The Warning

I recently volunteered to take on the job of organizing the church library, basically starting from scratch. It's a good thing there aren't too many volumes, otherwise the task would be a little daunting. I try not to become side-tracked when I come across a Sproul or Spurgeon book that I would really like to read...time for that later. I couldn't resist though bringing home a copy of Jonathan Edwards' sermon, "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God," the famous sermon he delivered in Enfield, Connecticut in 1741. I remember an excerpt from this sermon in my American History textbook - Edwards' depiction of an angry God holding sinners over the pit of hell, much like one holds a spider over a fire...very graphic material. But the real focus of the sermon is evangelistic - warning sinners about their precarious eternal condition and their need of salvation from the wrath of God. I'd like to share this excerpt about man's self-deception:

"Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it; he depends upon himself for his own security; he flatters himself in what he has done, in what he is now doing or what he intends to do. Every one lays out matters in his own mind how he shall avoid damnation, and flatter himself that he contrives well for himself, and that his schemes will not fail. They hear indeed that there are but few saved, and that the greater part of men that have died heretofore are gone to hell; but each one imagines that he lays out matters better for his own escape than others have done. He does not intend to come to that place of torment; he says within himself, that he intends to take effectual care, and to order matters so for himself as not to fail.

But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust to nothing but a shadow. The greater part of those who heretofore have lived under the same means of grace and are now dead are undoubtedly gone to hell; and it was not because they were not as wise as those who are now alive: it was not because they did not lay out matters as well for themselves to secure their own escape. If we could speak with them, and inquire of them, one by one, whether they expected, when alive, and when they used to hear about hell, ever to be the subjects of misery: we doubtless, should hear one and another reply, 'No, I never intended to come here: I had laid out matters otherwise in my mind; I thought I should contrive well for myself: I thought my scheme good, I intended to take effectual care; but it came upon me unexpected; I did not look for it at that time, and in that manner; it came as a thief: Death outwitted me: God's wrath was too quick for me. Oh my cursed foolishness! I was flattering myself, and pleasing myself with vain dreams of what I would do hereafter; and when I was saying Peace and safety, then sudden destruction came upon me.'" (section 9)

The promise for Christians: "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him." (Romans 5:8-9)