Puritan Believer

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Being a Puritan Believer The Puritans have two core concepts that are the foundation to their religion. One concept is the belief that humanity is divided into two groups. They believe one group is the elect, and the other group is the damned. (Puritanism par. 5) The second core concept is the notion of free grace as opposed to a doctrine of works for the salvation of man, or in other words the earning of salvation. (Puritanism par. 2) The core beliefs of Puritans are illustrated well in the sermon of Jonathan Edwards’s, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” In Jonathan Edwards sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” the reader is bombarded with the concepts and beliefs of the Puritans. The first instance of this has to do with…show more content…
the doctrine of works. Free grace versus the doctrine of works deals with how one becomes saved. The Puritans believe that no one can save himself or herself by doing good works or by earning it. (Puritanism par. 2) Instead God gives His free grace so that simply believing on Christ Jesus and having faith in Him might save man. The concept is illustrated in “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry…show more content…
Overall the Puritans were a religious group with a core of specific beliefs that are at the essence of the Puritan Faith. Those two beliefs are the belief that man is predestined or divided into two groups, the damned and the elect. The second core belief is that of free grace versus a doctrine of works. This means that man cannot save himself by changing his ways and doing good deeds. Instead it means than humanity is only saved by the free grace and mere good will of God and that whosoever believes in Christ and has faith may escape Hell. These concepts are illustrated throughout the works of Jonathan Edwards’ “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” Works Cited "Edwards, Jonathan, 1703-58, American Theologian and Metaphysician." The Columbia Encyclopedia. N.p.: Columbia UP, 2013. Credo Reference. 21 Feb. 2013. Web. 2 Apr. 2014. Jonathan Edwards “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” (reprinted in George Perkins and Barbara Perkins, The American Tradition in Literature, 12th ed. [New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009] 262-272 "Puritanism." Continuum Encyclopedia of American Literature. N.p.: Continuum, 2005. Credo Reference. 15 Feb. 2006. Web. 2 Apr.
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