When we as believers come to verses of Scripture that are hard for us to accept, it is very easy to invent clever ways of avoiding their cutting edge. This is especially true when we are faced with the stern demands of Christian discipleship. We argue, we rationalize, we evade; we come up with many theological reasons why the Bible doesn't mean what is says. By the time we get through, "there isn't enough left to make soup for a sick grasshopper," as Spurgeon would say.

—William MacDonald