Quotes from JC Ryle

I fear the personality of our Lord is sadly lost sight of by many professors in the present day. Their talk is more about salvation than about the Saviour--more about redemption than about the Redeemer--more about justification than about Jesus--more about Christ's work than about Christ's person. This a great fault, and one that fully accounts for the dry and sapless character of the religion of many professors.

There is nothing I dislike so much in prophetic inquiry as dogmatism or overconfidence. Much of the discredit that has fallen on prophetic study has arisen from the fact that many students, instead of expounding prophecy, have turned into prophets themselves.

To expect wages after doing no work, prosperity after making no effort, or learning after neglecting books is utter foolishness. But to expect heaven without faith in Christ, or the kingdom of God without being born again, or the crown of glory without the cross and a holy walk — all this is greater folly still and yet more common. Sadly, this is the foolishness of the world!

In grace as well as in providence, Christ works still. He is ever taking away sin.

A sanctified person will try to do good in the world. He will try to lessen the sorrow and increase the happiness of all around him. He will strive to be like his Master, full of kindness and love to everyone — not in word only, by calling people "dear," but by deeds and actions and self-denying work, according as he has opportunity.

I pray for them — I pray not for the world.

The bank-note without a signature at the bottom is nothing but a worthless piece of paper. A few strokes of a pen confer on it all its value. The prayer of a poor child of Adam is a feeble thing in itself, but once endorsed by the hand of the Lord Jesus it availeth much.

I believe the world will never be completely converted to Christianity by any existing agency before the end comes. Despite all that can be done by ministers, churches, schools, and missions, the wheat and the tares will grow together until the harvest, and when the end comes, the earth will be in much the same state that it was when the flood came in the days of Noah (Matthew 13:24-30; 24:37-39).

The holiest people have many blemishes and defects when weighed in the balance of the sanctuary. Their life is a continual warfare with sin, the world, and the devil. Sometimes you will see them being overcome rather than overcoming. The flesh is always fighting against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh (Galatians 5:17),

If we have faith, we look backward to Christ dying on the cross, and if we have hope, we must look forward to Christ coming again (John 14:3; 2 Timothy 4:8; 2 Peter 3:12).

The eye of God! Think of that. Everywhere, in every house, in every field, in every room, in every company, alone or in a crowd, the eye of God is always on you. "The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good" (Proverbs 15:3), and they are eyes that read hearts as well as actions.

Be very sure of this--people never reject the Bible because they cannot understand it. They understand it too well; they understand that it condemns their own behavior; they understand that it witnesses against their own sins, and summons them to judgment.