Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God By Jonathon Edwards

He depicts God as frightening, and authoritative over human fate. Furthermore, Edwards believes this so strongly he wants sinners to change their horrible ways. Although Edwards acknowledges God is in control of fate, humans can stop themselves from going to hell through one way. If humans stop sinning God, will be less likely to have further reasons to want to send them to hell. Sinners at the Hands of an Angry God creates this view through several elements in the recorded sermon. Firstly, the text is interactive for both the readers and audience. Edwards’s persistent use of the word you especially make the text personal. Secondly, several literary devices in Edward’s text create a well-written and frightening warning to sinners. As well, it emphasizes and reminds the readers or audience that God is in charge of eternal fate. Overall, Edwards’s beliefs on providence and afterlife stay with the readers due this. The sermon provides vivid clear images for its

Edwards use of repetition and diction to build up the concept that God is an angry one by mentioning, “Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation”. By choosing to repeat the word “yea” in the beginning of his statements, he is able to assure the audience that his perspective is right, which in turn influences them as his assertive tone establishes himself as a more credible character as he seems confident in his statements. Furthermore, the ambiguity when mentioning the sinners on earth, allows the audience to believe that they are not part of these statistics, in which he uses to make the people vulnerable as he references those in the sermon to be some of the many God is angry with. As a result of juxtaposing a much larger world to the people in the gathering, this enforces an idea that nobody is safe as even in their close proximity there are many who have earned God’s wrath. His use of repetition is also seen as he introduces “that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between

Jonathan Edwards, the author of “from Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, uses syntactic techniques to accomplish his purpose of his intended audience, the “unconverted”. Edwards informs his “unconverted” audience that God is “angry” (Page 1 Line 8) with them, as it is repeated numerous times throughout the sermon. He also informs his audience on how to be unconverted and change to converted. Along with informing, Edwards also persuades his unconverted audience to become converted.

The 1730’s was a time of revival in religion. Most people in this era were illiterate so information transfer was mainly done orally. Rev. Jonathan Edwards’ sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” utilizes strong imagery and fiery words for conveyance of meaning from the bible. Edwards uses tone and different forms of parallelism to emphasize as well as coerce his audience into accepting Christ. The use of pathos and ethos allows Edwards to portray himself as a savior in order to command the congregation to follow his lead onto the path of righteousness.

The priest of a Puritan church in 1744, Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, motivates his congregation to fully convert to Puritanism through the use of fear. Edwards’s purpose is to persuade his audience to change their ways and to commit to the Puritan way of life in order to achieve salvation. He adopts an accusatory tone in order to forewarn his congregation of the wrath of God they will face for their sins if they do not repent. Edwards begins by establishing that “natural men,” or those who have not been reborn religiously, are no better in the eyes of God than those already in Hell, and have the same fate awaiting them (Edwards, 46).

In the sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (1741), Congregational minister Jonathan Edwards asserts that people who do not believe in God will be miserable and have an unfortunate life after death. Edwards backs this claim up by depicting God’s wrath continuously throughout as well as giving a warning to those who disobey Him. Edwards’s purpose is to inform the people that God is responsible for their life and future in order to persuade the reader to believe and follow Him. Given the passionate and religious language used in the sermon, Edwards is writing to an audience of non-believers with the potential to become faithful followers.

One may be saved by God or sent down into the underworld. In the sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” Jonathan Edwards attempts to persuade the audience to follow and obey God in everything they carry out. Edwards argues that a life of a person that does not have faith in God is demoralizing and melancholy by using the rhetorical device of repetition.

In the sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” by Jonathan Edwards, Edwards uses vivid imagery and comparisons to convey his message to the Puritans that the only thing keeping them from falling into Hell is God. Edwards’ purpose for delivering this sermon is to scare the Puritans into repenting for their sins, ‘doing the right thing’ and turning to God.

A Puritan preacher during the Great Awakening, Jonathan Edward gave many powerful sermons to point out various Puritan beliefs. In his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, he emphasizes man’s innately evil human nature, the doctrine of the elect versus the damned, and God’s wrath. To begin with, Edwards’ first point reveals the Puritan belief that everyone enters the world corrupt and must utilize their time on earth to try to become virtuous. He explains to the Puritans that their “wickedness makes [them as] heavy as lead, and to tend downwards…towards Hell” (41). Without any attempt to find the path to Heaven, their “guilt … [will be] constantly increasing”(41). Many Puritans did not prefer to have this guilt, so they would use every aspect of their life to praise God and endeavor to please Him.

Being the 1730s, religion was waning as the generations grew up. Fear was one of the ways to revitalize religious fervor. Not knowing where God’s favor lay drove many to the Puritan faith especially Edwards’s sermons. Additionally, using fiery diction such as “anger, wrath, incensed, fierceness, ect.” Edwards further enhanced his effectiveness in appealing to the audience’s religious faith. However, one of Edward’s strong points in his sermon was using allusions to convey just how infuriated God really was. In his 4th paragraph, Edwards compares water and dams to how the “floods of God’s vengeance have been withheld; but your guilt in the meantime is constantly increasing, and you are acquiring more wrath” (2). At any moment God could unleash his fury. With that notion, Edwards tries to emphasize that life is full of uncertainty. For the unconverted and for the sinner, perdition is just around the corner. They are “hanging by a slender thread, with flames of divine wrath flashing about it” (2) that is ready to be burnt

“The wrath of God is like great waters that are dammed for the present; they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given; and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and mighty is its course, when once it is let loose” (Edwards 47). This famous quote was written by the Puritan Jonathan Edwards, who wrote the book, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” This quote portrays his views about human nature in a negative way; it means that the more one sins, the higher the “great waters” of God increases and the longer one sins, the more rapid the water will flow out once it is let go. The Puritans, who were established in the 1560s, wanted

Puritan Minister, Jonathan Edwards, in his sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”(1741) advocates repentance and The Bible. Edwards utilizes the fear of God to reach the goal of converting the people of the Puritan congregation to become pure in their beliefs. He exhibits a dramatic tone in order to point out to the congregation the idea that the unrepentant will go to Hell. Although he developed vivid imagery, repetition, and word choice (diction), the Great Awakening diminished Edwards’s credibility and positional power among the people.

In Edwards’ “Personal Narrative” a more laid back approach is being used to describe his relationship with God. Edwards’ narrative is much different from his powerful sermons like “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”. We see throughout the narrative that Edwards’ had fallen astray from the ideals of christianity. He says, “But in process of time, my convictions and affections wore off; and I entirely lost all those affections and delights, and left off secret prayer, at least as to any constant performance of it; and returned like a dog to his vomit, and went on in ways of sin” (p. 335). In this, I find Edwards to be very truthful, however, I feel that he would not admit to just how many times he had fallen astray.

Puritan Test Question #4 Looking to help revive Puritanism, John Edwards became a traveling minuter giving intense, hellfire sermons. Through the powerful and relatable use of imagery, Edwards invoked fear and guilt from his audience in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”.

In the sermon Sinners in the Hands of an Angry Godby Jonathan Edwards many devices are used, such as imagery, personification,and similies that help support his speech. On paragraph 4 Jonathan Edwards uses personification. He uses personification by giving human characteristics to something that is not real. Edwards says, "the creation groans with you" meaning his existence overwhelms. By using the keyword "groan" to justify the creation he is giving the creation human effects.