Marks of Religious Growth

Marks of Religious Growth, adapted from J C Ryle

Many of you all know I gain a lot of insight and challenge form a minister in England some one hundred years ago named J C Ryle.  This morning as I was reading I came across this list.  I will spare you the fine details, but want to encourage you nonetheless with this list.  These notes come from his book Holiness.

“We do not question the reality of growth in grace and its vast importance.  You want to know how anyone may find whether he is growing in grace or not?  First observe, we are very poor judges of our own condition, and bystanders know us better than we know ourselves.  But there are certain great marks and signs of growth in grace.

Humility- The man whose soul is growing feels his own sinfulness and unworthiness more every year.  The nearer he draws to God, and the more he sees of God’s holiness and perfections, the more thoroughly is he sensible of his own countless imperfections.

Increase in faith and love towards our Lord Jesus Christ.

Increase in holiness of life and conversation. The man whose soul is growing gets more dominion over sin, the world, and the devil every year.  He becomes more careful about his temper, his words, and actions.  He is more watchful over his conduct in every relation of life.

Increased spirituality of taste and mind. He takes more interest in spiritual things every year.

Increase in Charity.  His love will show itself actively in a growing disposition to do kindnesses, to take trouble for others, to be good natured to everybody, to be generous, sympathizing, thoughtful, tender hearted, and considerate.

Increased zeal and diligence for trying to do good to souls.  The man who is really growing will take greater interest in the salvation of sinners every year.

Five Men From History Whom I Would Want as My Pastor

I love to read. Yesterday in celebration of the the United States independence, I took a day off. Part of my day was to not fix anything, as is the norm. I actually had many things done previously, so I was able to sit and read for an extended session. Typically many books are often in the process of being read at the same time in my life. As I perused over the titles that had been begun, I began to ponder the writer' influence upon my life. Writers can be friends. If we read enough of particular people we will begin to develop an affinity for them. We also begin to be influenced by their logic, reasoning, and emphasis on matters.

Of the books I read, I love biographies most. Not only do i want to read from a person, I want to know about who it is I am reading from. I tend to be one of those persons who reads the introductions, and author's biographies within a book. If a movie has director's commentary I am likely to indulge in that also. The backstory to me is often more interesting than the story itself.

Thus in the pondering on my vocation. The question of whom would I want to be my pastor came up. I have found these men to not only be pastors whom I would want to be under had I lived in their town, but I do find that I allow them to shape me even today as I read their works.


#5 Would be John Newton. Former slave trader, hymn writer, self described wretch. Few have been known for more repentance and self sacrificing love.

#4 Is John Calvin. He has often been the center of much debate. However, he led an entire city to fashion itself around the gospel. His influence today is still very strong, and to neglect his writings is to deprive oneself of vigorous spiritual exercise.

#3 J C Ryle fills this chair, and I am glad. Only in the past 4 years have I come to know about this wonderful self sacrificing pastor. I estimate I have only read about 12 of his books, but praise God there are many more to be mined and reread. He is essentially the pastor I read daily before I begin my personal time of devotions.

#2 Is certainly Jonathan Edwards. Few ever had that discipline, wisdom, mind, and passion as Jonathan Edwards had. America would not be what it is today without God using this man.

#1 Martyn Lloyd Jones. This man exemplifies the pastorate. Theologian and care giver to the flock. He has a wonderful exegesis of the Bible. He can reason with children as well as the most learned. He gave up a promising career in medicine to take on a humble pastorate.

All these men have elements that I find I need and learn from. The marks of their ministry have several things in common that I wish to have.

• A resounding deep priority to have a prayer life before all else.
• A passion to be filled by the Holy Spirit
• Suffering through trials of life as well as ministry only to rely upon the strength of God.
• A diligence in ministry duties.
• Humility and a hatred of sin.
• Care for their flocks by love rather than by assignment.

When I am weary, worn and spiritually low, God often has used these men to minister to me.

J C Ryle on Holiness

Quotes from J C Ryle in his book Holiness

As I spent many mornings over the past few months reading slowly through Holiness by J C Ryle I found myself challenged and insufficient. And I am grateful. Ryle has a way of exposing our heart in love. 111 years after his death, his writings are still relevant. I also add, they are timely. For he does not write of his own accord or opinion as so many flash in the pan writes do. He writes from scripture, applied to living by means of justification and sanctification, and that will never fail to be timely.

Many more quotes could and should be posted from this book. I however leave you with these.

Sanctifying faith is a grace of which the very life is action: it worketh by love and, like a mainspring, moves the whole inward man.

We are frequently told that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law, by St. Paul. But not once are we told that we are sanctified by faith without the deeds of the law.

What do such expressions as fast, gay, wild, unsteady, thoughtless, loose mean? They show that men try to cheat themselves into the belief that sin is not quite so sinful as God says it is, ant that they are not so bad as they really are.

People will never set their faces decidly toward Heaven and live like pilgrims, until they really feel that they are in danger of Hell.

Sanctification does not consist in the occasional performance of right actions. It is the habitual working of a new heavenly principal within, which runs through all a man’s daily conduct, both in great things and in small.

We must be holy, because this is the one grand end and purpose for which Christ came into the world.

In short, to talk to men of being saved from the guilt of sin, without being at the same time saved from its dominion in their hearts, is to contradict the witness of all scripture.

We Must be holy, because this is the only sound evidence that we have a saving faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.

We must be holy, because this is the only proof that we love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.

God has said it and He will not go back: “Without holiness no man shall see the Lord”. The pope’s calendar, says Jenkyn, “only makes saints of the dead, but scripture requires sanctity in the living”.

Tell me not of your justification, unless you have also some marks of sanctification.

The child of God has two great marks about him, and of these two we have one. He may be known by his inward warfare, as well as by his inward peace.

My marks and scars I carry with me, to be a witness for me that I have fought His battles, who will now be my redeemer”.

He will not break any bruised reed, nor quench any smoking flax. He will never let it be said that any perished at the foot of the cross.

It is vain to suppose you will feel assured and persuaded of your own pardon and acceptance with God, unless you count all God’s commandments concerning all things to be right, and hate every sin, whether great or small.

The believer who follows the Lord most fully and aims at the highest degree of holiness will ordinarily enjoy the most assured hope and have the clearest persuasion of his own salvation.

It is an awful truth, and worthy of all consideration, that knowledge not acted upon, in God’s sight, in not merely useless and unprofitable. It is much worse than that. It will add to our condemnation and increase our guilt in the judgment day. A faith that does not influence a man’s practice is not worthy of the name.

Before we pass on, let us remember that a true Christian may have many a blemish, many a defect, many an infirmity, and yet be a true Christian nevertheless.

Beware of selling your Sabbath for the sake of a good place! Remember Esau’s mess of pottage. Beware of Lot’s choice.

You have only got to walk in Lot’s steps and make Lot’s choice, and you will soon come to Lot’s state of soul.

It is amazing to observe how readily people catch at the least excuse for misunderstandings the things that concern their souls!

It is a solemn warning, when we think of the person Jesus names. He does not bid us remember Abraham or Isaac or Jacob or Sarah of Hanna or Ruth. No, He singles out one whose soul was lost forever. He cries to us, “Remember Lot’s wife”.

Great privileges misused bring down great wrath on the soul.

But you are forgetting that the grand object of the gospel is to persuade men to “flee the wrath that is to come”, and that it is vain to expect men to flee unless they are afraid. Well it would be for many professing Christians if they were more afraid about their souls than they are now!

Do you ever try to do good to others? If you do, remember to tell them about Christ.

Great is the danger of him “that believeth not”, the danger of him that “loveth not” is equally great.

“.. if you do not love Christ, let me plainly tell what is the reason. You have no sense of debt to Him.

If Bible words mean anything, to be without the Spirit is to be without Christ.

But you may depend, there is no ignorance so common as so mischievous as ignorance of ourselves. Yes, men may know all arts and sciences and languages, and political economy and statecraft, and yet be miserably ignorant of their own hearts and their own state before God.

Like people afflicted with colorblindness, they are incapable of discerning what is true and what is false, what is sound and what is unsound. If a preacher of religion is only clever and eloquent and earnest, they appear to think he is all right, however strange and heterogeneous his sermons may be. They are destitute of spiritual sense, apparently, and cannot detect error.

But while we are thankful for the increase of public religion, we must never forget that, unless it is accompanied by private religion, it is of no real solid value, and may even produce most mischievous effects. Incessant running after sensational preachers, incessant attendance at hot crowded meetings, protracted to late hours, incessant craving after fresh excitement and highly spiced pulpit novelties- all this kind of thing is calculated to produce a very unhealthy style of Christianity and, in many cases I am afraid, the end is utter ruin of the soul. For, unhappily, those who make public religion everything are often led away by mere temporary emotions, after some grand display of ecclesiastical oratory, into professing far more than they really feel.

When great professors backslide in public, and the church is surprised and shocked, the truth is that they had long ago backslidden on their knees. They had neglected the throne of grace.

Take any commandment of the ten, and let us examine ourselves by it. We have broken it repeatedly.

A Critique of Evangelism via J C Ryle. Part 7

As we continue investigating J C Ryle’s critique of evangelism and easy believism, we will often consider this to be written recently. The truth is that the 1880’s saw such pleading for numbers and liberalism that we are reaping the results still. Church growth experts are not new. They have long taught “If you want numbers you must appeal to the masses”. The full council of God is for the few who find it.

Bishop Ryle states…

. (1) Let "all the counsel of God be taught" in Scriptural proportion; and let not two or three precious doctrines of the Gospel be allowed to overshadow all other truths. (2) Let repentance be taught fully as well as faith, and not thrust completely into the background. Our Lord Jesus Christ and St. Paul always taught both.

Pet doctrines abound. One particular preacher teaches with great consistency on the end times. His entire ministry is built upon speculation and fascination. Others tend to grip the Love of God and fail to characterize it in light of wrath and sin. These are pure disservice to the discipleship of the body. Still another church is representing a man made God so well that the difficult texts are thrown out, because “it doesn’t fit our opinion of who God is to us”.

This is the point, by not teaching the whole counsel of God we tend to make God in our own image. We can thus have a God that looks just like the world and the world’s ways and values are therefore acceptable.

Preaching and discipleship from the bible is to bring sinners to knowledge of God. To have a true knowledge we need each aspect to support each aspect. To continue with Rev. Ryle, we must be taught to repent. Repentance should always include a reminder of the holiness of God, the separation we then have, and the result being wrath. If any doctrine is going to be overlooked, in my opinion it is wrath. But it is the wrath of God for which Christ died. When we share with persons that they need to be saved I hope they challenge us to ask “Saved from what?”

There is no appreciation for the Savior unless we see the whole council of God and especially our being saved from Hell. Then the supporting doctrines give a grand picture of God. He is not bent on wrath and merely appeased by “our decision”. But He is a great God who has a plan. Who works in sovereignty, who chooses on His on volition out of His love to save. Let us again see people being led to this God. He must be represented as who He is, not as man chooses to make Him.

We have forgotten how to repent. Too often faith has been turned into a religion of works. One of these works is the discomfort felt by being guilty. We think if we are guilty and say we are sorry it is enough. We attribute our uneasiness due to guilt as punishment enough. It is precisely this line of reasoning that shows we either do not know God or worldliness has crept in where the whole council of God should be taught. But as John the Baptist taught, “Repent and then do works in accordance with repentance”. This only comes by a change of heart. Outward actions do not carry any weight unless the heart be changed. Men change actions, but God evidences Himself in change of the heart.

To change and not revert back to the old self we need the doctrines of our Lord, from the whole council of scripture to be in a process of sanctification.

Who said this?

Who made the following comment,

"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".

It is not whom you would think of first.

Stay tuned for the answer.


The answer is J C Ryle, in the 1880's.

Part VI of A Critique of Evangelism via J C Ryle

Part 6

As we continue with Rev. Ryle let us now look at the next statement. Permit me here to get preachy. For I do agree with him that too often evangelism is watered down and ineffective.

"On the other side, many graceless people are deluded into thinking they are "converted," because under the pressure or animal excitement and temporary feelings they arc led to profess themselves Christians. And all this time the thoughtless and ungodly look on with contempt, and rind fresh reasons for neglecting religion altogether. The antidotes to the state of things I deplore are plain and few". J C Ryle

I can find no better evidence to support these statements than the parable of Christ known as the seed and the sower. I have witnessed many persons “come to faith” only to fall away. Unfortunately we often give these folks a false sense of security. My first church claimed to have over 450 members when they first described themselves in the church search process. Upon my arrival I found that their roles often consisted of simple names with no supporting information that were in a three ring binder. Several persons were found to be deceased, and even more were only listed by first and last name with no contact information. When pressed as to how they came to be considered members the reply was “they came forward and we voted on them”.

My dear Christian, this is a travesty and mockery of the church. Here people whom made an emotional decision or one in a time of working a deal with God were nowhere to be found. You too can surely attest to those who once were a part of the church whom have now fallen away. Surely the parable thus teaches us that they may give evidence but lack real sustaining root. These are not disciples. These are not Christians.

People in this state are looked at by the unconverted mockers as “having got religion”. I can attest that in my Godless days of seeing people “saved” and the mockers commenting that they will soon “get over it”. Thus we do the name of Christ a disservice by allowing folks to have a get saved quick ability. True people can be saved in an instant, but what are they saved with or to? Is it gospel lite? Is it a pitch that assures better prosperity? Was their sin ever dealt with by the Holy Spirit? These are the questions I ask.

We are easily given to impulses. Notice the catchy displays at the cash register in most stores. How about children., and adults alike, that “need’ a souvenir at some stopping place only to have it as garage sale fodder a year later? Many people wear Mickey Mouse shirts per capita at Disney world, but go to your average shopping mall and they will exist in very sparse numbers. Why, it is all because of group mentality. It is a desire to belong. But Christ is not Mickey Mouse. Christ is the atonement and He and his message are the crux of life.

I say all this to say that gimmicks and methods that are used to gain a response rarely lead to true conversion. Our evangelism must be complete in laying out the gospel. People should not add Christ to their list of mental occupations; they should abandon all these and cling to Him only.

A Critique of Evangelism via J C Ryle Part 5

Part 5
(5) Last, but not least, the sovereignty of God in saving sinners, and the absolute necessity of preventing grace, are far too much overlooked. Many talk as if conversions could be manufactured at man's pleasure, and as if there were no such text as this, "It is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy." (Rom. ix. 16.)

This is a great truth. Just the other day in a small group setting I encountered someone who is living with the struggle of sin keeping them from Christ. They were under the guilt of sin. So much so they had wrestled with the problem of sin that their unsaved condition led them to conclude that there is no point in trying to resist as they would only fail. Mind you they are a pretty “good” person on our human standards, and not looking to justify themselves. I think those who have overcome much by way of sanctification can identify with this issue. Many Christians do feel this way also. We hear how we are to be obedient, moral, and holy. Yet we fail again and again. We hear often sermons on Three or ten things to do to live a certain way. And herein lies the problem, too often we struggle with sin in our own strength. We can’t keep God list of ten commandments let alone a sinful man’s perspective list. What we need is the gospel!

My friend who is not under the direction of the Holy Spirit came to the logical humanistic conclusion of the problem. However, under the Holy Spirit we have a means of dealing with this.

As J C said, “but of God that showeth mercy”. So often we try to rid ourselves of sin in order to be pleasing to God in our own strength. What God desires, for His glory, is that we by faith take the promises confirmed by the cross and find our peach in them, not our own doings. The natural man tries to “do something”. The spiritual man sees what has been done already. We grow up in a society that fends for itself. God is glorified in what He has done, our job is to recognize it. When we see God for who He is then in thankfulness we act accordingly. (John 7:36-50)

We can not impress God. We can not compensate for our sin. The efforts to do so are sinful by presumption and taking another path to God, thus they themselves are sin. Simply put the way to God is through Christ. (John 14:6)

So here the Gospel has power, it reveals our need for God, the provision of God, and the grace of God. Anything less is man centered philosophy.

The gospel message removes in hope in ourselves. It places all upon the back of Christ in the cross. In our next installment we will continue with looking at Rev. Ryles Gospel centered evangelism. We will see how it is evidenced and how it is not evidenced.

Part IV: A Critique of Evangelism via J C Ryle

Part 4

J C Ryle states…..

(4) The possession of inward joy and assurance is made essential to believing. Yet assurance is certainly not of the essence of saving faith. There may be faith when there is no assurance. To insist on all believers at once "rejoicing," as soon as they believe, is most unsafe. Some, I am quite sure, will rejoice without believing, while others will believe who cannot at once rejoice.

“How do you feel”? It is a question posed over and over to the newly converted. Though well meaning it can have a cancerous effect. To equate the salvation of a person with a feeling is most counter productive. It alludes that our salvation is in proportion to our joy. What about those days when you just don’t “feel like it”? When problems arise and you are angry, agitated, nervous, stressed, or despondent, have you lost your salvation”? The answer of course is no.

I can honestly remember dozens of times that “sales pitch” evangelism has been made only to follow a commitment prayer with “How do you feel”? It has even happened to me. I praise God for 1 John. Lately as I reread this great book I am reminded that with great compassion John writes to remind us of where our assurances lie. They reside within the working of the Holy Spirit abiding within us.

Now do not get me wrong. Emotions are highly important, especially joy. Remember, we were created to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. How can we enjoy someone and glorify them without joy in them?

When Jesus spoke to the woman at the well He made a profound truth known, “God seeks worshippers who will worship Him in spirit and in truth”. The truth is the doctrines, the correct theology, and adherence to the word of God. The spirit is that joy and treasuring, that love for God that glorifies Him above all the entrapments of the world or pleasures of sin. Thus as Ryle states, it is essential to have joy. A worshipper without inward joy is a fake, or at best confused. I often tell our people to wake up every day and realize that their greatest need has been met in Christ upon the cross. With that perspective we ought ot have overcoming joy in our trials, we ought to be worshipping in whatever we do, and unto the glory of God.

As C S Lewis states, “Joy is not complete till expressed”. Thus, to be a worshipper means that joy from within is then poured forth. Out of the heart the mouth speaks. Let the joy of the Lord be the strength to worship, and do so based upon His truths. True worship is an upward spiral. Truth brings joy which brings a deeper understanding of truth that brings more joy. Praise God that we were created to be worshippers in spirit and in truth.

Let us return to the topic of assurance. Ryle notes that assurance is not necessarily saving faith. You can believe something and be wrong. Columbus believed he had made the voyage to India. Doctors once believed that by bleeding patients they would save them. We need to believe and find assurances in Christ. We grow in this by discipleship. And yet, you can truly believe and not have assurance. I think of the father who came to Christ after the disciples could not help his son. He cried to Jesus “I believe, help my unbelief”. We are told that if we have faith like a mustard seed we can be saved. Remember, new Christians are often marked by a lack of knowledge, which is born through experience with Christ.

We all have moments when we lack assurance. These can be most beneficial. That is to say we do need to question our salvation. Are we trusting in ourselves or totally in Christ? We need to look at motives, experiences, and at the moment of commitment were our emotions getting the best of us. Then we need to call again upon Christ. Beg for His presence and saving work. We need to see our need of Him and treasure Him, thus making it certain to “work out our salvation with fear and trembling”. Questioning my salvation at times has served to further reveal my need for Him and to wane my self reliance. This moves us from making salvation a moment in time experience (the get out of Hell Free Card) to a changed life experience.

Truly, we can not ascertain in the experiential moment if someone is truly saved.

The solution is time abiding in Christ. Just like 1 John reveals as well as the parable of the seed and sewer. Those who abide, last, and bear fruit can be then assured of their salvation.

A Critique of Evangelis via J C Ryle part III

Part 3

Our third installment of Evangelism via J C Ryle

(3) Faith is not properly explained. In some cases people are taught that mere feeling is faith. In others they are taught that if they believe that Christ died for sinners they have faith! At this rate the very devils are believers!

Just last night my eight year old daughter came to faith in Christ. I am trilled that the quiver of arrows God has entrusted me with is now complete in Christ. As she was sharing her decision with me I wanted to restrict my emotions for the very reason Dr. Ryle addresses above. I do not want her thinking that Christianity is an emotion state of being.

Ryle is spot on. Too often methods of sharing your faith are too simplistic. What we are saying her is that faith is often reduced to a feeling. It is also legalistically explained as blunt thoughtless confession as a magical mantra that qualifies as good enough to gain you an inheritance in Christ’s blood. This simply is not true. As Jesus said it is like the Pharisees making someone twice as much a child of hell. It give a false assurance. Better the Christian who doubts his/her salvation than the lost sinner who has false assurance. But better still is that complete Christian who strives for an authentic living of the faith.

Ryle mentions as James does that the devils believe, and they shudder. The demons believe with greater faith that Christ is the savior, that He is Lord. But He is not their love. The problem I often see in Christianity lite is the lumping of God in with all our other delights. We do not revere Him not have His in holy sanctified regard. We see Him as serving us, rather than our sinfulness atoned for by who He is. Great and costly value is attributed unto God by the truly redeemed. No one should be led to "pray a prayer" without this. This is what differentiates us from demons.

As I listened to my daughter last night I had her explain to me what she meant. We often talk of Savior, Lord, and Love being three concrete identifiable factors of being a truly converted sinner. I have written on these before in this blog. A search within its contents will find it. To be a Christian requites an acknowledgment of sin, the need of Christ as Lord, and we must love Him. We cannot love Jesus “and”. It is to be Jesus alone.

My great problem with sales stylized evangelistic programs is that too little is either spent on the conviction and repentance of sin and also the place of love for God that is at the heart of Christianity. They also often play to the emotional fear of burning in Hell. This is an aspect that should not be ignored, but what you save them with is what you save them to. Remember, my theology was skewed by thinking this was all there is. So last night I needed to apply a proper dialog and counsel for the salvation questions needed for my daughter. Mind you an eight year old girl is not going to have a theology degree. But what we can look for is the workings of the holy Spirit. The majority of evangelistic methods I have seen are mere sales pitches. Everybody basically desires a “get out of Hell free” card much like life caricatures a Monopoly game. We simply must not do this.

God can save someone in an instant. Often He puts the right person with the right other person and one of these methods does work. However, I can drive a nail with a rock, but a hammer is much better. One reason I base my conclusions upon is how few people remain in discipleship within a year later making such a decision. Many fall away just as Christ shared in the seed and the sewer example. Yes they receive the word, but being rootless they wither quickly.

So what should proper evangelism contain? Check the following entries as we continue to learn from Dr. Ryle.

FYI

Jonathan Edwards wrote a great book The Religious Affections. In it he debates and clarifies the need and purposes of emotions in worship and faith. Though it is a higher level read it is one of those books that every Christian ought to read and apply. If you have ever “not felt like a Christian” or had an emotional experience where a great commitment that now has gone by the wayside this book will give profitable insight. In short, it also condemns the fanatical means of “prosperity gospel”.