Sinners at the Hands of an Angry God

http://www.piney.com/JonEdwSinHands.html

Excerpt from "Sinners At the Hands of An Angry God"

There is no want of power in God to cast wicked men into hell at any moment. Men's hands cannot be strong when God rises up. The strongest have no power to resist him, nor can any deliver out of his hands. -- He is not only able to cast wicked men into hell, but he can most easily do it. Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, who has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defence from the power of God. Though hand join in hand, and vast multitudes of God's enemies combine and associate themselves, they are easily broken in pieces. They are as great heaps of light chaff before the whirlwind; or large quantities of dry stubble before devouring flames. We find it easy to tread on and crush a worm that we see crawling on the earth; so it is easy for us to cut or singe a slender thread that any thing hangs by: thus easy is it for God, when he pleases, to cast his enemies down to hell. What are we, that we should think to stand before him, at whose rebuke the earth trembles, and before whom the rocks are thrown down?

If and when God were to strike against any human He would be stronger without question. Edwards states that if He were to be angry he could "cast wicked men into Hell", and he would have no trouble doing so. This removes much sense of security and safety as a human as the realization that God completely controls your existence and your placement in an after-life occurs.

Diary:

I've come to the realization that, despite the safeties promised by the following of God, if one does commit illicit acts and heinous crimes they are subjugated to the will and wrath of the God they follow. At any moment He is capable of striking down or rewarding humans as He sees fit. We are powerless against Him and can never hope to change that. All we can do is continue to lead what can be called "a good life" and hope that we please our God.