whole Gospel of God, we shall be ac cused of extremism, not only by the world, but also by a professing church which cannot endure sound doctrine. The man who takes his Bible seriously must soon learn that there is a price to pay. He must take the bitter as well as the sweet. Dr. A. J. Gordon, that great Bos ton preacher, said that because of his advocacy of the doctrine of our Lord’s return that it cost him estrangement and suspicion on the part of those who should have been his friends. Such a truth is not wel comed by a church with millionaire merchants and great university lead ers. It was for the assertion of this, remember, that Christ Himself was crucified. When you take this Book for your guide, you may have to re nounce something you hold most dear, undertaking what you may not want to do. Your whole pattern of life may be upset. While the Bible is sweet to the Christian, such a diet of sweets is not good for anybody all the time. There needs to be the bitter too,. There is too much of a sugar-coated Christianity today. There needs to be the bitterness of repentance, perse cution, and hardship. We have been called upon to deny self and to take up the cross and follow a crucified Saviour. Promises are sweet, but commandments are sometimes bitter to our inclinations. In our Lord’s parable of the sower there are some who hear the Word, receiving it with joy, but they are soon offended and cannot take the bitter along with the sweet. Even our Lord said, “If it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt,” There is a great mistake in working with 21
I N THE tenth chapter of Revela tion there is the announcement by a mighty angel concerning the fact that time would no longer be delayed. Held in his hand is a little book containing the secret of destiny, the meaning of history, and God’s title deed to this earth revealing His pro gram for this age. John was com manded to eat it and when he did he found that it was sweet to his taste but bitter after he swallowed it. There is another volume which is a bittersweet book, the Word of God. The Bible has a message of salvation to all who will receive it. At the same time it has a message of condemna tion to all who reject it. This makes it sweet to the believer, but bitter to the unbeliever. The same sun that shines on ice and melts it, shines on clay and hardens it. The Word of God either humbles or hardens the human heart. “He that believeth is not con demned; but he that believeth not is condemned already.” I hear some people who say, “All we have to do today is to preach love.” This is folly for we must preach both the wrath as well as the love of God. This is a “bittersweet” Book. All men will be judged by this eternal Word. Be careful how you handle that Bible which may be un used in your home. You may do noth ing about it but it will do something about you! Because of its truth each of us is without excuse. When we first become Christians, God’s Word is very pre cious and sweet to our taste, “sweet er than honey and the honeycomb.” As we begin to face up to this Book, however, it makes demands of us. It tells us to separate ourselves from the world; it makes us aliens in exile in this old Babylon. If we preach the
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