HERALDS OF GOD
heaven's trumpets sound and the Son of God goes forth to war.
The conclusion of the matter, then, is this, that if you would keep your emphasis right, avoiding extremes on either side, you must continually be returning, in your preaching of the Kingdom, to the insight of the New Testament preachers. In, Jesus Christ, they declared, the great new age had broken through into history. It was really and actively present. Those who had tasted its power were living in a transformed world. But not yet was the divine purpose completely fulfilled. Not yet was the human burden of bodily weakness, frustration and death removed. And so, beyond the mighty acts of the Cross and the Resurrection, these men awaited the crowning verification. The drama of history would have a climax and a goal. God Himself would bring in His perfect Kingdom, and make Christ Lord of all.
These things are true. These we believe, and these we preach. We do not minimize the present, when we say Christ is coming again. On the contrary, It is just because we know the divine will must at last be regnant and supreme that we are passionately concerned that it should rule upon the earth here and now. Just because the future belongs to Christ, we preach that now is the accepted time, now is the critical hour for the assertion of His sovereignty in all the affairs of men, now is the day of salvation.
I have spoken to you of our theme as Christian ministers. Who can measure the responsibility of
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