Carmichael 1

Rozita Carmichael
English 251
Writing Assignment 1(Revised)
10 February 2014

God iss not angry, just misunderstood

Jonathan Edwards was a fire brand pastor in early colonial America. His preaching style
was a very harsh condemnation of mankinds wicked, sinful nature. Edwards felt that the Puritan
colonialist had strayed away from the fear of their Christian god. This view was brought about
by the colonialist selfish and conniving dealing with each other in which their actions targeted
and took advantage of people within their own group instead of those outside the colonialist
group. Edwardss chief tool to regain the obedience of his wayward Puritan brothers was to
present a view of God that would frighten them into compliance and instill a mindset of
insurmountable indebtedness to God which would then cause a continued obedience to the laws
of God. His Edwardss means of governing the minds and thereby the actions of the colonialist
was by religion in which he invoked the fear of God upon the people. Jonathan Edwards states
Gods restrained desire for vengeance as illustrated through the image of Gods wrath filled
hands, the deformity of a mankind by sinfulness and a system of punishment. Jonathan Edwards
projecting of his paradigm of fear and anger unto God is in sharp contrast to the traditional view
of God within the Christian faith.
The rewards and punishments in the afterlife is are not Gods wrath but a system
justiceof justice given to mankind. Edwards states that And the reason why they are not go
down to hell at each moment is not because Godis not very angry with them(431); this

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depiction of Gods as a sadist is the only view that is allowed by Edwards. God instructs man to
be slow to anger and not to let the sun go down upon their wrath (King James Version James
1:19, Eph. 4:29). Since we are to be like little gods, it would be contradictory for God to store
wrath against those who are to govern themselves as God (King James Version Psalms 82:6). It
is not because of Gods anger that man goes to hell but it is because a justice system was
established in which every man, without prejudice or wrath, will be judged according to his
works (King James Version Rom.2:5-6). This concept that it is a mans own actions that renders
torments for them not some stored bitterness of God towards them is emphasized by the Apostle
Paul in his writing to the churches (King James Version Rom 2:6-11)
The hands of God are the mean by which God interacts with the human world to create or
destroy mankind by administrating of blessing or cursing. In nature hands are the direct way in
which human being are able to make objects that they need to make their life more comfortable.
Edwards gives the image of God as holding back his wrath so that mankind may be mindful of
the blessing of not being destroyed by their own wickedness. Edwards gives the view that Gods
hands are used for both administering blessing and cursing. He sees God as shaping mankind
through the use of fear and possible punishment which come from sin committed against God. A
more accurate view of this imagery is that Gods hands are likened to a potters hands which
shape formless clay, mankind, into elegant works of art with caring and purposeful intent. In this
view Gods hands are to guide mankind to the most suitable shape for accomplishing Gods
purpose.
In nature, form follows function such that everything that is created has usefulness for its
creator, so anything that is deformed has lost its function and serves no purpose. Edwards states
He looks upon you as worthy of nothing else but to be cast into the fire(436). The deformity of

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man is sin; Edwards is specifically regarding the set of behaviors and ideals that develop into a
culture that is directly opposed to Gods laws and norms. An alternative view of this would be
that God does not hate that which He has created, but He does hate sin. God has formed man in
His own image, and mans function is to fellowship with God. The Apostol John talks about this
in his writings, specifically (King James Version John 3:16-17) as such a correction being given
to man in the form of Gods only begotten Son, Jesus Christ. In order for man to function
properly, a correction has been made on mans behalf so that their spirit and behaviors can be
remolded.
The arbitrary nature of God as depicted by Jonathan Edwards is in sharp contrast to
images and long established beliefs about God in the Christian faith. God has created a system of
justice to reward mankind for the condition of their spirit based on their actions they have
committed in their world. For those who are aware that they have fallen short of Gods standards
a means by which they may be redeemed and correct their ways is given to them by the same
God that fashioned them. Edwardss image of God was one in which God has shaped mankind
with his wrath filled hands so as to create a person who would be fearful and obedient to him.
According to Christian text God is not willing that any should suffer in this life or the afterlife
but that all should have everlasting life and reign with God.

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Works Cited
Edwards, Jonathan. Sinners in the Hand of an Angry God. The Norton Anthology of American
Literature. Ed. Nina Baym. Robert S. Levine. New York: 2012. 430-441. Print.
King James Version Bible