Angry God?

In the summer of 1741, British colonial theologian, Jonathan Edwards, preached a landmark sermon entitled, "Sinners in The Hands of an Angry God!"  Edwards concept smacks of an understanding of God that steps out of ancient Israel's experience at Sinai who came "...to a mountain...burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm; to a trumpet blast...to such a voice...that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them...[to a] sight so terrifying  that Moses said, 'I am trembling with fear'" (Heb 12:18-21).

Honestly, it was a similar picture I had of God growing up, being fed a regular diet of "hell-fire and brimstone" preaching and a theology, which could be distilled down to, "God's going to get you for that!"  My concept of God was that of an easily angered Deity, who would not hesitate to send me to a firey hell if I slipped up.  I honestly believed that if I was crossing a road, thought a bad thought and was hit by a truck, dying before I had a chance to fully repent, God would send me to hell.

The thing is, however, Jonathan Edwards and my early church experience notwithstanding, God is not like that at all.  God is not looking for ways to send us to hell but rather for ways to ensure that we don't wind up there.  Rather than being ready and waiting for an opportunity to "get us for that," God "is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance" (2 Pet 3:9).  Jesus was very emphatic about this point in saying, "I did not come to judge the world but to save the world" (Jn 12:47).

Contrary to Edward's postulation and the viewpoint of far too many in fundamentalist church groups today, we do not come to a mountain burning with fire but "...to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly" (Heb 12:22).

God is out to get us, to get us free from Satan's grip and the judgment that is reserved for him and all who are his.  God does not angrily send us to hell, rather he tearfully allows us to chose that path while he lovingly calls us to turn back to him and live.  God is the Father who, seeing his rebellious son from a distance, "was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him" (Lk 15:20).

God is not angrily watching for us to mess up so that he can send us away, he is lovingly watching for us to show up so that he can welcome us home.  Jus' Say'n.