from Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God- according to the sermon, what keeps sinners out of the fiery "pit of hell"?
To find the answer to your question, we need to analyze the sermon "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." This sermon was delivered by Jonathan Edwards in 1741 and is known for its intense depiction of God's wrath and the inevitability of hell for unrepentant sinners.
In the sermon, Jonathan Edwards argues that only God's mercy and grace can keep sinners out of hell. He emphasizes the concept of the "pit of hell" or the fiery torment that sinners would experience. Edwards describes sinners as being held over the pit like a spider being held by a frail thread, ready to fall into eternal damnation at any moment.
According to Edwards, sinners are ultimately at the mercy of God's sovereign will. They are entirely undeserving of any salvation, as all humans are inherently sinful and corrupt. The only way to escape this fate is through God's mercy and grace, which can be obtained through genuine repentance and turning away from sinful behaviors.
Therefore, to answer your question, what keeps sinners out of the fiery "pit of hell" according to the sermon is solely God's mercy and grace, extended to those who sincerely repent and seek forgiveness for their sins.