I really enjoyed Jonathan Edwards' "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." When I first started reading it, I was taken aback by the overwhelming tone of Edwards. I resisted his approach in the beginning. It wasn't long before Edwards reeled me in. His sermon is unlike any other that I have ever heard before.
One thing I have always struggled with when it comes to faith, is the fact that people tend to "sugar coat" everything. For me, that is obnoxious. My personality is much different in the sense that I would rather have someone be brutally honest than try and make me feel better. Edwards did this for me. There are some statements he made that I am sure readers/listeners would not appreciate, but I found them to be rather refreshing. One idea I really connected with was the idea of God not owing us anything and having the ability to do whatever He pleases. This means if God doesn't want to keep his promises and send us all to hell, He could do just that.
We talked some in class about what Edwards may have been trying to relay without saying it. I definitely think someone could focus on the negative attitude that seems to be present in this sermon, but I personally believe that Edwards was doing something greater than stating the fact that God could be unfaithful to us if He so desired. Edwards was implying the greatness of God and the love He clearly has for us. That is what pushed me closer to examining my faith and closer to understanding the goodness of the Lord. That is what I loved about Edwards.
Is God Angry? Maybe. Am I a sinner at the hands of God? Absolutely.
I really loved reading your perspective on Edwards, mostly because it reminds me that despite the issues I had with Edwards, there were still good things that he had to say. I certainly do appreciate that Edwards doesn't sugarcoat things. In a culture that's often overwhelmed by a message of "God will solve all your problems and make you wealthy and happy" Edwards' sermon is certainly some much needed perspective on judgment. The thing I don't necessarily agree with is the fact that God doesn't have to keep His promises. I agree that God doesn't owe us anything and that if He so chose, He could simply let us be condemned. Yet I also believe it's part of God's perfect goodness of character that He must keep His word. To do otherwise would imply He is untrustworthy, which I find hard to deal with.
ReplyDelete