Jonathan Edwards

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God by Johnathan Edwards
http://www.piney.com/JonEdwSinHands.html

"They are already under a sentence of condemnation to hell. They do not only justly deserve to be cast down thither, but the sentence of the law of God, that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between him and mankind, is gone out against them, and stands against them; so that they are bound over already to hell. John 3:18. "He that believeth not is condemned already." So that every unconverted man properly belongs to hell; that is his place; from thence he is, John 8:23. "Ye are from beneath:" And thither he is bound; it is the place that justice, and God's word, and the sentence of his unchangeable law assign to him."

Reaction:
The speaker of this sermon feels that all who are non believers in God are condemned to hell. He believes that all wicked men will fall to destruction and their souls will perish when God decides it is time for them to do so. However I feel that this is ignorant and that the speaker is not being acceptant of others who may have different ideas about faith than he does. I understand that this sermon is a reflection of the speakers own opinions but with all the different cultures and religions it seems as though he is being narrow minded. There is anger evoked in this sermon because the speaker feels that all men should bow to the power of God. I agree with the speaker in the sense that people often consider themselves supreme to others and provide to themselves a false sense of confidence, wisdom, and power.


Diary:

8 October

Today is Sunday. I went to the church to listen to father preach. He becomes a different man in the church than he is at home. When he begins to talk about those in our town who have chosen to not convert themselves to Christ it makes his face turn red with anger. Their is no doubt in his mind that all of the people who have not accepted the Lord will perish. Some people applaud others shout amen. I sit quietly in the pew and listen to Father. Sometime I do not agree with his remarks but I shall never let him know. He constantly preaches that the Lord is going to bring the destruction upon of all the non believers and that they are wicked people who will go to hell. If I ever hinted that I do not believe what he preaches I should probably never be allowed to return home. I have heard of the countries across the sea, across europe who have different cultures than us in America. They dont believe in God however they are not wicked people.