Jonathan Edward became famous for his hellfire and brimstone sermon called “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God.” It is said during the sermon people fainted in terror of the descriptions of hell and how near they were to the lake of fire, “you are on a spider web hanging over the lapping flames of hell!” (Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God, Jonathan Edwards, Paraphrased).
The question however, is does this sermon malign God? For Scripture tells us, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.” (Psalm 103:8). Our Lord is slow to anger, and there is another passage that declares a time when the Lord will never be angry with us, “This is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you, and will not rebuke you. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the LORD, who has compassion on you.” (Isaiah 54:9-11). Indeed this Covenant of Peace The Lord speaks of is the New Covenant, “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.” (Luke 22:20) This New Covenant Is the the Gospel of Peace found in Jesus the Prince of Peace, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” (Romans 5:1), and “And, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15).
I love a line in The Martin Luther film where the Reformer says, “Those who see God as angry do not see Him rightly.” (Luther 2003). Indeed, for the Prophet Isaiah declares the Lord shall no longer be angry at us, and when we were his enemies he did not show anger but forgiveness, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.” (Romans 5:8-10). The promise is we are saved from God’s wrath and that our Lord’s anger as foretold by the Prophet Isaiah is no more, all that remains is steadfast love for us. However, those who do choose to not believe in Jesus are on dangerous ground, “ Whoever believes in Jesus is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” (John 3:18-19).
While I do appreciate Jonathan Edward’s talking about hell, when it does exist for those who ultimately refuse to believe in Christ (John 3:18, Revelation 20:15). However, I have some concerns about conversions based solely on the fear of hell rather than the love for a God who so loved them He died on the cross for all their sins. For we must remember God’s desire is that none perish, “The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance,” (2 Peter 3:9), and “This is good and pleases God our Savior who wants everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4). Our Great God and Savior does not desire to fill up the inferno with souls, He even came and died on the cross and rose from dead to break the power of eternal death for all who believe in Him as Lord God and Son of God!
I understand sermons like “Sinners in the Hands of An Angry God” can shake people up, and Jesus our Lord did tell a story of hell,
“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hell, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’“He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’
“Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’
“‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’
“He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.” (Luke 16:19-31).
My concern is not with the preaching of hell, but of painting God as an Angry God when Scripture proves He is most merciful, slow to anger, and wishes all to be saved from the fires of damnation through faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.
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