Edwards preached the seriousness of sin and establishes the Biblical penalty for failure to repent. He is descriptive of God's attitude toward sin and man's need for true repentance.

The sermon, which was preached to Edwards' Northampton Church in 1741, was so influential that it served as a catalyst for the sweeping religious revival known as the Great Awakening.

The sermon, which emphasized God's wrath upon unbelievers through vivid imagery of a very real, horrific, and fiery hell. Grace is also presented in the sermon, as sinners have the opportunity to be saved through the righteousness of Christ and His blood. This act of grace from God has given humans a chance to believe and trust in Christ.