FEAR

Fear is used to manipulate people, even starting at a young age. We are taught to be afraid, because when we are fearful, we obey. Fear is used by parents to their children to teach discipline; when the kids are scared of being yelled at, put in time-out, or losing their favorite toy, they listen to their parents. Fear is manipulated in every aspect of our lives, we are controlled and bonded by fear. Authorities use fear to keep order in our society by constantly keeping it's citizens in mild panic,  if things get out of line, consequences are applied; and the fear of those consequences is what keeps the peace and order. "So that your punishment will indeed be infinite . Oh who can express what the state of a soul in such circumstances is!" (156, From Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God). God has the absolute authority over the sinners, and because they have sinned, they are bound to be punished, and in this case, they are to be damned in hell for eternity, burned in the pits of fire and rage. The purpose of such harsh punishments is to keep people from committing sins, to make people afraid of being damned, when people are scared, they'll do anything to feel safer. That ties in to the use of fear in our everyday life, if we are afraid of dogs, we stay away from them; if we are afraid of going to hell, we go to church and praise God....etc. Fear limits our actions and prevents us from unleashing our full potential but also protects us from the things we fear.