salvation is solely in God's hands, not in human efforts.
Why does Edwards give a vivid description of hell?
In "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," what is Edwards's view on those who seem "moral and strict"?
Jonathan Edwards argues that even those who appear "moral and strict" are not assured salvation unless they are "born again" through God's grace. He emphasizes that human efforts at moral living and religious practice cannot guarantee salvation, as only God's grace can save individuals. Edwards warns against self-assurance in one's moral and religious life, highlighting that relying solely on personal piety is spiritually dangerous without a transformative rebirth in Christ.
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