Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Of what does Edwards believe his congregation is not sensible in "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God"?

"Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" centers around a sermon that Jonathan Edwards delivered to a group of people who he believed to be complacent and comfortable. He gave the speech to the congregation on July 8, 1741 in Enfield, Connecticut.
In the longest and most important part of the sermon, in which Edwards speaks directly to members of the congregation who are unable to sense their sinful fate, he tries to awaken people who seem to not realize the greatness, power, and holiness of God, but instead focus on their own accomplishments and status in society. He wants to stir up the souls of those who believe their own responsibility and determination has caused their success. Edwards reminds them that unless they experience a transforming, soulful phenomenon as they worship God, they are still sinners in the hands of an angry God and cannot be saved and sent to Heaven.
So Edwards believes the congregation has not sensed what it means to be a believer of the soul, spirit, and God's greatness before themselves, to humble themselves, and to realize that the church attendance, family traditions, and good moral behavior they exhibit is not enough to be saved or to go to Heaven.

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