Often a physician will, in order to save a patient's feelings, deceive him as to his hopeless condition. Now, while it may not be best to discourage a patient when there really is hope for him, yet a man is always better [53] off to know the truth about himself. It may give him a chance to make his peace with God or to throw himself more earnestly on God's mercy and help for his possible recovery. But especially in the great spiritual disease of mankind, sin, it is absolutely necessary that a man understand all his miserableness and doom. This shallow modern optimism that makes a jest of sin and judgment and hell is a lie. Men encourage themselves and one another with pretty sentiments and false hopes, and try to doctor themselves, and take courage, just because they do not understand the seriousness of the trouble; and they never come to until it is too late to be saved. But God is faithful. He tells you your estate, and does not minimize nor exaggerate. He draws a fearfully dark picture of a sinner's condition and position; but in him is also help and forgiveness and salvation, that men may fly to him for healing and refuge. "I don't care for a religion that sends men to a never-ending hell," said an opponent of Christianity. No; no one would. But this is just the opposite. The religion of Christ turns the light on the ruin of the man and then saves him. "For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through him." (John 3:17.)

[TAG 54-54]