Sinners Follow Up Post

When John Edwards delivered his sermon in 1741 his compelling speech caused a compelling religious movement. Because they were under the belief that they could not save themselves, His descriptions of hell and the wrath of god caused the poor townsfolk to be cast in pure helplessness. Although I believe society today would not be as moved by Edward's speech as the townspeople of 1741, I do believe that his profound ideas could bring some emotion out of modern day society. Edward's sermon described new ideas in the regard of God. Today, and probably what the poor townsfolk thought before the sermon, God is regarded as an all knowing creator, one who loves and cares for his creations and bathes in goodness and glory. Edwards described God as one who hates and loathes the sight of his poor creations, who dreams and wants to kill them. To someone who is under the impression that God loved them, and learned that he actually despised them would be revolutionary in the thinking of a good Christian and must have blown their minds. To someone hearing this sermon in modern day society may also be surprised or even frightened.  Especially later, when they hear that they are walking blindly over a plane with holes in it, and that at any moment they could fall in and go to hell. Or that God is standing over you, waiting to send an arrow straight through their heads. And although Edward's sermon was compelling in the 1700s, today it can be taken in at a much lower level, but can still leave a paranoia or sense of helplessness in the modern-day reader.