Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
Journal Entry #1
In “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, it talked about us being sinners and God was very angry with all of us. It would say things like “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over a fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked.” I think that through out this story Edwards is trying to say that since we sin very many times, God gets kind of on edge with us, but he keeps on holding us over hell and doesn’t let us fall in because he is a great God, but once you do something that seriously provokes Him, he may drop you into Hell. This was my interpretation of the story though, I was a little bit confused about it. There are many comparisons throughout the story such as the quote I mentioned earlier, where humans are compared to spiders or an unwanted insect. Our wickedness is compared to the weight of lead, and that weighs us downward towards Hell. Our prudence, healthy constitution, and contrivance are compared to a spiders web saying that those things will keep you from Hell just as well as a spider would stop a falling rock. God’s Wrath is compared to a bent bow, arrow ready on the string, bends the arrow, and strains the bow, but God keeps it from shooting without any obligation. His wrath is also compared to a burning fire. The passage reveals that Edwards view of the relationship between humans and God, is that it is a very angry, provoking, but loving relationship all at the same time. God has a choice to just drop us into Hell and be done with us and all of our sinning but he chooses not to because he loves us that much.
In “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, it talked about us being sinners and God was very angry with all of us. It would say things like “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider or some loathsome insect over a fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked.” I think that through out this story Edwards is trying to say that since we sin very many times, God gets kind of on edge with us, but he keeps on holding us over hell and doesn’t let us fall in because he is a great God, but once you do something that seriously provokes Him, he may drop you into Hell. This was my interpretation of the story though, I was a little bit confused about it. There are many comparisons throughout the story such as the quote I mentioned earlier, where humans are compared to spiders or an unwanted insect. Our wickedness is compared to the weight of lead, and that weighs us downward towards Hell. Our prudence, healthy constitution, and contrivance are compared to a spiders web saying that those things will keep you from Hell just as well as a spider would stop a falling rock. God’s Wrath is compared to a bent bow, arrow ready on the string, bends the arrow, and strains the bow, but God keeps it from shooting without any obligation. His wrath is also compared to a burning fire. The passage reveals that Edwards view of the relationship between humans and God, is that it is a very angry, provoking, but loving relationship all at the same time. God has a choice to just drop us into Hell and be done with us and all of our sinning but he chooses not to because he loves us that much.