Thursday, September 20, 2007

As a request of my pastor: More John Charles Ryle, for our edification.



"Let us believe that not only every book of the Bible, but every chapter,--and not only every chapter, but every verse,--and not only every verse, but every word, was originally given by inspiration of God."

"We should observe first, ... He commands us to love one another. ...Where there is no Christ-like love, there is no grace, no work of the Spirit, and no reality in our religion. Blessed are they that do not forget Christ's commandment! They are those who shall have right to the tree of life, and enter the celestial city. The unloving Christian is unmeet for heaven.

We should observe, secondly, how our Lord speaks of the relation between Himself and true believers. He says, "Henceforth I call you not servants .... but I have called you friends".

This is indeed a glorious privelege. To know Christ, serve Christ, follow Christ, obey Christ, work in Christ's vineyard, fight Christ's battles, all this is no small matter. But for sinful men and women like ourselves to be called "friends of Christ", is something that our weak minds can hardly grasp and take in. The King of kings and Lord of lords not only pities and saves all them that believe in Him, but actually calls them His "friends".
-From: "Expository Thoughts on the Gospels; Vol 4".

2 comments:

jazzycat said...

Ryle could really preach... Once a person decides he doesn't believe it all, then nothing in it is secure from deletion. I think this is illustrated by the "Jesus Seminar" scholars.
wayne

donsands said...

When one doesn't believe it all, then his life becomes one of his own morality.
He makes the rules, not Scripture, and Scripture is great as long as it agrees with my morality.

Thanks Jazzy. Keep on.