Nothing does so much harm to the cause of religion as the quarrels of Christians.
– JC Ryle –
JC Ryle
Growing in Grace – JC Ryle
When I speak of a person growing in grace, I mean simply this —that his sense of sin is becoming deeper, his faith stronger, his hope brighter, his love more extensive, and his spiritual mindedness more marked.
– JC Ryle –
Earnest About Your Soul – JC Ryle
“Grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
(2 Peter 3:18)
The man who has nothing more than a kind of Sunday religion—whose Christianity is like his Sunday clothes, put on once a week, and then laid aside—such a man cannot, of course, be expected to care about “growth in grace.” He knows nothing about such matters. “They are foolishness to him” (1 Corinthians 2:14). But to everyone who is in downright earnest about his soul, and hungers and thirsts after spiritual life, the question ought to come home with searching power. Do we make progress in our religion? Do we grow?
– JC Ryle –
1816-1900
A Zealous Man – JC Ryle
A zealous man feels that like a lamp he is made to burn; and if consumed in burning, he has but done the work for which God appointed him. Such a one will always find a sphere for his zeal. If he cannot preach and work and give money, he will cry and sigh and pray.
– JC Ryle –
Money Often Quenches Spiritual Fire – JC Ryle
Nothing I am sure has such a tendency to quench the fire of religion as the possession of money.
– JC Ryle –
Nature of True Repentance – JC Ryle
The nature of true repentance is clearly and unmistakably laid down in holy Scripture. It begins with knowledge of sin. It goes on to work sorrow for sin. It leads to confession of sin before God. It shows itself before man by a thorough breaking off from sin. It results in producing a habit of deep hatred for all sin. Above all, it is inseparably connected with lively faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance like this is the characteristic of all true Christians.
– JC Ryle –
from Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 1856
The Foundation to Christianity – JC Ryle
“Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:5
The truth here asserted, is one of the foundations of Christianity. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). All of us are born in sin. We are fond of sin, and are naturally unfit for friendship with God. Two things are absolutely necessary to the salvation of every one of us. We must repent, and we must believe the Gospel. Without repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, no one can be saved.
– JC Ryle –
Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 1856
Where is our Treasure? – JC Ryle
Would we know what we are ourselves? Let us see whether we have treasure in heaven, or whether all our good things are here upon earth. Would we know what our treasure is? Let us ask ourselves what we love most? This is the true test of character. This is the pulse of our religion. It matters little what we say, or what we profess, or what preaching we admire, or what place of worship we attend. What do we love? On what are our affections set? This is the great question. “Where our treasure is there will our hearts be also.” (Luke 12:34)
– JC Ryle –
from Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 1856
Listening to Good Preaching – JC Ryle
Preaching is an ordinance of which the value can never be overrated in the church of Christ. But it should never be forgotten, that there must not only be good preaching, but good hearing.
– JC Ryle –
from Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, 1856