Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God

[ClementofA]

"Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God: The Scandalous Truth of the Very Good News"

Paperback – August 15, 2017
by Brian Zahnd (Author),‎ William Paul Young (Foreword)
4.8 out of 5 stars 70 customer reviews

God is wrath? Or God is Love?

In his famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” Puritan revivalist Jonathan Edwards shaped predominating American theology with a vision of God as angry, violent, and retributive. Three centuries later, Brian Zahnd was both mesmerized and terrified by Edwards’s wrathful God. Haunted by fear that crippled his relationship with God, Zahnd spent years praying for a divine experience of hell.

What Zahnd experienced instead was the Father’s love—revealed perfectly through Jesus Christ—for all prodigal sons and daughters.


In Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God, Zahnd asks important questions like: Is seeing God primarily as wrathful towards sinners true or biblical? Is fearing God a normal expected behavior? And where might the natural implications of this theological framework lead us?

Thoughtfully wrestling with subjects like Old Testament genocide, the crucifixion of Jesus, eternal punishment in hell, and the final judgment in Revelation, Zanhd maintains that the summit of divine revelation for sinners is not God is wrath, but God is love.

About the Author

Brian Zahnd founded Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri over 35 years ago, and he still serves as lead pastor to a congregation committed to authentic expression of Jesus Christ in the twenty-first century. He’s also the author of Water to Wine, A Farewell to Mars, Beauty Will Save the World, Unconditional?, and What to Do on the Worst Day of Your Life.

Editorial Reviews

“With the heart of a pastor and the skill of a poet, Brian Zahnd cuts through all the fear and fundamentalism to reveal a gospel that is indeed good news. Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God is a beautifully written, pointed, and prophetic tribute to the love of God as revealed in the person of Jesus Christ. As Zahnd shows us, this love is not weak; it’s not a safe, feel-good cop-out. Rather, it’s the very revelation of God, the force that changes the world.”
—Rachel Held Evans, author of Searching for Sunday

“The same attributes that make Brian Zahnd a great pastor make him a gifted author: he’s honest, humble, willing to change his mind, and unfailingly centered on Christ. For him to reconsider his view of God took study and prayer, and we benefit. Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God will be an extraordinary gift to many, for it clearly and compellingly teaches God’s love. This is the book that the evangelical church needs.”
—Tony Jones, author of Did God Kill Jesus?

“Brian Zahnd walks boldly into the violent propensity of so much Christian theology and preaching that has wounded so many people, a propensity in which he himself has participated. He not only shows what bad, irresponsible theology this is, pervasive as it continues to be; he exposes the ‘hackneyed trope of dispensationalism’ that feeds so much worldly violence and that authorizes so much wounding. But more than that, in his poetic mode, Zahnd invites to an alternative that is grounded not in ‘Biblicism’ but in the reality of Jesus who embodies the inexplicable love of God that passes all human understanding. Zahnd writes as one emancipated to evangelical joy. He invites his readers to walk with him into such a God-given vocation that honors the God of love and that loves the neighbor.”
—Walter Brueggemann, Columbia Theological Seminary

“I know we’re a bit too quick to say things like ‘This will change your life!’ these days, but seriously: this book will change your life. For too long, too many of us have wondered if God is angry or disappointed or frustrated or disgusted with us: you don’t need to wonder anymore. Brian’s new book is one of the most beautiful, truthful, and compelling visions of God as revealed by Jesus I have ever read. I can’t shut up about this glorious, necessary, healing book: it is a must-read for every Christian.”
—Sarah Bessey, author of Jesus Feminist and Out of Sorts: Making Peace with an Evolving Faith

“I can’t count the times I felt like standing and cheering while reading this book. Brian Zahnd knows his material extremely well. He speaks from a blend of study and experience, with the authority of a theologian, the care of a shepherd, and the inspiring beauty of a poet. From Genesis to Revelation, Brian helps us identify, expose, and oppose the weaponization of Scripture and instead embrace Jesus as the Bible’s central theme and God’s ultimate self-disclosure. If you read one book about Jesus this year…buy mine. But if you read two, this one will do just nicely.”
—Bruxy Cavey, teaching pastor at the Meeting House, and author of The End of Religion and (re)union: the Good News of Jesus for Seekers, Saints, and Sinners

“With too many American Christian leaders echoing the angry, arrogant, vindictive, and violent rhetoric of our political culture, it’s hard to imagine a book more relevant and needed than Brian Zahnd’s Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God. Zahnd rightly helps us see that for better or worse, we reflect the image of the God we believe in. Zahnd’s insights into Scripture are rich and deep, making clear that if we want a less violent future, we need a vision of a nonviolent God.”
—Brian D. McLaren, author of The Great Spiritual Migration

“I have come to love Brian Zahnd and his writings. They are deep, reflective, authentic, and inspiring. Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God is a brilliant and important book that every Christian should read. If you’ve ever struggled with the violence attributed to God in Scripture, or the angry and vengeful images of God sometimes taught in Christian circles, this book will speak to you.”
—Adam Hamilton, pastor and author of Making Sense of the Bible

“Without overstatement, I believe we are living in the midst of a seismic, apocalyptic shift in how we understand the character of God. There is a widescreen revelation of God’s heart unfolding, shaking the very foundations of the Church. This revelation of the tenderness of God is so vast and pervasive that all kinds of former assumptions must be called into question—demanding that violent ‘texts of terror,’ in Phyllis Trible’s phrase, be revisited. Brian Zahnd is the most lucid, crisp, prophetic articulator of this revelation/revolution, and Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God is him at his incisive best. It is masterfully written, illuminating both the Jesus of Scripture and the violence of the world that rejected him. At the intersection of John the Baptist and Bob Dylan, Brian Zahnd prepares the way for us to behold and see that the God we heard was a lion, was actually a lamb all along. This is startling, revelatory reading.”
—Jonathan Martin, author of How to Survive a Shipwreck and Prototype

https://www.amazon.com/Sinners-Hands-Loving-God-Scandalous/dp/1601429517

 

[brinny]

"Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God: The Scandalous Truth of the Very Good News"




https://www.amazon.com/Sinners-Hands-Loving-God-Scandalous/dp/1601429517

Did Jonathan Edwards lie?

 

[Rescued One]

Luke 12 NIV
5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him.

Hebrews 10 KJV
31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

John 3
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Without Jesus, we're toast.

 

[mkgal1]

Well.....there's also this passage:

There is no fear in love; instead, perfect love drives out fear, because fear involves punishment. So the one who fears has not reached perfection in love.

.

I'm reading Zahnd's book right now (and wish more would).

 

[mkgal1]

Did Jonathan Edwards lie?

I believe Edwards believed every bit of his sermon....so that wouldn't make it a lie. Why would Edward's interpretation be given such weight, though?

 

[AlexDTX]

"Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God: The Scandalous Truth of the Very Good News"

Knowing Paul Young, this book is, no doubt, an argument for Universal Salvation. The title of the book is clearly a play on Jonathan Edwards famous sermon. So, for all you who disagree with Universal Salvation, please note that this is the point of Clement's thread.

 

[com7fy8]

God knows exactly what to do with each sinner.

"God resists the proud," we have in James 4:6 and also in 1 Peter 5:5.

So, while anyone is playing themselves to be God and the judge of God, they are having a run-in with God's resistance. His resistance can include some very hard things . . . in order to keep an enemy from getting oneself into much worse trouble, going the way Satan is taking that person.

If there is wrath, this has to do partly with the nature of the sinner. God is love, but love "is a consuming fire", I offer, considering Hebrews 12:29. One thing in fire will come out better, because of its nature. But a nasty thing will burn and give off very smelly smoke, because of its nature . . . in the exact same fire.

Christians pray for God to fire-try us to refine us in Him and His love. But sinners are burnt about God. And because they do not seek the correction of God's fire, there is only one place to go, where their nasty filth will be contained by fire so it does not go elsewhere.

 

[mkgal1]

I think it all goes back to what variety of ruler we perceive God to be.

So far, in reading this book I appreciate that Zahnd allows Scripture to speak for itself. He brings up Matthew 25:31 and brings up the point that *no where* does Jesus ever claim that those who have done evil will be tortured eternally. Jesus *does* say (on the other hand) that they will face judgement (that's different, though).

Also (another thing I'm appreciating) is Zahnd points out that in reading Matthew 26:64 (and the parallel in Daniel 7:13) we see that Jesus claimed to be the Son of Man referred to in Daniel 7, the humane ruler who is the alternative to the beasts of empires. ISTM that a lot of people, instead, have God as the beasts (or one of them).

19“Then I wanted to know the true meaning of the fourth beast, the one different from all the others, extremely terrifying, with iron teeth and bronze claws, devouring, crushing, and trampling with its feet whatever was left. 20 I also wanted to know about the 10 horns on its head and about the other horn that came up, before which three fell — the horn that had eyes, and a mouth that spoke arrogantly, and that was more visible than the others.

23“This is what he said: ‘The fourth beast will be a fourth kingdom on the earth, different from all the other kingdoms. It will devour the whole earth, trample it down, and crush it. 24The 10 horns are 10 kings who will rise from this kingdom. Another, different from the previous ones, will rise after them and subdue three kings.25 He will speak words against the Most High and oppress the holy ones as of the Most High. He will intend to change religious festivals and laws, and the holy ones will be handed over to him for a time, times, and half a time.

....and this seems to be missed:

26 But the court will convene, and his dominion will be taken away, to be completely destroyed forever. 27 The kingdom, dominion, and greatness of the kingdoms under all of heaven will be given to the people, the holy ones of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will serve and obey Him.’

 

[mkgal1]

Knowing Paul Young, this book is, no doubt, an argument for Universal Salvation.

Why was Paul Young brought up? Brian Zahnd is the author of this book.

ETA: Oh....I see. Because the forward was written by Wm Paul Young.

 

[com7fy8]

*no where* does Jesus ever claim that those who have done evil will be tortured eternally.

Matthew 25:41

2 Thessalonians 1:9

Revelation 14:10

Revelation 20:10

So, possibly you mean something which these scriptures are not talking about.

 

[mkgal1]

Matthew 25:41

2 Thessalonians 1:9

Revelation 14:10

Revelation 20:10

So, possibly you mean something which these scriptures are not talking about.

I realize there are these verses (and a few others) that can fit into the Eternal Torment belief. There's almost exactly as many that support Universal Restoration and Annihilation, too.

With the first one? The mention of the "eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels"? If He prepared that for the Devil and his angels.....why would His plan (God's plan) involve leaving [some of/most of] His creation of humans in it? Jesus didn't say He'd *leave them* there....correct? Couldn't Matthew 25:41 be very similar in meaning to the Parable of the Prodigal Son?

Right now I take that passage to mean that evil will pass away with His love (eventually) winning out. His "fire" I believe is transforming....not obliterating the human, but purifying them. BTW....Daniel knew a bit about fires....didn't he? I'd guess that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego had described their experience to him.

And the One seated on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." Then He said, "Write this down, for these words are faithful and true."

Also....it's been a while since I've looked into this, but from my memory...the original word translated to "eternal" in 2 Thess. was "aionios". Aionios is a period of time (not always "eternal").

 

[mkgal1]

I don't think the basis of this book is views of eternal life....but, instead, *this* life. From what Clement quoted of the description of the book.....this is the overall premise:

In his famous sermon “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God,” Puritan revivalist Jonathan Edwards shaped predominating American theology with a vision of God as angry, violent, and retributive. Three centuries later, Brian Zahnd was both mesmerized and terrified by Edwards’s wrathful God. Haunted by fear that crippled his relationship with God, Zahnd spent years praying for a divine experience of hell.

What Zahnd experienced instead was the Father’s love—revealed perfectly through Jesus Christ—for all prodigal sons and daughters.


God is wrath? Or God is Love?

....if fear was getting between God and Brian Zahnd....could that be "holy fear"?

The "about this book" (quoted in Clement's OP) answers the question as to what the book is about. It states:

In Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God, Zahnd asks important questions like: Is seeing God primarily as wrathful towards sinners true or biblical? Is fearing God a normal expected behavior? And where might the natural implications of this theological framework lead us?

Zahnd mentions in the book that Hebrews were conspicuous in having almost no afterlife theology. He wrote, "for the Hebrews, death was Sheol, the grave, the underworld, the abode of the dead." Zahnd also mentions that C.S. Lewis emphasizes the same point in his book Reflections on the Psalms.

It seems quite clear that in most parts of the Old Testament there is little to no belief in a future life; certainly no belief that is of any religious importance. The word translated "soul" in our version of the Psalms means simply "life"; the word translated "hell" means simply "the land of the dead", the state of all dead, good and bad alike, Sheol.

It is difficult to know how an ancient Jew thought of Sheol. He did not like thinking about it. His religion didn't encourage him to think about it. No good could come of thinking about it. Evil might. It was a condition from which very wicked people like the Witch of Endor were believed to conjure up a ghost. But the ghost told you nothing about Sheol; it was called up solely to tell you things about your own world.~CS Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms in the Beloved Works of CS Lewis

Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God

 

[Der Alte]

Scripture, both OT and NT, has been posted which appears to support the teaching of Universalism i.e. everyone will be saved no matter what. The argument often takes the form of God is love and a God of love would never torment any of His creation in fire forever. God's love does not end at the grave. God's grace and mercy does not end at the grave and so forth.
.....Note this passage from Jeremiah. God said “I have caused to cleave” That word is הדבקתי/ha’dabaq’thi. It is in the perfect or completed sense. God’s will, expressly stated, for the whole house of Israel and Judah, not just an elect, predestined, chosen, few, was for all of Israel and all of Judah to cling to God as a belt clings to a man’s waist. It was done, finished, completed, in God’s sight, and, according to some arguments presented, nothing man can do will cause God’s will to not be done. But they, Israel and Judah, would not hear and obey, their will, vs. God’s will, So God destroyed them, vs. 14.
.....This passage very much speaks to God’s sovereign will, and man’s free will and agency. God stated very clearly what His will was, in terms that cannot be misunderstood. But, because the Israelites would not hear, and obey, God destroyed them, instead of them being unto God, “for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory, vs. 10.”

Jer 13:1 Thus saith the LORD unto me, Go and get thee a linen girdle, and put it upon thy loins, and put it not in water.
2 So I got a girdle according to the word of the LORD, and put it on my loins.
3 And the word of the LORD came unto me the second time, saying,
4 Take the girdle that thou hast got, which is upon thy loins, and arise, go to Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole of the rock.
5 So I went, and hid it by Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
6 And it came to pass after many days, that the LORD said unto me, Arise, go to Euphrates, and take the girdle from thence, which I commanded thee to hide there.
7 Then I went to Euphrates, and digged, and took the girdle from the place where I had hid it: and, behold, the girdle was marred, it was profitable for nothing.
8 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9 Thus saith the LORD, After this manner will I mar the pride of Judah, and the great pride of Jerusalem.
10 This evil people, which refuse to hear my words, which walk in the imagination of their heart, and walk after other gods, to serve them, and to worship them, shall even be as this girdle, which is good for nothing.
11 For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave [הדבקתי/ha’dabaq’thi] unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.
· · ·
14 And I will dash them one against another, even the fathers and the sons together, saith the LORD: I will not pity, nor spare, nor have mercy, but destroy them.​

Note, verse 14, God said He will NOT have pity, will NOT spare, and will NOT have mercy but destroy them. Where does God ever say that He would have pity, would spare, would have mercy?

 

[ClementofA]

Also....it's been a while since I've looked into this, but from my memory...the original word translated to "eternal" in 2 Thess. was "aionios". Aionios is a period of time (not always "eternal").

For an example of aionios as a finite period of time, from an Early Church Father called John Chrysostom:

"For that his[Satan's] kingdom is of this age,[αἰώνιος] i.e., will cease with the present age[αιώνι] ..." (Homily 4 on Ephesians, Chapter II. Verses 1-3).

CHURCH FATHERS: Homily 4 on Ephesians (Chrysostom)

This page gives other examples of finite duration:

Eternity in the Bible by Gerry Beauchemin – Hope Beyond Hell

 

[ClementofA]

Note, verse 14, God said He will NOT have pity, will NOT spare, and will NOT have mercy but destroy them. Where does God ever say that He would have pity, would spare, would have mercy?

Romans 11:32.

This includes everyone in the universe, including the dead and demons:

Rev.5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are on the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour,
and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

John speaks of "every creature" & to emphasize this again he repeats "and all that are in them":

Rev.5:13 And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are on the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour,
and glory, and power, be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

This worship (v.13) uses the same worshipful words as the redeemed of vs 9-10 use in v.12:

12 Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.

All this being in the context of salvation - "the Lamb that was slain" (v.12 & 13).

Unique Proof For Christian, Biblical Universalism

 

[mkgal1]

I'm wondering if there's a way to discuss whether God is love or God is wrath sans the discussion of afterlife?

If Hebrews in the day of Jesus didn't have that mentality (being concerned with life after their death)....then wouldn't it place the biblical text more in context by using that framework (this life)?

 

[ClementofA]

Matthew 25:41

2 Thessalonians 1:9

Revelation 14:10

Revelation 20:10

So, possibly you mean something which these scriptures are not talking about.

Perhaps you are new to this topic. Those verses have been addressed here many times before.

Those verses are all using the word aion (pl) or the adjective aionios, which has been deceptively mistranslated by Bible versions created by the Endless Hellfire club. The many more honest literal versions do not concur. The urls below could be considered an introduction to the topic.

Lamentations 3:22 and 3:31-33, The steadfast love of the Lord NEVER ceases, his mercies NEVER come to an end. . . .
Lam.3:31 For the Lord will NOT cast off FOR EVER:
32 For if He causes grief, Then He will have compassion According to His abundant lovingkindness. 33 For He does not afflict willingly Or grieve the SONS OF MEN.…

Eternity in the Bible by Gerry Beauchemin – Hope Beyond Hell

Aeon - Wikipedia

AIÓN -- AIÓNIOS

The Greek Words "aion" and "aionios," do these words mean "eternal" or "everlasting"?

 

[mkgal1]

Lam 3:31 is a nice companion verse to 1st Corinthians 13:8:

"Love never fails"

 

[mkgal1]

IF God is wrath....then a person would have trouble fitting this verse together with the belief that God is omnipotent:

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill His promise as some understand slowness, but is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance".~2nd Peter 3:9​

 

[ClementofA]

I'm wondering if there's a way to discuss whether God is love or God is wrath sans the discussion of afterlife?

Sure, the Bible says "God is love" (twice). Nowhere does it say He is wrath, though He is said to have wrath & hate certain individuals. Calvinists often bring up the latter point.

If Hebrews in the day of Jesus didn't have that mentality (being concerned with life after their death)....then wouldn't it place the biblical text more in context by using that framework (this life)?

There isn't much in the OT about life after death, though there is some. In the intertestamental Jewish literature likewise. It is generally considered that the Pharisees, unlike the Saducees, had a belief in the afterlife, & had an influence over the Jewish people.