Jonathan Edwards Journal

Tanya Barragan
Scott Lankford
English 48A

Jonathan Edwards

11/22/2011

AUTHOR’S QUOTE

“He looks upon you as worthy of nothing else to be cast into the fire; He is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in His sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in His eyes than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended Him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but His hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment.” (431)

INTERNET QUOTE

“But no high school kid is ever asked to wrestle with what Edwards was wrestling with as a pastor. When you read "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," you see quickly that Edwards was not falling into this kind of language by accident. He was laboring as a pastor to communicate a reality that he saw in Scripture and that he believed was infinitely important to his people. ”

http://www.desiringgod.org/resourcelibrary/biographies/the-pastor-as-theologian

SUMMARY

Jonathan Edwards writes, in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God about the destruction of evil. But he writes in details that explain that no matter how bad a person is that all the bad things that they do, will catch up with them and they will be doomed to hell. But its just not about them going to hell, it’s about what they do get into hell. Those who follow the way of life that Christ wants them to live and even if there is suffering, will not go to hell. He writes about planning a better life and the ones who think that they can do bad and still plan, hoping that they will escape from the waters of hell; really are not escaping, what they have coming to them. He basically says that God holds they true eternal key to life and if you live a life that is they he wants; it will set you free, but if you are given the chance to live and live a life that is bad; he may let you live but regardless in the end, your destination awaits you in hell.

YOUR IDEAS/REACTIONS/RESPONSES TO THE AUTHOR’S IDEAS

Wow, there were so many ideas that I got from Edwards, but I will stick with the main ones that I got from him. What I got from Edwards is he wanted to let his congregation know, of the evils that prevail and the consequences that would arise form them. He meant hell! I got and to me it only made sense, if you read Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God that there would be punishment to those who were sinners and not only that, those who thought they could get away with sinning and the punishment would end in hell. I also got from his ideas that there was hope for those who did follow the way of Christ/God and to keep following; so they don’t end up in hell.

There were a few reactions that I for from Edwards. The first reaction was wow this man is telling those who are sinners that hell is their place and there is no hope from what they had done. I thought this was putting fear and his beliefs into his congregation and telling them this was the only way; I really didn’t like that. I didn’t like the fact that he used God and said that he would laugh and mock those who cry to him who need help (433). I may not be a religious person but I do believe in God and always thought that God forgave people and was someone who would not laugh when someone is crying; even of their place was in hell, he wouldn’t do that; all this made me confused and mad. However, I did realize and looked at the fact that Edwards was pastor and this was the way he thought and I can’t get mad because a lot of what he was saying was from the bible and people follow the bible. I don’t think all that comes from the bible is right, but I can’t get mad at those who believe in what they believe in. The fact is a lot of what he was saying I did like, except for that God would laugh and mock.

I really though that Edwards ideas were interesting. The quote that I used was an example of what he was saying how important God was to a person’s life and how he watches them and all their bad that they are doing. He is the one hurting from it and in the end he must cast them into hell because of their sins. But it is something that he doesn’t want to do, but has to do. I liked how he said that no matter what bad someone does, God is holding their hand and hoping to guide them into a better life. But he will guide every person, holding their hand into whatever path they chose for there life.

The quote form the internet is quoting the similar quote that chose. It is example to look beyond what Edwards is saying because there is a lot more to look at. The fact that he was a pastor and what he believed in were his beliefs that he felt. I think this says a lot about Edwards and his ideas because; you may see and read one thing but there could be much more to it. I know that’s how I read some parts and then looked again.