Whilst reading Calvinist Jonathan Edwards sermon on hell fire
and damnation for the sinful, it was hard not to imagine this actually
happening to a sinner. The imagery painted throughout this sermon really
solidifies in one’s mind the torment and suffering that comes from sinning and
facing the wrath of God. This view is much different than the one that I
believe in, a loving Heavenly Father, but Edwards is trying to get a single
point across here, and that is the issue of committing sin and not repenting.
His audience is the sinners, and those that choose not to ask for forgiveness
for their wrongdoings.
His objective with this sermon is to create a branded image
of what it’s like for a sinner if they die in their sins. He uses the analogy
of a spider dangling over a fire to a sinner dangling over a pit of hell fire. The
tone that he uses is fierce and strong. He is attempting to provoke fear into
the eyes of his audience so they can see the position they could end up in.
There is a repetitive pattern of discussing God’s wrath and how He will show no
mercy if one does not repent and come unto Him. If this speech was given
orally, I could only imagine a crowd of wide-eyed, fear stricken people
wondering if they have done enough to not be like unto the spider. Reading his
words did enough for me to understand his point, being in person listening to
this would have taken it to the next level and made it unforgettable.
I like how you pointed out that the vivid imagery would have helped Edwards stick out as a preacher during the tumultuous religious time, because by making himself memorable he would be more likely to have people coming back to listen to him which is an objective of a preacher.
ReplyDeleteI like how you pointed out that the vivid imagery would have helped Edwards stick out as a preacher during the tumultuous religious time, because by making himself memorable he would be more likely to have people coming back to listen to him which is an objective of a preacher.
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