No Holy Spirit = No Christ = No Heaven by J.C. Ryle

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No Holy Spirit = No Christ = No Heaven by J.C. Ryle

Let it be distinctly understood that the person who does not have the Spirit, does not have Christ. They who do not have Christ have no pardon of their sins—no peace with God—no title to heaven—no well-grounded hope of being saved.

Their religion is like the house built on the sand. It may look well in fine weather. It may satisfy them in the time of health and prosperity. But when the flood rises, and the wind blows—when sickness and trouble come up against them, it will fall and bury them under its ruins. They live without a good hope, and without a good hope they die. They will rise again only to be miserable. They will stand in the judgment only to be condemned; they will see saints and angels looking on, and remember they might have been among them—but too late; they will see lost myriads around them, and find they cannot comfort them—but too late. This will be the end of the person who thinks that they can reach heaven without the Spirit.

~ J.C. Ryle

Tract: Having the Spirit

Getting Beyond A Hearer of Truth by J.C. Ryle

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Getting Beyond A Hearer of Truth by J.C. Ryle

The man who hears Christian teaching, and never gets beyond hearing, is like “a foolish man who built his house on the sand” [Matt. 7:26]. He satisfies himself with listening and approving, but he goes no further.

He flatters himself, perhaps, that all is right with his soul, because he has feelings, convictions, and desires, of a spiritual kind. In these he rests. He never really breaks off from sin, and casts aside the spirit of the world. He never really lays hold of Christ. He never really takes up the cross. He is a hearer of truth, but nothing more.

~ J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1986], 71, 72.

Are You a Noble-Minded Berean? By J.C. Ryle

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Are You a Noble-Minded Berean? By J.C. Ryle

The state of mind we should always desire to possess is that of the noble-minded Bereans.

When they first heard the Apostle Paul preach, they listened with attention. They received the Word “with all readiness of mind.” They “searched the Scriptures,” and compared what they heard with God’s Word. “And therefore,” we are told, “many of them believed.” Happy are those who go and do likewise! (Acts 17:11, 12.)

~ J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John, volume 2, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1987], 169.

The Finished Work of Christ by J.C. Ryle

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The Finished Work of Christ by J.C. Ryle

We rest our souls on a ‘finished work,’ if we rest them on the work of Jesus Christ the Lord.

We need not fear that either sin, or Satan, or law shall condemn us at the last day. We may lean back on the thought, that we have a Savior who has done all, paid all, accomplished all, performed all that is necessary for our salvation.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John, volume 3, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1987], 355.

It Is Well With My Soul by J.C. Ryle

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It Is Well With My Soul by J.C. Ryle

A saved soul has many sorrows. He has a body like other men – weak and frail. He has a heart like other men – and often a more sensitive one too.

He has trials and losses to bear like others – and often more. He has his share of bereavements, deaths, disappointments, crosses. He has the world to oppose, a place in life to fill blamelessly, unconverted relatives to bear with patiently, persecutions to endure and a death to die.  And who is sufficient for these things? What shall enable a believer to bear all this? Nothing but “the consolation there is in Christ.” (Phil. 2:1)

~ J.C. Ryle

The Christian Race & Other Sermons, “Christ is All”, [Moscow, ID: Charles Nolan Publishing, 2002], 380.

You HAVE a Bible But Do You READ It? By J.C. Ryle

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You HAVE a Bible But Do You READ It? By J.C. Ryle

There is more Bible buying, Bible selling, Bible printing and Bible distributing than ever before in our nation.

We see Bibles in every bookstore; Bibles of every size, price and style. There are Bibles in almost every house in the land. But all this time I fear we are in danger of forgetting that to HAVE the Bible is one thing, and to READ it quite another.

~ J.C. Ryle

Practical Religion, “Bible Reading”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1998], 98.

Influenced By the Holy Spirit by J.C. Ryle

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Influenced By the Holy Spirit by J.C. Ryle

Be filled with the Spirit. Seek to be more and more under His blessed influence. Strive to have every thought, word, action, and habit brought under the obedience to the leading of the Holy Ghost.

Grieve Him not by inconsistencies and conformity to the world. Quench Him not by trifling with little infirmities and small besetting sins. Seek rather to have Him ruling and reigning more completely over you every week that you live.

~ J.C. Ryle

Old Paths, “The Holy Ghost”, 289.

Having Perspective in Light of Eternity by J.C. Ryle

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Having Perspective in Light of Eternity by J.C. Ryle

O Christian, what is our light affliction when compared to eternity? Shame on us if we murmur and complain and turn back – with heaven before our eyes!

What can this vain and passing world give us better than this? This is the city of our God Himself, when He will dwell among us Himself. The glory of God shall enlighten it, and the Lamb is the light there. Truly we may say, as Mephibosheth did to David, “Let the world take all, since our Lord will come in peace.” Such is the Bible heaven, there is none other; these sayings are faithful and true, not any of them shall fail. Surely, it is worth a little pain, a little laboring, a little toil, if only we may have the lowest place in the kingdom of God.

~ J.C. Ryle

Tract: Heaven

The Habit of Private Prayer by J.C. Ryle

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The Habit of Private Prayer by J.C. Ryle

What is the reason that some believers are so much brighter and holier than others?

I believe the difference, in nineteen cases out of twenty, arises from different habits about private prayer. I believe that those who are not eminently holy pray little, and those who are eminently holy pray much.”

~ J.C. Ryle

A Call to Prayer, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2002], 15.

No More Sorrow In Heaven by J.C. Ryle

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No More Sorrow In Heaven by J.C. Ryle

Blessed be God! There shall be no sorrow in heaven. There shall not be one single tear shed within the courts above. There shall be no more disease and weakness and decay.

The coffin, and the funeral, and the grave shall be things unknown. Our faces shall no more be pale and sad. No more shall we go out from the company of those we love and be parted asunder–that word, ‘farewell’, shall never be heard again. There shall be no anxious thought about tomorrow to mar and spoil our enjoyment. There shall be no sharp and cutting words to wound our souls. Our needs will have come to a perpetual end, and all around us shall be harmony and love.

~ J.C. Ryle

Heading for Heaven [Darlington, England: Evangelical Press, 1987], 119, 120.

Anchored In Christ’s Hands by J.C. Ryle

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Anchored In Christ’s Hands by J.C. Ryle

I want you to know the length and breadth of your portion in Christ. I want you to understand the full amount of the treasure to which faith in Jesus entitles you. You have found out that you are a great sinner.

Thank God for that. You have fled to Christ for pardon and peace with God. Thank God for that. You have committed yourself to Jesus for time and eternity – you have no hope but in Christ’s blood, Christ’s righteousness, Christ’s mediation, Christ’s daily all-persevering intercession. Thank God for that. Your heart’s desire and prayer is to be holy in all manner of conversation. Thank God for that. But oh, lay hold upon the glorious truth – that believing on Jesus you shall never perish, you shall never be cast away, you shall never fall away! It is written for you as well as for the apostles, “My sheep shall never perish.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Practical Religion, “Perseverance”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1998], 516.

The Courage to Confess Christ by J.C. Ryle

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The Courage to Confess Christ by J.C. Ryle

Let us all pray daily for faith and courage to confess Christ before all men. Of sin, or worldliness, or unbelief, we may well be ashamed.

We ought never to be ashamed of Him who died for us on the cross. In spite of laughter, mockery, and hard words, let us boldly avow that we serve Christ. Better a thousand times confess Christ now, and be despised by man, than be disowned by Christ before His Father in the day of judgment.

~ J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark, 173.

The Main Cause of Backsliding by J.C. Ryle

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The Main Cause of Backsliding by J.C. Ryle

What is the cause of most backslidings? I believe, as a general rule, one of the chief causes is neglect of private prayer.

You may be very sure men fall in private long before they fall in public. They are backsliders on their knees long before they backslide openly in the eyes of the world.

~ J.C. Ryle

A Call to Prayer, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2002], 16.

The Correlation of Happiness and Holiness by J.C. Ryle

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The Correlation of Happiness and Holiness by J.C. Ryle

How is it, people often ask, that so many professing believers have so little happiness in their religion? How is it that so many know little of joy and peace in believing, and go mourning and heavy-hearted towards heaven?

The answer to these questions is a sorrowful one, but it must be given. Few believers attend as strictly as they should to Christ’s practical sayings and words. There is far too much loose and careless obedience to Christ’s commandments. There is far too much forgetfulness, that while good works cannot justify us, they are not to be despised. Let these things sink down into our hearts. If we want to be eminently happy, we must strive to be eminently holy.

~ J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John, volume 3, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1987], 91. {John 14:21-26}

The Mindset of a Pilgrim by J.C. Ryle

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The Mindset of a Pilgrim by J.C. Ryle

A holy man will follow after spiritual mindedness. He will endeavor to set his affections entirely on the things above, and to hold things on earth with a very loose hand.

He will not neglect the business of this life now; but the first place in his mind and thoughts will be given to the life to come. He will aim to live like one whose treasure is in heaven, and to pass through this world like a stranger and pilgrim traveling to his home.

“To commune with God in prayer, in the Bible, and in the assembly of His people – these things will be the holy man’s chiefest enjoyments. He will value every thing and place and company, just in proportion as it draws him nearer to God.”

~ J.C. Ryle

Faithfulness and Holiness: The Witness of J.C. Ryle, “Holiness”, [Wheaton: Crossway, 2002], 143.

The Dreadful Truth of Coming Judgment By J.C. Ryle

UPDATE: A new J.C. Ryle 365 Day Devotional has been released from Reformation Heritage Books. This devotional was taken from hundreds of J.C. Ryle's sermons. You can order the devotional HERE.

The Dreadful Truth of Coming Judgment By J.C. Ryle

There is a judgment coming! People have their reckoning days, and God will at last have His. The trumpet shall sound. The dead shall be raised incorruptible.

The living shall be changed. All, of every name, nation, people and tongue, shall stand before the judgment seat of Christ. The books shall be opened, and the evidence brought forth. Our true character will come out before the world. There will be no concealment, no evasion, no false coloring. Every one shall give account of themselves to God, and all shall be judged according to their works. The wicked shall go away into everlasting fire, and the righteous into life eternal. These are dreadful truths! But they are truths, and ought to be told.

~ J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: John, volume 2, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1987], 422, 423. {John 12:44-50}

Ministers: Preach the Gospel! BY J.C. Ryle

UPDATE: A new J.C. Ryle 365 Day Devotional has been released from Reformation Heritage Books. This devotional was taken from hundreds of J.C. Ryle's sermons. You can order the devotional HERE.

Ministers: Preach the Gospel! BY J.C. Ryle

I am satisfied that the happiest minister is the man who most diligently discharges the office committed to him.

None, I am sure, is so miserable as the minister, who, from laziness, or any other motive, lives below his light, and neglects his work. After all, no work is so satisfactory, and so lasting—as the work of a faithful preacher of the Gospel. None have so good a Master. None will receive such wages. A missionary who had labored for the Wesleyan Society, and died at the age of 95, heard his friends round his death-bed saying one to another, “What would our old friend do, if he had to live his life over again?” He rose on his pillow, and said, “The very best thing that a man can do, is to preach the Gospel!”

~ J.C. Ryle

Tract: Neglect Not the Gift

Act Like a Soldier of Christ by J.C. Ryle

UPDATE: A new J.C. Ryle 365 Day Devotional has been released from Reformation Heritage Books. This devotional was taken from hundreds of J.C. Ryle's sermons. You can order the devotional HERE.

Act Like a Soldier of Christ by J.C. Ryle

Every professing Christian is the soldier of Christ. He is bound by his baptism to fight Christ’s battle against sin, the world and the devil.

The man that does not do this breaks his vow. He is a spiritual defaulter. He does not fulfill the engagements made for him. The man that does not do this is practically renouncing his Christianity. The very fact that he belongs to a church, attends a Christian place of worship, and calls himself a Christian, is a public declaration that he desires to be reckoned a soldier of Jesus Christ.

~ J.C. Ryle

Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots, “Visible Churches Warned”, [Moscow, ID: Charles Nolan Publishing, 2001], 281.