Tag: J.C. Ryle

Do not love the world

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J.C. Ryleby J.C. Ryle

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2:15

There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have enough–a cheap Christianity which offends nobody, and requires no sacrifice; which costs nothing, and is worth nothing.

The standard of the world, and the standard of the Lord Jesus–are indeed widely different. They are more than different–they are flatly contradictory one to the other. Never be satisfied with the world’s standard of Christianity!

A crucified Savior will never be content to have a self-pleasing, self-indulging, worldly-minded people!

It costs something to be a true Christian. It will cost us our sins, our self-righteousness, our ease and our worldliness!

The ways, and fashions, and amusements, and recreations of the world–have a continually decreasing place in the heart of a growing Christian. He does not condemn them as downright sinful, nor say that those who have anything to do with them are going to Hell.

He only feels they have a constantly diminishing hold on his own affections, and gradually seem smaller and more trifling in his eyes.

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.” 1 John 5:4

by J.C. Ryle

My greatest grief and joy

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J.C. Ryleby J.C. Ryle

Christian Leaders of the Last Century

William Grimshaw was, above all, a man of rare humility. Few gifted men, perhaps, ever thought so humbly of themselves, or were so truly ready to honor others.

“What have we to boast of?” he once said. “What do we have, that we have not received? Freely by grace we are saved. When I die I shall then have my greatest grief and my greatest joy: my greatest grief that I have done so little for Jesus; and my greatest joy that Jesus has done so much for me. My last words shall be, “Here goes an unprofitable servant!”

On his deathbed he said, “Alas! what have my wretched services been. I have now need to cry, at the end of my unprofitable course: God be merciful to me a sinner!”

Shortly after, laying his hand on his heart, he said, “I am quite exhausted; but I shall soon be at home, forever with the Lord–a poor miserable sinner redeemed by His precious blood!”

by J.C. Ryle