Introduction

Last week, we began exploring the Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians. In it, the Apostolic Father commends the Philippians for their faith and for supporting those who endured suffering, followed by an encouragement to various groups within the church.

In today’s article, Polycarp stresses the importance of holding to true doctrine while pursuing conformity to Christ. He issues a sharp warning against false teachers and greives those who have shipwrecked their faith. Read on to glean these lessons.

Last Week’s Post

The Epistle To The Philippians

A Letter by Polycarp, 2nd Century (Modernised)

Duties Of Presbyters And Others

The presbyters must be compassionate and merciful to everyone. They should bring back those who wander, visit all the sick, and never neglect the widow, the orphan, or the poor. Instead, they should always be “providing for that which is becoming in the sight of God and men”. They must not be harsh in their judgment, knowing that we are all under a debt of sin. (2 Cor. 8:21)

If, then, we ask the Lord to forgive us, we also ought to forgive others. For we live before the eyes of our Lord and God, and “we must all appear at the judgment-seat of Christ, and must every one give an account of himself”. Let us then serve Him with fear and all reverence, just as He commanded us, and as the apostles who preached the gospel to us and the prophets who announced the coming of the Lord have also taught us. Let us be eager to pursue what is good, staying away from things that cause others to stumble, from false brothers, and from those who hypocritically use the name of the Lord to lead foolish people into error. (Rom. 14:10,12)

Avoiding Docetists

Note: Docetism comes from the Greek word dokeo, which means “to seem”. It was an early heresy teaching that Jesus Christ only seemed to be a human being and did not have a real physical body of flesh

“For whosoever does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, is antichrist”; and whoever does not confess the testimony of the cross is of the devil. Furthermore, whoever twists the sayings of the Lord to suit his own sinful desires and claims there is neither a resurrection nor a judgment—that person is the first-born of Satan. (1 Joh. 4:3)

Therefore, let us abandon the vain ideas of the crowd and their false doctrines. Instead, let us return to the word that was handed down to us from the beginning. We must be “watching unto prayer” and persevere in fasting. In our prayers, let us plead with the all-seeing God “not to lead us into temptation”, just as the Lord has said: “The spirit truly is willing, but the flesh is weak”. (1 Pet. 4:7, Mat. 6:13, 26:41)

A Call To Endurance

I urge you all, to obey the word of righteousness and to practice every kind of endurance—the same patient endurance you saw with your own eyes. You saw it not only in the blessed Ignatius, Zosimus, and Rufus, but also in others from among your own people, and in Paul himself and the rest of the apostles. Do this with the assurance that all these have “not run in vain”, but acted in faith and righteousness. They are now in their rightful place in the presence of the Lord, with whom they also suffered. For they did not love this present world, but loved Him who died for us and was raised again by God for our sake. (Phi. 2:16)

Exhortation To The Practice Of Virtue

Stand firm, therefore, in these things and follow the example of the Lord. Be steadfast and immovable in the faith, loving the Christian community and being devoted to one another. Stay joined together in the truth, showing the meekness of the Lord in your dealings with each other, and look down on no one. When you have the opportunity to do good, do not delay it, because ‘alms delivers from death’. All of you should be “subject one to another”, “having your conduct blameless among the Gentiles”, so that you may receive praise for your good works and the Lord may not be slandered because of you. But woe to anyone through whom the name of the Lord is slandered! Therefore, teach everyone to live with self-control, and demonstrate it yourselves by your own way of life. (1 Pet. 5:5, 2:12)

Expression Of Grief Over Valens

I am deeply grieved for Valens, who was once a presbyter among you, because he so poorly understands the responsibility that was given to him in the church. I urge you, therefore, to stay away from greed and to be pure and truthful. “Abstain from every form of evil”. For if a man cannot govern himself in these matters, how can he teach them to others? If a man does not keep himself from greed, he will be defiled by idolatry and will be judged as if he were one of the pagans. (1 The. 5:22)

But which of us is ignorant of the judgment of the Lord? “Do we not know that the saints shall judge the world?”, as Paul teaches. However, I have neither seen nor heard of any such thing among you—you, among whom the blessed Paul labored and who are praised in the beginning of his letter. For he boasts of you in all the churches that knew the Lord at that time, though we in Smyrna had not yet come to know Him. I am deeply grieved, brothers, for Valens and his wife; may the Lord grant them true repentance! Therefore, be moderate in this matter, and “do not count such as enemies”, but call them back as suffering and straying members, so that you may save your whole body. For by doing this, you build yourselves up. (1 Cor. 6:2,2 The. 3:15)

Final Exhoration

May the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ Himself—the Son of God and our everlasting High Priest—build you up in faith, truth, and in all gentleness, kindness, patience, endurance, and purity. May He grant you a lot and a portion among His saints, and to us along with you, and to all under heaven who shall believe in our Lord Jesus Christ and in His Father, who “raised Him from the dead”. (Gal. 1:1; 1 Pet. 1:21)

Pray for all the saints. Pray also for kings, rulers, and authorities, and for those who persecute and hate you, and for the enemies of the cross. Do this so that your fruit may be evident to everyone and that you may be perfect in Him.

Conclusion

I have written these things to you through Crescens, whom I have recommended to you in the past and recommend to you now. He has conducted himself blamelessly among us, and I believe he will do the same among you. Additionally, please hold his sister in high regard when she arrives. May you be safe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with you all. Amen.

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Introduction

In our next edition of articles, we’re travelling not just 200 years back, but all the way to the second century to meet Polycarp, the Bishop of Smyrna with direct ties to the Apostle John—son of Zebedee, one of the Twelve.

This week, we’ll explore the first half of his Letter to the Philippians which has exhortations still relevant today, all grounded in Scripture as the ultimate authority for faith and practice. Let’s learn from this voice of the early church.

Last month’s Spurgeon sermon is now becoming a booklet, out next month!

Last Week’s Post

The Epistle To The Philippians

A Letter by Polycarp, 2nd Century (Modernised)

Polycarp, and the presbyters with him, to the church of God sojourning at Philippi: May mercy and peace from God Almighty and the Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, be multiplied to you.

Praise Of The Philippians

I have rejoiced greatly with you in our Lord Jesus Christ because you have followed the example of true love. You supported those in chains, as was fitting for you; those chains are the proper ornaments of saints and are truly the crowns of those chosen by God and our Lord. I also rejoice because the strong root of your faith, famous from the earliest days, remains until now and continues to bring forth fruit to our Lord Jesus Christ. He suffered even to the point of death for our sins, but “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death”. “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory”. Many desire to enter into this joy, knowing that “by grace ye are saved, not of works”, but by the will of God through Jesus Christ. (Act. 2:24, 1 Pet. 1:8, Eph. 2:8,9)

An Exhortation To Virtue

“Wherefore, girding up your loins”, “serve the Lord in fear” and truth. Leave behind the empty, vain talk and the errors of the crowd, and “believed in Him who raised up our Lord Jesus Christ from the dead, and gave Him glory” and a throne at His right hand. To Him, all things in heaven and on earth are subject. Every spirit serves Him. He comes as the “Judge of the living and the dead”. God will require His blood from those who do not believe in Him. (1 Pet. 1:13, Psa. 2:11, 1 Pet. 1:21, Act. 10:42)

But He who raised Him from the dead will also raise us up if we do His will, walk in His commandments, and love what He loved. This means keeping ourselves from all wrongdoing, greed, love of money, slander, and false testimony. Do not “render evil for evil, or railing for railing”, or a blow for a blow, or a curse for a curse. Instead, remember what the Lord said in His teaching: “Judge not, that ye be not judged”; “forgive, and it shall be forgiven unto you”; “be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy”; “with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again”; and once more, “Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God”. (1 Pet. 3:9, Mat. 7:1, Luk. 6:37, Mat. 5:7, 7:2, 5:3, 5:10)

Expressions Of Personal Unworthiness

Brothers, I write these things to you concerning righteousness—not because I take any authority upon myself, but because you invited me to do so. For neither I, nor anyone like me, can equal the wisdom of the blessed and glorified Paul. When he was with you, he accurately and firmly taught the word of truth in the presence of those who were then alive. And when he was away from you, he wrote you a letter. If you study it carefully, you will find it builds you up in the faith you have been given. This faith, followed by hope and led by love toward God, Christ, and our neighbour, “is the mother of us all”. If anyone is inwardly filled with these graces, they have fulfilled the command of righteousness; for whoever has love is far from all sin. (Gal. 4:26)

Various Exhortations

“But the love of money is the root of all evils”. Knowing, therefore, that “as we brought nothing into the world, so we can carry nothing out”, let us arm ourselves with the armour of righteousness. Let us teach ourselves, first of all, to walk in the commandments of the Lord. (1 Tim. 6:10, 6:10, 2 Cor. 6:7)

Next, teach your wives to walk in the faith given to them, in love and purity—tenderly loving their own husbands in all truth, and showing pure, equal love to all others. They must also train their children in the knowledge and fear of God. Teach the widows to be wise regarding the faith of the Lord, praying continually for everyone. They must stay far from all slandering, evil-speaking, false testimony, greed, and every kind of evil. They should know that they are the altar of God, and that He sees everything clearly. Nothing is hidden from Him—neither our reasonings, our reflections, nor any of the secrets of the heart.

The Duties Of Deacons, Youths, And Virgins

Knowing, then, that “God is not mocked”, we ought to walk in a way worthy of His commandment and glory. In the same way, deacons should be blameless before His righteousness, as they are servants of God and Christ, and not of men. They must not be slanderers or double-tongued; they must not be lovers of money, but instead be temperate in all things, compassionate, and industrious. They should walk according to the truth of the Lord, who became the servant of all. If we please Him in this present world, we will also receive the world to come, just as He promised to raise us from the dead. If we live worthily of Him, “we shall also reign together with Him”, provided that we believe. (Gal. 6:7, 2 Tim. 2:12)

Likewise, young men must be blameless in all things, being especially careful to remain pure and restraining themselves from every kind of evil as if with a bridle. It is right for them to be separated from the lusts of this world, since “every lust warreth against the spirit” and “neither fornicators, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, shall inherit the kingdom of God”, nor those who act in ways that are inconsistent or unbecoming. Therefore, it is necessary to abstain from all these things and be subject to the presbyters and deacons as you would be to God and Christ. The virgins must also walk with a blameless and pure conscience. (1 Pet. 2:11, 1 Cor. 6:9-10)

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Introduction

We have reached the conclusion of Spurgeon’s sermon on the grace of God. After defining, defending, and describing how to approach God through grace, this final article shows that grace not only finds you but also sustains you through the Christian life. Read on to see the full extent of God’s grace.

Next week, we are heading back much further than Spurgeon—all the way to the early church—where we will get to know the Bishop of Smyrna, Polycarp. See y’all then.

Note: We have two booklets in the making: one by J.C. Ryle and this current series by Charles Spurgeon. We’ll update you here and on social media as soon as they’re ready!

Salvation All Of Grace

A Sermon by C. H. Spurgeon, 1872.

‘By grace are ye saved.’ — Ephesians 2:8

Sovereignty of the Giver

I feel in my own heart—and I believe every believer here does as well—that if salvation is by grace, then God must be allowed to do as He wills with His own. None of us can say to Him, “What are You doing?” If there were any element of debt, justice, or obligation involved, we might begin to question God. But since there is none, we will from this point on stop our questioning and simply trust Him.

As for the people He chooses to save, let Him save whoever He wills. His name shall be honored forever, regardless of His choice. As for the instruments He uses to save, let Him save through the coarsest speaker or the most eloquent; let Him do what seems good to Him. If He chooses to save through the Bible alone without a preacher, we will be glad to remain silent. If He chooses to save souls through one of our brothers and not through us, we will still say, “Blessed be His name.”

Simplicity of the Gospel

And here I speak to the sinner again: we will raise no dispute with the two great gospel commands. Has He said, ‘He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved’? We will never question the necessity of either believing or baptism. If the Lord chooses to say, “I will save those who trust in Christ,” it is both a natural thing that He should claim our faith, and a gracious thing that He should give us the faith He claims. We cannot question it. (Mar. 16:16)

Even if it were not so, He has the right to make whatever rules He pleases. If God permits entrance through only one door, let us enter by it without a fight. If He had commanded you to do some “great thing,” would you not have done it? How much more should you obey now when He says simply: trust in Jesus and be saved?

The Posture of Obedience

I know that if I were authorized to preach this morning that every person who sailed around the world would be saved, you would start saving your money for the journey. But when the gospel comes to you right there in those pews and aisles and bids you to simply turn your eyes to the crucified Savior and look only to Him, I know that if you have not learned that salvation is by grace, you will rebel against that command. But if you know it is by grace—and grace alone—you will say, “How sweet is the command of God! Lord, enable me now to trust myself to Your dear Son.”

Furthermore, you will not argue with the ordinance of baptism either. I know it is very natural to ask, “What is the point of it?” I would ask the same: what is there in it? What can there be in a mere washing with water? If you thought there was any merit or “earning” of salvation in it, you would have missed the track entirely. But the Lord has stated it this way: ‘he that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved,’ and therefore, you obey. (Mar. 16:16)

I do not attempt to justify my Lord for commanding this; He needs no defense from me. But if He chooses to set it forth this way, a true heart will yield a prompt obedience to His will.

Trusting God’s Timing and Method

As for the manner and time in which the Lord reveals Himself to any of us, I am sure that if we truly know salvation is by grace, we will never quarrel about that again. To some of us, the Lord revealed Himself suddenly. We can point to the exact day we were converted; I know the very place to within a yard. But for many others, it is not so. The day breaks on them gradually—first the twilight, then a brighter light, and finally the full noon. s long as I have a Savior, I do not mind how I found Him. As long as He blots out my sins, I will not complain about the way He manifests His love to me.

The Engine of Holiness

The doctrine that salvation is by grace provides a most powerful motive for future holiness.

A New Motive, Love

A person who truly feels they are saved by grace says, “Did God, out of His free favor, blot out my sins? Then, oh, how I love Him! Was it nothing but His love that saved an undeserving person like me? Then my soul is knit to Him forever.” In this case, great sin is no barrier to great holiness; rather, it becomes a motive for it. The one who has been forgiven much, loves much—and loving much, they immediately become earnest in serving the One they love.

I ask you, sinner: if the Lord were to appear to you this morning and say, “All your sins have been blotted out,” would you not love Him? Even a dog would love such a Master. I know that the proud, self-righteous people would not; but you “real” sinners—if pardon were to come to you, would you not love God with all your hearts? Of course you would!

There are none who love God like those who are saved by grace. The person who thinks they save themselves by their own works doesn’t love God at all; they love themselves. They are like a hired servant working only for wages—the kind of servant who would leave for another master tomorrow if they were offered better pay.

But the “old-fashioned” servants were the best in the world because they loved their masters; even if they were paid no wages at all, they would have stayed with the family for love’s sake. Such are the servants of God who are saved by His grace. “Why,” they say, “He has already pardoned and saved me! Therefore, my ear is ‘marked’ and fastened to the door of His house to be His servant forever.” Their glory is this: ‘I am thy servant, and the son of thy handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.’ (Psa. 116:16)

The Pursuit of Holiness

Such a person feels they must pursue perfect holiness in the fear of the Lord. They won’t settle for a “measure” of grace; they want immeasurable grace. They won’t say, “There are some sins in me I just can’t overcome,” but by God’s grace, they will seek to drive out every enemy. They won’t say, “I’m commanded to go this far, but I have a license to keep my ‘besetting sin.’” No! Loving God with all their heart, they will hate sin with all their heart. They will war against sin with all their might.

The Lord fires us with this kind of ardent love. I know no other way to get it except by coming to Him on the basis of grace—confessing sin, receiving mercy, and feeling love kindle in the heart as a result. This is how the entire soul becomes consecrated to the Lord.

The Test: Foundation or Stumbling Block

The way you treat this message will reveal exactly who you are. It will either be a “stone of stumbling” for you this morning, or it will be the “foundation stone” on which you build.

The Danger of Self-Righteousness

Is it a stone of stumbling to you? Do I hear you murmuring, “Why, this man doesn’t emphasize morality and good works; he preaches salvation for the guilty and the vile! I don’t want a religion like that”? Alas! You have stumbled over this stumbling stone, and you will be broken by it. You will perish because you insult your God by thinking yourself wiser than His Word—by imagining that your righteousness is purer than the righteousness of Christ. You imagine you can force your way to heaven by a road that is completely blocked, while you despise the path the Lord has actually opened.

Beware of self-righteousness! The “black devil” of immorality destroys hundreds, but the “white devil” of self-righteousness destroys thousands.

Accept the Foundation

But do you accept this text as your foundation stone? Do you say, “I truly need grace, for I am guilty”? Then come and take all the blessings of the covenant, for they are yours! ‘He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and he hath exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the hungry with good things, but the rich he hath sent empty away.’ Are you guilty? Come and trust your Savior. Believe in Jesus now, for one act of faith sets you free from all sin. (Luk. 1:52-53)

Oh, how I wish that every soul here would be washed in the blood of Christ this morning! I pray to God that every one of you would be clothed in the righteousness of Christ today, prepared to enter into His rest. Pray for this, brothers and sisters. Why shouldn’t we have it? Say, “By Your mercy and Your lovingkindness, save me, for Christ’s sake.” Amen.

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Introduction

We are well into Spurgeon’s sermon on grace. Over the last few weeks, we established the foundation of salvation through grace and Christ alone—a truth that stood firm even when put to the test by common objections.

This week, Spurgeon moves into the practical, how to seek God’s mercy. Here you will find heartfelt prayers—not mere emotionalism, but words rooted in a deep conviction of God’s gracious nature and the reconciliation found in Jesus. May this encourage you to return, once again, to the throne of grace.

A Quick Update: We’ll be sending details through Substack this week regarding J.C. Ryle’s new e-booklet, The Great Invitation. We truly look forward to you all reading it.

Salvation All Of Grace

A Sermon by C. H. Spurgeon, 1872.

‘By grace are ye saved.’ — Ephesians 2:8

This doctrine gives direction to the sinner regarding how to act before God when seeking mercy.

The Folly of Innocence

Clearly, if salvation is by grace alone, it would be a very wrong course of action to plead “not guilty” or to minimize your faults before God. That would be moving in the wrong direction altogether. If salvation were based on your merit—or a lack of “demerit”—then you would be right to offer a good character as your defense. Though I believe that in the actual trial, you would fail miserably; you are as full of sin as an egg is full of meat, and your sin is as deserving of judgment as hell itself. Therefore, pleading innocence is useless.

But even if you could plead innocence, it would be the wrong plea for this court. If salvation is by grace, then go to the Lord, confess your sin and your breaking of the law, and ask for grace. Do not for a moment attempt to show that you have no need of grace—that would be true folly. What is more foolish than a beggar arguing that he is not in need?

No Bribes or Rituals

Neither should you, O sinner, hope to win the Lord over with gifts and sacrifices. If salvation is by grace, how dare you think to buy it? If He says He gives it freely, do not bring a bribe in your hand; for in doing so, you will only insult and anger Him. Indeed, what could you possibly bring to Him? Even if you burned all the forests of Lebanon or offered every beast on earth as a sacrifice, it would not be enough. If you could offer rivers of oil that would flood a continent, or seas of sacrificial blood as broad as the Pacific, you still could not make yourself acceptable to Him for a single moment.

Do not even try it. Do not rely on ceremonies. Do not rest in rituals. If salvation is by grace, accept it as a free gift and bless the Giver. Do not think you can dress yourself in the clothes of outward religiousness or “borrow” virtue from a fellow man who claims to be a priest. Since salvation is based on free mercy, go and throw yourself upon that mercy.

Be Honest About Your Condition

Your true course is this: Since God is willing to show His mercy, go and confess that you need it. In your confession, do not hold back—describe the full weight of your sin. Instead of trying to make it appear “white,” try to see its unutterable blackness.

Consider a man lying wounded on a field of battle. When the surgeon or the ambulance crew comes by, he does not say, “Oh, mine is just a small wound,” for he knows they would then leave him where he lies. Instead, he cries out, “I have been bleeding here for hours! I am nearly dead from a terrible wound!” He does this because he wants immediate relief. When he reaches the hospital, he doesn’t tell the nurse, “This is a small affair; I’ll be over it soon.” He tells the truth to the surgeon so the bone can be set at once and double care can be taken.

Ah, sinner, do the same with God. The right way to plead is to plead your misery, your helplessness, your danger, and your sin. Confess your sin. Make no terms with Him, but say: “Here I stand before You, O my Maker. I have offended You. Behold, I cast myself at Your feet. I throw the weapons of my rebellion from my hands forever. I desire that You would take me and make me what You want me to be. Since You are a God of grace, I beg You to have pity on me.!”

Plead Your Ruin, Not Your Merit

Now, listen closely. I want to dwell on this next point: because salvation is by grace, it directs the guilty on how to plead before God. When we are praying, we sometimes feel we need help knowing what to say. Let this be your guide: make sure all your pleas to God are consistent with the fact that He saves by His grace. Never bring a legalistic plea or one based on yourself, for that will offend God. However, if your argument is based on grace, it will be a “sweet aroma” to Him.

Seeking sinner, let me teach you for a moment how to pray.

Plead your miserable and ruined condition before God. Tell Him you are afraid to die and stand before His righteous judgment, for unless He saves you, your portion will be hell. Say to Him, “Shall the dead praise thee? Shall the condemned set forth thy praise?” Show Him the urgency of your danger. He already knows it, but let Him see that you know it; this is effective pleading with His mercy. (Psa. 88:10)

Match Your Needs to God’s Attributes

Then, humbly suggest how perfectly His mercy fits your need. “Lord, You are merciful, and Your mercy will find plenty of room to work in me. Does Your grace seek out sin to wash it away? It is here, Lord; I am full of it. If You are compassionate, here is a heart that bleeds and is ready to perish. If You are indeed a Physician, here is a sick soul that needs You. If You are ready to forgive, here are sins that need forgiving.”

Furthermore, remind Him that His mercy is free. “It is true I do not deserve it, but You do not give it to people because of their merit—otherwise, it wouldn’t be grace or mercy at all. Let Your free mercy land on me. Why should You pass me by? If I am the vilest person alive, You will be shown all the more gracious if You look upon me. Even though I have forgotten You for all these years and even despised Your love, will it not be a greater display of mercy on Your part to turn and give Your free grace to me—even to me?”

Hold God to His Word

Finally, argue with Him based on the abundance of His grace. Say to Him, “Lord, Your mercy is very great; I know it is. ‘According to the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot out my transgressions.’ If You were a small God with only a little mercy, I would have little hope. But Oh, You are so great and glorious! You can cast my sins behind Your back. By the greatness of Your compassion, look upon me.” (Psa. 51:1)

It is also wise to return to your first plea and repeat it, saying: “Lord, because You have this great mercy and I need it, look upon my helplessness today. I am so weak that I cannot come to You unless You come to me. You bid me to repent, but see how hard my heart is. Master, come to the rescue! Come and help Your servant, for You are strong, though I am weak. You can open my poor, blurred eyes, even though I cannot yet see the Savior Jesus Christ as I desire. Oh, by Your power and mercy, save a weak, dead sinner!”

And then, if you feel you need yet another plea, begin to plead His promises. Say to Him: “You have promised to forgive All who on Your Son believe; Lord, I know You cannot lie; Give me Christ, or else I die. Lord, You have said that if the wicked forsake their way and turn to You, they shall live. Lord, I turn to You. Receive me. You have declared that ‘the blood of Jesus Christ thy Son cleanseth from all sin.’ Do not go back on Your word, O God.” (1 Joh. 1:7)

Rest at the Foot of the Cross

At times, I have found it wonderful to plead with God based on the mercy He showed in the gift of Christ. Let me help you do the same, and may the Spirit help you as well. Say to God:

“Lord, You gave Your only begotten Son to die. Surely He did not need to die for the righteous; He died for the guilty. I am exactly such a person. Lord, would You give Your Son for sinners and then cast those same sinners away? Did You nail Him to the cross only as a mockery—so that we might come to that cross and find no pity? O God of mercy, in the gift of Your Son, You have done so much that You cannot draw back. You must save sinners, now that You have given Jesus to die for them.”

Then, plead with Jesus based on the compassion of His heart. Tell Him He promised that He would not break a bruised reed or extinguish a flickering flame. Say, “Thou hast said, ‘Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out.’” Remind Him it was written of Him, ‘This man receiveth sinners and eateth with them.’ Remind Him of the truth that ‘this is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.’ Say to Him, “Have You lost Your compassion, Savior? Will You not glance with love upon me—even me? You healed lepers; heal my leprosy. This is the style of pleading that will “win the day.” (Joh. 6:37, Lu. 15:2, 1 Tim. 1:15)

Then, throw yourself down before Him. If you must perish, perish there. Go to the cross with these pleas and resolve that if a sinner can possibly die at the foot of the cross, you will die there—but nowhere else. As the Lord my God lives, before whom I stand, not one soul shall ever perish who casts itself upon the sovereign grace of God through Jesus Christ His Son.

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The great sinner is actually a “fitter object” for great mercy. - Spurgeon

Introduction

Last week, we began a new sermon by Spurgeon. In it, he laid out how every person is ultimately saved by the pure, unmerited favour of God—that is, grace. From start to finish, Scripture testifies to this truth, and one day every saint will proclaim the same when we reach heaven.

This week, Spurgeon goes head-on with every false assumption regarding the potency of God’s grace and warmly shows how it can overcome even the hardest of hearts.

Note: God willing, a new booklet based on Ryle’s work will be published this week. Thank you for your patience.

Salvation All Of Grace

A Sermon by C. H. Spurgeon, 1872.

‘By grace are ye saved.’ — Ephesians 2:8

The Diamond and the Foil

Barrier of the Crimson Sin

Now, observe that this truth prevents the despair that might arise in someone’s heart because of one specific sin. I often meet people whose terror of conscience comes from one particular crime. Had they not committed that “crimson sin,” they believe they might have been pardoned; but now, they feel their case is hopeless. “Surely,” they say, “that sin, like an iron bolt, has fast-closed the gates of heaven against me.”

And yet, it cannot be so if salvation is by grace. Whatever that sin may be, its greatness only serves to illustrate the great grace of God. Undeserved mercy can pardon one sin as easily as another, if the soul confesses it. If God dealt with us based on the rule of merit, then no sin would be pardonable under any circumstances. But when He deals with us through grace, He can pass over any offense for which we seek forgiveness.

Sin as a Canvas for Grace

The great sinner is actually a “fitter object” for great mercy. Someone who has only “little” sin can only draw forth a “little” mercy to blot it out. But the person who is guilty of some great, crowning, devastating sin—that is the person through whom the heights and depths of divine mercy can be displayed.

If I am speaking to such a person today, I look upon you with joyful eyes. As sorrowful as you are, I am thankful to have found you. You are a rare platform on which my Lord’s love may display itself, precisely because you know yourself to be an utterly lost sinner. You are the black foil that sets off the brilliant diamond of my Master’s grace. Your foulness only illustrates the power of His precious blood. Your crimson sin, by yielding in a moment to that blood, shall only show how great is His power to save.

Mercy Without Limits

Beyond Boundaries and Limits

It is clear, too, that if a sinner’s despair arises from the long duration, the sheer number, or the great severity of their sins, there is no ground for it. For if salvation is based on pure mercy alone, why shouldn’t God forgive ten thousand sins as easily as one?

“Oh,” you might say, “I see why He shouldn’t.” If so, you see something that isn’t true; for once you enter the realm of grace, you are finished with boundaries and limits. Know, moreover, that “his thoughts are not your thoughts. And as the heavens are higher than the earth so are his thoughts higher than your thoughts and his ways than your ways.” To blot out ten thousand sins requires no extra effort of grace for Him, for ‘he is plenteous in mercy.’ He has been forgiving humanity ever since the first sinner crossed the threshold of Paradise, and He delights to do it. Therefore, guilty ones, I see in the multitude of your sins only more room for the Lord to exercise His own delightful attribute of mercy. If He delights to blot out one sin, then He delights ten thousand times more to blot out ten thousand. (cf. Isa. 55:8-9, Psa. 86:5)

The Abundance of Forgiveness

If you look at it in that light—though your transgressions may be as many as the hairs on your head or as the sands on the seashore, innumerable—you need not for a moment think you are cast away from hope. The Lord’s mercy is a sea which cannot be filled, even if mountains of sin are cast into its midst. It is like Noah’s flood, which covers everything and drowns even the mountain-tops of heaven-defying sins.

I wish to speak directly to the hearts of those who are in trouble and seeking mercy. To them I say: do you not see that if salvation is by grace alone, then even the depravity of your nature does not lock you in despair? What if your nature is inclined toward sin—especially toward specific sins? What if you are naturally angry and passionate, or proud and covetous? What if your natural disposition is skeptical or lustful? Even then, hope flows for you from the grace of God.

Healing the Sick, Not the Whole

If the Lord dealt with you according to your temperament and nature, your case would indeed be hopeless. But He blesses you—not because you are good, but because you need to be blessed. He looks upon you in mercy—not because you are beautiful, but because you are sick unto death and defiled, and need to be healed and cleansed. If it is your misery and not your merit which He considers, then you are still in the land of hope.

However fallen you may be, you can still be raised up. Why shouldn’t the Lord take the most depraved, abandoned, and obstinate among us and renew their nature—making them a miracle of grace? Would it not magnify His mercy if He should make of such a person the exact opposite of what they are now: tender in heart, holy in spirit, devout in character, ardent in love, and fervent in prayer? He can do it. Glory be to His name, He can do it! And now that He deals with us in grace, let us hope He will do it in the case of many.

The Gift of the Broken Heart

Overcoming the Hard Heart

Remember, too, that any spiritual unfitness within a person should not shut them out from hope, since God deals with us in mercy. I hear you say, “I believe God can save me, but my heart is so hard and unrepentant.”

Yes—and I say it again: if you were to stand before God on the basis of what you owe Him, your hard heart would shut you out of hope. How could He bless such a person as you, whose heart is a heart of stone? But if He deals with you entirely on another ground—His mercy—then I think I hear Him say, “Poor hard-hearted sinner, I will pity you; I will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”

Repentance and Faith as Divine Gifts

Do you say, “I cannot repent”? I know the weight of that sad fact. It is a great sin to be unable to repent. But the Lord will not look at you based on what you ought to be; instead, He will consider what He can make you, and He will give you repentance. Has His Son not gone up to heaven, ‘exalted on high, to give repentance and remission of sins’? (Acts 5:31)

Do I hear you confess that you cannot believe? Now, the absence of faith is a great evil—a horrible evil. But the Lord is dealing with you on terms of grace. He does not say, “I will strike you because you do not believe.” Instead, He says, “I will give you faith,” for faith is ‘not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.’ He works that faith within us. He has pity on us, removes the unbelieving heart, and gives us a tender, believing heart in the presence of the cross of Christ. (Eph. 2:8)

Transformation Through Mercy

Oh, though I were as black as the devil with past sin, and as vile as the devil with natural depravity, yet if the Lord’s mercy looked upon me, could He not forgive the past and change my nature? Could He not make me as bright an angel as Gabriel before His throne? ‘Is anything too hard for the Lord?’ O sinner, what a door of hope ought to be open to you in this truth: that salvation is altogether of grace. (Gen. 18:14)

The Open Door of Hope

To sum it all up in a word: there is no imaginable circumstance, incident, or anything else connected to any person that can shut them out of hope if they seek forgiveness through the Savior’s blood. Whoever you may be, and whatever you may have done, grace can come and save you.

I say again: if your character is the question at issue, you are lost. If your own power to improve your character is the turning point of the matter, you are lost. But if the grace that pardons and the power that improves both come from God, why should you be lost?

Why Should You Perish?

Why should the prostitute perish? Why should the thief perish? Why should the adulterer perish? Why should the murderer perish? ‘Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him turn unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him, and to our God for he will abundantly pardon.’ You have heaped up your sins, but God will heap up His mercies. You have greatly increased your offenses; you have sinned against light and knowledge; you have done evil with both hands greedily. But thus says the Lord: ‘I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto me; for I have redeemed thee.’ ‘Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.’ (Isa. 55:7, 44:22, 1:18)

This concludes the first point: that this doctrine of grace should give hope to every sinner.

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No one is saved except as a result of the free favor and unbought mercy of God. - Spurgeon

I. Introduction

We are pleased to announce the completion of J. C. Ryle’s tract over the past month. A big thank you to all who have been reading weekly; we are greatly encouraged by your readership. Next week, we hope to release the full series as an ebooklet, which will be available for free on our website.

This week, we begin a new series based on a sermon preached by Charles Spurgeon, famously known as the “Prince of Preachers.” This sermon focuses entirely on the fact that God chooses to save men who are not only unfit for salvation but are also unable to save themselves. It magnifies the bountiful grace of God upon helpless sinners like you and I. We will be following the same format for this series and, God willing, will release another ebooklet upon its completion.

The Golden Thread of Grace

‘By grace are ye saved.’ — Ephesians 2:8

A Sermon by C. H. Spurgeon, 1872.

Other divine attributes are clearly seen in salvation. The wisdom of God devised the plan; the power of God executes the work of salvation within us; the immutability of God preserves and sustains it. In fact, every one of God’s attributes is magnified in the salvation of a sinner. Yet, the scripture is most accurate because grace is the fountainhead of salvation and remains its most prominent feature throughout.

Grace In Every Stage

Grace is visible in our election; for ‘there is a remnant according to the election of grace, and if by grace then it is no more of works.’ Grace is also clearly revealed in our redemption, for you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in that work. It is utterly inconceivable that any soul could have deserved to be redeemed by the precious blood of Christ; the mere thought is repulsive to every holy mind. (Rom. 11:5-6)

Our calling is also by grace; for ‘He hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.’ We are justified by grace as well, a grand and fundamental truth the apostle insists upon repeatedly. We are not justified before God by our works in any measure or degree, but by faith alone. As the apostle tells us, ‘it is of faith, that it might be by grace.’ (2 Tim. 1:9, Rom. 4:16)

Grace, A Gift of God

We see a golden thread of grace running through the entire history of a Christian, from their election before the world began to their entrance into the rest of heaven. All along the way, grace ‘reigns through righteousness unto eternal life,’ and ‘where sin aboundeth, grace doth much more abound.’ There is no point in the history of a saved soul where you can point and say, “In this instance, he was saved by his own merit.” Every single blessing we receive from God comes through the channel of free favor, revealed to us in Christ Jesus our Lord. Boasting is excluded because merit is excluded. “Earned merit” is an unknown concept in the Christian church; it is banished once and for all. Our only shout—from the foundation to the final capstone—is, ‘Grace, grace to it’! (Rom. 5:20-21, Zec. 4:7)

The Pride of the Human Heart

The apostle is perhaps most earnest in insisting on this truth because it is the very point the human heart rejects most strongly. By nature, every person fights against salvation by grace. Even though we have nothing good in ourselves, we imagine we do. Although we have all broken the law and lost all claim to God’s favor, we are still proud enough to imagine we aren’t quite as bad as others—that there are mitigating circumstances for our sins, or that we can somehow appeal to God’s justice as much as His compassion. Because of this, the apostle states it with such strength: ‘By grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest any man should boast.’ (Eph. 2:8-9)

The Prisoner at the Bar

The meaning of this text is simply this: we all need saving—saving from our sins and from their consequences. If we are saved, it is not because of any works we have already performed. Who among us, looking back at our past lives, would dare to claim we deserve salvation?

Rejecting the Idea of Merit

Neither are we saved because of any future works God foresaw we would perform. We have made no bargain with God to trade our service for His mercy; nor has He made any such covenant with us. He has freely saved us. Even if we serve Him in the future—as we hope to do with all our heart, soul, and strength—we will still have no reason to boast, because those very works are produced in us by the Lord. What do we have, even then, that we did not first receive?

We are not saved because of any mitigating circumstances regarding our sins. We cannot claim we were excusable because of our youth, our ignorance, or any other cause. We are not saved because there were “good points” in our character that shouldn’t be overlooked, or some hopeful signs of improvement in our future. Ah, no; ‘By grace are ye saved.’ That clear and unqualified statement sweeps away every idea of merit on our part. (Eph. 2:8)

A Plea for Mercy, Not Justice

It is not the case of a prisoner at the bar who pleads “not guilty” and is released because he is innocent; far from it, for we are guilty beyond question. It is not even the case of a prisoner who pleads “guilty” but points to circumstances that make his offense less serious. No, our offense is heinous to the highest degree, and our sin deserves the full weight of God’s wrath.

Instead, our case is that of a criminal confessing his guilt and admitting he deserves his punishment. He offers no excuses and makes no apologies, but casts himself entirely upon the absolute mercy of the Judge, pleading for pity to look upon his misery and spare him out of compassion. We stand before God as condemned criminals when we come to Him for mercy. We are not “on probation,” as some suggest; our probation is over. We are already lost, “condemned already,” and our only course is to throw ourselves upon the sovereign mercy of God in Christ Jesus. We must not utter a single syllable of self-claim, but simply say, “Lord, I crave mercy—undeserved mercy—according to Your lovingkindness and Your grace in Christ Jesus.”

‘By grace are ye saved.’ This is true of every saint on earth and every saint in heaven, completely true without a single qualification. No one is saved except as a result of the free favor and unbought mercy of God. It is not a matter of merit or debt; it is entirely because the Lord ‘will have mercy on whom he will have mercy,’ and He chooses to bestow His favor on the unworthy children of men. (Eph. 2:8, cf. Rom. 9:15)

A Reason for Hope

I. This simple truth is not something I intend to labor over this morning in a purely doctrinal or controversial way. Instead, I want to use it for a practical purpose: This great doctrine should inspire every sinner with hope.

Sin is No Barrier to Mercy

If salvation is entirely a matter of God’s free favor and grace, then who among us would dare to despair? Who here would be so rebellious as to sit down in sullenness and say, “It is impossible for me to be saved”?

First, my brothers and sisters, if salvation is by mercy alone, it is clear that our sin is not an obstacle to our salvation. If salvation were a matter of justice, our breaking of the law would make it utterly impossible. But if the Lord deals with us on an entirely different basis—saying, “I will forgive them freely”—that very promise assumes the existence of sin.

When the Lord speaks of mercy, that word alone takes it for granted that we are guilty; otherwise, there would be no room for mercy at all. The very statement that we are saved by grace implies that we are the right candidates for grace. And who are the right candidates for grace but the guilty, the miserable, and the condemned?

People, the law stops your mouths and forces you to silently admit you are guilty before God. But the gospel opens the mouths of those who were speechless by declaring that “Christ died for the ungodly,” and that “he came into the world to save sinners.” When mercy enters the field, sin is swallowed up in forgiveness, and unworthiness ceases to be a barrier to love. Is this not both clear and comforting? (Rom. 5:6, 1 Tim. 1:15)

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The words “rich” and “poor” will change their meaning entirely one day.

I. Introduction

We are reaching the journey’s end of Ryle’s tract. Having established that it is Christ Himself who calls the weary world to come, we now arrive at the heart of the promise, the nature of the rest He gives. Ryle describes a rest that begins as an inward quiet here on earth but finds its perfection when Christ returns for His people. Pull up a chair, leave the noise behind, and read on to discover the depths of the rest kept for us.

What does Jesus offer to give?

A Tract by J. C. Ryle

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28

Finally, I will show you what the Lord Jesus Christ promises to give. He does not ask the laboring and heavy-laden to come to Him for nothing. He holds out gracious reasons; He draws them by sweet offers. He says, “Come unto Me... and I will give you rest.”

Rest is a pleasant thing. Few in this weary world do not know the sweetness of it. The man who has labored hard with his hands all week—working in iron, stone, wood, or clay; digging, lifting, hammering, cutting—he knows the comfort of going home and having a day of rest. The man who has toiled hard with his mind all day—writing, calculating, planning, sketching—he knows the comfort of putting aside his papers to rest. Yes, rest is a pleasant thing.

Rest is one of the main offers the world makes: “Come to me, and I will give you riches and pleasure.” “Come with me,” says the devil, “and I will give you greatness, power, and wisdom.”

The Nature Of Jesus’s Rest

“Come unto Me,” says the Lord Jesus Christ, “and I will give you rest.” It is not merely physical relaxation. A person may have that and yet be miserable. You may place him in a palace and surround him with every comfort; you may give him money in abundance and everything money can buy; you may free him from all worry about tomorrow’s needs and take away the need to work for a single hour. You may do all this, yet not give him true rest.

Thousands know this by bitter experience. Their hearts are starving in the midst of worldly plenty; their inward man is sick and weary, while their outward man is clothed in luxury and “fares sumptuously every day.” Yes, a person may have houses, lands, money, vehicles, soft beds, good food, and attentive servants—and yet not have true rest.

The rest that Christ gives is an inward rest. It is rest of heart, rest of conscience, rest of mind, rest of affection, and rest of will. It is the rest born of comforting assurance that sins are forgiven and guilt removed. It is the rest grounded in a sure hope of good things yet to come—treasures kept safe beyond the reach of disease, death, and the grave. It is the rest that comes from the deep conviction that life’s greatest matter is settled, and that eternity will be spent in heaven, our lasting home.

Rest Such As This

• Rest such as this, the Lord Jesus gives to those who come to Him by showing them His finished work on the cross, by clothing them in His own perfect righteousness, and washing them in His own precious blood. When a man sees that the Son of God actually died for his sins, his soul begins to taste inward quiet and peace.

• Rest such as this, the Lord Jesus gives by revealing Himself as their ever-living High Priest in heaven, and God reconciled through Him. When a man sees that the Son of God actually lives to intercede for him, he begins to feel inward quiet and peace.

• Rest such as this, the Lord Jesus gives by implanting His Spirit in their hearts, witnessing that they are God’s children. They find that “old things are passed away, and all things are become new.” When a man feels an inward drawing toward God as a Father, his soul begins to feel quiet and peace.

• Rest such as this, the Lord Jesus gives by dwelling in their hearts as King, putting all things in order, and giving each faculty its place and work. When a man finds order in his heart instead of rebellion and confusion, his soul begins to understand quiet and peace. There is no true inward happiness until the true King is on the throne.

All Believers Share This Rest

Some know more of it, some less. Some feel it only at distant intervals, others feel it almost always. Few enjoy it without battles against unbelief and fear—but all who truly come to Christ know something of this rest. Ask them, despite their complaints and doubts, whether they would give up Christ and go back to the world. You will get only one answer. Weak as their sense of rest may be, they have grasped something that does them good, and they cannot let it go.

This Rest Available to All

The poor are not too poor to have it; the ignorant are not too ignorant to know it; the sick are not too weak to grasp it. Faith—simple faith—is the one thing needed to possess Christ’s rest. Faith in Christ is the grand secret of happiness! Neither poverty, nor ignorance, nor distress can prevent men and women from feeling rest of soul—if they will only come to Christ and believe.

Rest That None Can Take Away

Banks may break, and money “make itself wings and flee away.” War, pestilence, and famine may break in. Health and vigor may depart, and the body be crushed by terrible disease. Death may cut down wife, children, and friends, until the one who enjoyed them stands entirely alone. But the man who has come to Christ by faith still possesses something that can never be taken from him. Like Paul and Silas, he will sing in prison; like Job, bereaved of children and property, he will bless the name of the Lord. He is the truly independent man—who possesses that which nothing can take away!

Rest That Makes Us Truly Rich

It lasts; it endures. It lightens the solitary home; it smooths the dying pillow; it goes with us when we are placed in our coffins; it abides with us when we are laid in our graves. When friends can no longer help us and money is no longer of use; when doctors can no longer relieve pain and nurses can no longer minister to our needs; when our senses fail—even then, the “rest” which Christ gives will be shed abroad in the heart of the believer. The words “rich” and “poor” will change their meaning entirely one day. He is the only rich man who has come to Christ by faith and received rest.

Friend, this is the rest Christ offers to all who are laboring and heavy-laden. This is the rest for which He invites them to come to Him. This is the rest I want you to enjoy, and to which I bring you an invitation this day. May God grant that the invitation may not be brought to you in vain!

Looking Forward To Perfect Rest

Last, but not least, look forward with confidence to a better rest in a world to come. Yet in a little while, and He who shall come, will come, and will not tarry. He will gather together all who have believed in Him, and take His people to a home where the wicked shall cease from troubling, and the weary shall be at perfect rest. He shall give them a glorious body, in which they shall serve Him without distraction and praise Him without weariness. He shall wipe away tears from all faces, and make all things new. (Isa. 35:8)

There is a good time coming for all who have come to Christ and committed their souls into His keeping. They shall remember all the ways by which they have been led, and see the wisdom of every step in the way; they shall wonder that they ever doubted the kindness and love of their Shepherd—above all, they shall wonder that they could live so long without Him, and that when they heard of Him they could hesitate about coming.

There is a mountain pass in Scotland called Glencoe, which supplies a beautiful illustration of what heaven will be to the man who comes to Christ. The road through Glencoe carries the traveler up a long and steep ascent, with many windings and turns in its course. But when the top of the pass is reached, a stone is seen by the wayside with these simple words engraved on it: “Rest, and be thankful.”

Friend, those words describe the feelings with which everyone who comes to Christ will finally enter heaven. The summit of the narrow way will be reached; we shall cease from our weary journeying and sit down in the kingdom of God. We shall look back over all the way of life with thankfulness, and see the perfect wisdom of every little winding and turn in the steep ascent by which we were led; we shall forget the toils of the upward journey in the glorious rest.

Here in this world, our sense of rest in Christ is at best feeble and partial; but “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away” (1 Cor 13:10). Thanks be to God, a day is coming when believers shall rest perfectly, and be thankful.

Friend, Jesus’s invitation is now before you. Will you accept it?

“Come unto Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden—and I will give you rest.”

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I. Introduction

After establishing the absolute reliability of the Speaker—Jesus Christ—and the vast audience He calls, Ryle turns his attention to the most vital question, How must we respond? Finding rest is not automatic, nor does it require a list of qualifications or good deeds to earn. Instead, it is a simple act of the soul—placing total trust in the one who makes the promise. Read on to clear away common misconceptions and discover why "coming to Christ" is the simplest, yet most life-changing, step you will ever take.

What Does Jesus Ask Us to Do?

A Tract by J. C. Ryle

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28

Third, I want to show you what the Lord Jesus Christ asks you to do. Three words make up the sum and substance of the invitation He sends you today. If you are laboring and heavy-laden, Jesus says, “Come unto Me!”.

Friend, there is a grand simplicity about these three words. Short and plain as the sentence seems, it contains a mine of deep truth and solid comfort. Weigh it—look at it—consider it—ponder it well. I believe that understanding what Jesus means when He says, “Come unto Me,” is half of saving Christianity.

Note carefully what the Lord Jesus does not tell the laboring and heavy-laden.

• He does not say, “go and work.” That would bring no comfort to heavy consciences—it would be like requiring hard labor from an exhausted man. No! He tells them, “Come!”

• He does not say, “Pay Me what you owe.” That demand would drive a broken heart into despair—it would be like claiming a debt from a ruined bankrupt. No! He says, “Come!”

• He does not say, “Stand still and wait.“ That command would be a mockery—like promising medicine next week to someone dying today. No—He says, “Come!” Today; at once; without delay, “Come unto Me!”

But what does it actually mean to come to Christ? It is an expression often used, but often misunderstood. Be careful that you make no mistake here. Sadly, thousands turn aside from the right path at this point and miss the truth. Be careful that you do not shipwreck at the very mouth of the harbor.

Misunderstandings About Coming To Christ

• It is more than coming to church. You may fill your seat regularly at a place of worship and attend all outward means of grace, yet never be saved. All this is not coming to Christ.

• It is more than coming to the Lord’s Table. You may be a regular member and communicant; you may never be missing from the lists of those who eat that bread and drink that wine which the Lord commanded to be received, yet never be saved. All this is not coming to Christ.

• It is more than coming to ministers. You may be a constant listener of some popular preacher and a zealous follower of all his opinions, yet never be saved. All this is not coming to Christ.

• It is more than just having head-knowledge. You may know the whole system of evangelical doctrine and be able to talk, argue, and dispute every detail of it, yet never be saved. All this is not coming to Christ.

The Heart Of Coming To Christ

Coming to Christ is coming to Him with the heart by simple faith. Believing in Christ is coming to Him, and coming to Christ is believing in Him.

It is that act of the soul that takes place when a person, feeling their own sins and despairing of all other hope, commits themselves to Christ for salvation—relying on Him, trusting Him, and casting themselves wholly upon Him.

A person comes to Christ when they turn to Him empty, so they may be filled; sick, so they may be healed; hungry, so they may be satisfied; thirsty, so they may be refreshed; needy, so they may be enriched; dying, so they may have life; lost, so they may be saved; guilty, so they may be pardoned; and sin-defiled, so they may be cleansed.

When a person confesses that Christ alone can supply their need—then they come to Christ. When they use Christ as the Jews used the city of refuge, as the starving Egyptians used Joseph, as the dying Israelites used the bronze serpent—then they come to Christ.

It is the empty soul’s venture on a full Savior; it is the drowning man’s grasp on the hand held out to help him; it is the sick man’s reception of a healing medicine. This, and nothing more than this, is coming to Christ.

Going All The Way To Christ

Listen, my friend, whoever you may be, listen to a word of caution. Beware of mistakes regarding this matter of coming to Christ. Do not stop short in any “half-way house”; do not allow the devil and the world to cheat you out of eternal life. Do not suppose that you will ever get any good from Christ unless you go straight, thoroughly, and entirely to Christ Himself. Do not trust in a little outward formality—do not content yourself with the regular use of religious habits. A lantern is an excellent help in a dark night, but it is not home. Just so, the “means of grace” are useful aids, but they are not Christ. Oh, no! Press onward, forward, upward, until you have had personal, direct dealings with Christ Himself.

Coming Empty-Handed

Listen again, my friend. Beware of mistakes regarding the manner of coming to Christ. Dismiss from your mind forever all ideas of your own worthiness, merit, and fitness. Throw away all notions of goodness, righteousness, and deserving. Do not think that you can bring anything to recommend you, or to make you worthy of Christ’s notice. You must come to Him as a poor, guilty, undeserving sinner, or you might as well not come at all. “But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.” (Rom. 4:5) It is the specific mark of the faith that justifies and saves—that it brings to Christ nothing but an empty hand.

The Nature Of Those Who Come

Listen once more. Let there be no mistake in your mind regarding the special character of the person who has come to Christ and is a true Christian. He is not an angel. He is not a semi-angelic being with no weakness, blemish, or infirmity—he is nothing of the kind. He is nothing more than a sinner who has discovered his sinfulness and has learned the blessed secret of living by faith in Christ.

What was the glorious company of the apostles and prophets? What was the noble army of martyrs? What were Isaiah, Daniel, Peter, James, John, Paul, Augustine, Luther, Bunyan, and Whitefield? What were they all but sinners who knew and felt their sins, and trusted only in Christ? What were they but men who accepted the invitation I bring you this day, and came to Christ by faith? By this faith they lived—in this faith they died. In themselves and their deeds they saw nothing worth mentioning; but in Christ they saw all that their souls required.

Friend, the invitation of Christ is now before you. If you have never listened to it before, listen to it today. Broad, full, free, wide, simple, tender, kind; that invitation will leave you without excuse if you refuse to accept it. There are some invitations, perhaps, which it is wiser and better to decline. But there is one which ought always to be accepted—that one is before you today. Jesus Christ is saying, “Come—come unto Me!”

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“They feel a burden on their hearts that they would gladly get rid of, yet they do not know the way”. - J. C. Ryle

Introduction

In last weeks post, we understood the greatness of Jesus Christ, the speaker of this invitation. In today’s section, Ryle exposes the global epidemic of human unrest. He shows how the invitation of Jesus isn't for a select few, but for the "labouring and heavy-laden"—a multitude that spans every social class and continent. By tracing our modern troubles back to its root cause, Ryle exposes our greater need. He leaves the reader with one powerful truth, if you feel the weight of a heavy heart, you are exactly the person Jesus is calling.

Who Is This Invitation For?

A Tract by J. C. Ryle

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” - Matthew 11:28

I will now show you, in the second place, who the invitation before you is addressed to. The Lord Jesus addresses “all who labour and are heavy-laden.” The expression is deeply comforting and instructive. It is wide, sweeping, and comprehensive. It describes the condition of millions in every part of the world.

Where Are The labouring And Heavy-Laden?

They are everywhere—they are a multitude that no one can count; they are found in every climate and in every country under the sun. They live in Europe, Asia, Africa, and America; they dwell by the banks of the Seine and the Thames, the Mississippi and the Niger. They abound under republics as well as monarchies; under democracies as well as dictatorships. Everywhere you will find trouble, worry, sorrow, anxiety, complaining, discontent, and unrest. What does it mean? What does it all come to? People are “labouring and heavy-laden.”

To What Class Belongs The Heavy-Laden?

They belong to every class—there is no exception. They are found among masters and servants, rich and poor, rulers and citizens, the learned and the uneducated. In every class you will find trouble, worry, sorrow, anxiety, complaining, discontent, and unrest. What does it mean? What does it all come to? People are “labouring and heavy-laden.”

What Causes This Universal Burden?

Friend, how can we explain this? What is the cause of the state of things I have just described? Did God create us at the beginning to be unhappy? Most certainly not! Are human governments to blame because people are not happy? At most, only to a very slight extent. The fault lies too deep to be reached by human laws. There is another cause, a cause which many unhappily refuse to see—that cause is SIN.

Sin and departure from God are the true reasons why people everywhere are labouring and heavy-laden. Sin is the universal disease which infects the whole earth. Sin brought in thorns and thistles at the beginning and obliged man to earn his bread by the sweat of his brow. Sin is the reason why the whole creation “groans and travails in pain,” and the “foundations of the earth are out of course.” Sin is the cause of all the burdens which now press down mankind. Most people do not know this, and they weary themselves in vain trying to explain the state of things. But sin is the great root and foundation of all sorrow, whatever proud humanity may think. How much we ought to hate sin!

Friend, Do You Carry This Heavy Burden?

I think it is very likely. I am convinced that there are thousands of men and women in the world who are inwardly unhappy, yet will not confess it. They feel a burden on their hearts that they would gladly get rid of, yet they do not know the way. They have a conviction that all is not right within them, which they never share with anyone. Husbands do not tell it to their wives, and wives do not tell it to their husbands; children do not tell it to their parents, and friends do not tell it to their friends. But the inward burden lies heavily on many hearts!

There is far more unhappiness than the world sees. No matter how some may disguise it, multitudes are uncomfortable because they know they are not prepared to meet God. Perhaps you, reading this message, are one of them.

If you are labouring and heavy-laden, you are the very person to whom the Lord Jesus Christ sends an invitation this day. If you have an aching heart and a troubled conscience; if you want rest for a weary soul and do not know where to find it; if you want peace for a guilty heart and are at a loss which way to turn—you are the man, you are the woman, to whom Jesus speaks today. There is hope for you. I bring you good news. Jesus says, “Come unto Me... and I will give you rest.”

Do These Objections Hold You Back?

• You may tell me this invitation cannot be meant for you because you are not good enough to be invited by Christ. I answer, Jesus does not speak to the good, but to the labouring and heavy-laden. Do you know this feeling? Then you are the one to whom He speaks.

• You may tell me the invitation cannot be meant for you because you are a sinner and know nothing about religion. I answer, It does not matter what you are or what you have been. Do you, at this moment, feel labouring and heavy-laden? Then you are the one to whom Jesus speaks.

• You may tell me you cannot think the invitation is meant for you because you are not yet converted and do not have a new heart. I answer, Christ’s invitation is not addressed to the converted, but to the labouring and heavy-laden. Is this what you feel? Is there a burden on your heart? Then you are one of those to whom Christ speaks.

• You may tell me you have no right to accept this invitation because you do not know if you are one of God’s elect. I answer, You have no right to put words in Christ’s mouth which God has not used. He does not say, “Come unto Me, all you that are elect.” He addresses all the labouring and heavy-laden ones, without exception. Are you one of them? Is there a weight upon your soul? This is the only question you have to decide. If you are, you are one of those to whom Christ speaks.

Friend, if you are one of the labouring and heavy-laden, once more I urge you not to refuse the invitation I bring you today. Do not turn your back on your own mercy. The harbor of refuge is freely before you—do not turn away from it. The best of Friends holds out His hand to you. Do not let pride, self-righteousness, or the fear of ridicule make you reject His offered love.

Take Him at His word. Say to Him, “Lord Jesus Christ, I am one of those whom Your invitation suits—I am labouring and heavy-laden. Lord, what will You have me to do?”

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I. Introduction

J. C. Ryle’s ‘Come!‘ tract is an evangelistic message based on Christ's call to the "laboring and heavy-laden." The tract explores the identity of the Almighty Speaker, the universal cause of human unrest, and the meaning of "coming to Christ" through simple faith. Ryle challenges readers to discover the genuine, inward rest—a peace of conscience and hope for eternity—that the world cannot offer. J. C. Ryle(1816–1900) was a distinguished English Anglican bishop who authored numerous books on the Christian life. This tract has been modernised for better readability, and we will be going through it together in the coming weeks.

II. ‘Come to Me’, A Tract

The title of this message is short, but the subject it reveals is deeply important. It comes from a Bible verse that deserves to be written in letters of gold. I offer that verse to you as a friendly invitation. I urge you to look at it and consider it carefully. That single verse may be the means of your soul’s salvation.

Our years pass quickly. As each season comes around, we hear of gatherings and invitations. Easter and Christmas are times when friends invite one another to visit. But there is one invitation that demands attention every day of the year—and that is the invitation I bring to you today. It may be unlike any you have received before, but it is of unspeakable importance because it concerns the eternal happiness of your soul.

Friend, do not turn away when you read these words. I do not want to spoil your pleasures, as long as those pleasures are not mixed with sin. I know there is a time to laugh and a time to weep. But I want you to be thoughtful as well as happy—to reflect as well as to rejoice. Every Easter, some are missing who were alive and well the year before. Some who gather around Christmas firesides this year will be in their graves by the next!

How long do you have left to live? Will another Easter or Christmas find you alive? Once more, I urge you to listen to the invitation I bring you today. I have a message for you from my Master. He says:

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

There are four points in this verse that I want to draw your attention to. I have something to say on each of them.

I. First, who is the Speaker of this invitation?
II. Second, who is this invitation for?
III. Third, what does the Speaker ask you to do?
IV. Finally, what does the Speaker offer to give?

May the Holy Spirit bless the reading of this message to your everlasting benefit. May this day be a day specially remembered in the history of your soul!

1. Who Is The Speaker?

First, who is the Speaker of the invitation that heads this message? Who is it that invites so freely and offers so generously? Who is it that says to your conscience today, “Come—come unto Me”?

Friend, you have a right to ask these questions. You live in a dishonest world. The earth is full of cheats, shams, deceptions, impostors, and lies. The value of a check depends entirely on the signature at the bottom. When you hear of a mighty Promiser, you have a right to ask: Who is this? And what is His name?

The Speaker of this invitation is the greatest and best Friend humanity has ever had. It is the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God.

He Is The Almighty One

He is God the Father’s equal; He is truly and fully God—by Him were all things made. In His hand are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; He has all power in heaven and earth; in Him all fullness dwells. He holds the keys of death and hell. He is now the appointed Mediator between God and man—He will one day be the Judge and King of all the earth. When one such as this speaks, you can safely trust Him. What He promises, He is able to perform.

He Is The Most Loving One

He loved us so much that He left heaven for our sake and laid aside for a time the glory He had with the Father. He loved us so much that He was born of a woman for our sake and lived thirty-three years in this sinful world. He loved us so much that He undertook to pay our mighty debt to God, and died upon the cross to make atonement for our sins. Friend, when one such as this speaks, He deserves to be heard. When He promises something, you need not be afraid to trust Him.

He Knows The Human Heart Perfectly

He took on a body like our own and was made like us in all things, except for sin. He knows from experience what we have to go through. He has tasted poverty, weariness, hunger, thirst, pain, and temptation. He is acquainted with all our conditions upon earth; He has “suffered Himself being tempted.” When One such as this makes an offer, He makes it with perfect wisdom. He knows exactly what you and I need.

He Never Breaks His Word

He always fulfills His promises; He never fails to do what He undertakes. He never disappoints the soul that trusts Him. Mighty as He is, there is one thing He cannot do—it is impossible for Him to lie. When one such as this makes a promise, you need not doubt that He will stand by it. You may depend with confidence on His word.

You have now heard who sends you the invitation before you today. It is the Lord Jesus Christ. Give Him the credit due His name—grant Him a full and fair hearing. Believe that a promise from His mouth deserves your best attention—see that you do not refuse Him who speaks. It is written, “For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven”.(Heb. 12:25)

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I. Introduction

Each of us walks a path, one that leads either to life or destruction. Scripture tells us the way of the sinner ends in ruin, while the Christian’s path, though narrow and demanding, leads to peace, purpose, and eternal life. This week’s reflection from William S. Plumer’s The Christian reminds us that walking with God requires self-denial, truth, and holiness. To help you on this journey, we’ve included resources on trusting God in hardship, living with gospel clarity, letting go of past failures, and preaching effectively through the Pastoral Epistles. May they encourage you to stay the course.

II. Recommended Resources

Articles

• How God teaches you to Trust Him | Michael Teddy
  Ever wonder where God is in your suffering? This article beautifully reframes hardship not as an interruption, but as God's primary classroom for teaching trust. A helpful especially if you're navigating a difficult season.

• Scripture’s Call to Christian Living | John Calvin
  In a complicated world, the Christian call remains simple. This article cuts through the noise to remind us that our goal is a life of holiness that honors God. A clear and foundational read by one of the giants of the 16th century reformation.

Videos

• Forgetting What Lies Behind | Douglas Wilson
  Struggling to move past old mistakes? This sermon offers a powerful, biblical case for why you have a "gospel duty" to forget what lies behind. It's a liberating message about running your race with freedom.

Ebook - Kindle Deal

• 1 and 2 Timothy, Titus: A Theological Commentary for Preachers | Abraham Kuruvilla
  This commentary uses theological exegesis to connect Scripture and application, enabling preachers to craft effective sermons from every section of the Pastoral Epistles. Dividing the letters into eighteen pericopes, it explores the theological purpose of each unit and provides two sermon outlines per passage, guiding sequential, application-focused preaching through these books

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III. Book Club - The Christian

Note: This concise treatise by William S. Plumer examines key aspects of the Christian life with biblical clarity and pastoral wisdom. Do check the AI generated discussion below. Tap to get chapter list.

Ch 7: The Christian’s Way

"For the Lord watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked leads to ruin." Psalm 1:6

Every man has his way. Conduct is an index to character. Manners make the man. Behavior before God and man tells where one is going.

The way of sinners is evil, is false, is hard, is wicked, is dangerous, is ruinous. It leads to hell. It leads nowhere else. In the end it will cause the bitterest lamentations ever heard. There is no madness equal to that of sinning against God.

But the Christian has his way too. Indeed, believers are more than once called men of the way. In Acts 9:2, we translate it "any of this way." But scholars know that it should be any of the way. So also in Acts 19:9, it is said some "spoke evil of that way." It means they spoke evil of the way, that is, the way of God, the way of godly men. In the Old Testament the word way sometimes has the same general import.

In an important sense Christ Himself is the way of believers. So He teaches: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no man comes unto the Father but by Me" (John 14:6). The soul enters on its upward and glorious career through Christ alone (John 10:1, 7). In the same manner it continues its heavenly course. As men have received Christ the Lord, so do they walk in Him. Paul's great wish was that he might be "found in Christ." The same is true of all who are clearly on their way to glory and honor.

The Christian's way is the way of truth. Inspired men so call it (2 Pet. 2:2). It is the true way. There is no mistake in it. It deceives no one. It disappoints no one. It is not built on fables and fictions. It is built on truth, more lasting than the mountains.

There is no foolishness in it. It is wise. It is often called the way of understanding. No man acts wisely until he walks in it. No man has any wisdom above this. To forsake this way is to choose death.

The Christian's path is the way of righteousness (2 Peter 2:21). It is the way of justifying righteousness. Only thus is any man pardoned. Only thus is any man accepted as righteous. It is the way of personal righteousness. It is the good and the right way (1 Sam. 12:23). It is the way of holiness. So the evangelical prophet spoke of it: "An highway shall be there, and a way, and it shall be called The way of holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it; but it shall be for those: the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein" (Isa. 35:8).

No marvel, then, that the course of the Christian is called the way of God (Acts 18:26); and the way of the Lord (Ps. 27:11). It is the way God chooses, appoints, and loves. He honors it with His presence and His smiles. He who walks in it, walks with God. God is his friend, his guide, his shepherd, his father, his exceeding joy.

No wonder, then, that Zacharias, when filled with the Holy Spirit, called it the way of peace (Lk. 1:79). It brings peace to the heart and the conscience. It secures peace with God, and leads to peace with just men. It inspires pure and friendly sentiments to all.

It is also the way of life, and of salvation (Prov. 6:23; 15:24; Jer. 21:8; Acts 16:17). All who walk not in this way are dead in trespasses and in sins. They are out of the right way. They are stalking to ruin. But they who are in this way shall, in the highest sense, live. They belong to Christ. Because He lives, they shall live also. They are even here delivered from the curse and displeasure of God. In the best and highest sense of the term, they have salvation.

This way is strait, narrow, difficult (Matt. 7:14). Men cannot walk in it carelessly. They cannot carry with them their vices and lusts. They must learn and practice the laws of self-denial. They must not be restive. They must not rebel under powerful restraints. The righteous are scarcely saved.

This way is also straight. It is not crooked. Sin is always tortuous. But a godly man hates every false way. He is not double-tongued, nor double-minded. He means what he says, and he says what he means. He speaks the truth in his heart. He walks in uprightness.

This is also a living way (Heb. 10:20). It is not dead and dull; but lively, and full of animation. It inspires the best hopes, on the most solid grounds.

Though in a sense it is difficult, requiring the utmost care and sobriety, yet it is pleasant (Prov. 3:17). By Divine grace it is made easy. It is the way of transgressors that is hard. They are under cruel bondage. But the righteous serve a good Master. He carries the heavy end of every cross. His yoke is easy, and His burden light.

The way of the Christian is often hidden. His resources are secret, and his motives are not seen. His heart is the best part of him. If he could have his way, he would be done with sin and temptation forever. Often calumny, prejudice, poverty, or tribulation covers him. Yet his way is not hidden from the Lord, nor his judgment passed over from his God. In due time Jehovah will bring forth His righteousness as the light, and His judgment as the noonday.

This way is also plain. An honest heart under Divine teaching never misses it. God reveals its glorious mysteries to babes and sucklings. Simple folk with honest hearts are sure to find the truth.

This is no new way. This path has been trodden by the saints of all ages. In it were found Abel, and Enoch, and Job, and Daniel, and Paul, and John, and all the martyrs and confessors. One of the sins and follies of every age, is an attempt to show, or to find some new way. But God reproves such a spirit. Hear Him: "Thus says the Lord, Stand in the ways and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls" (Jer. 6:16).

The way of the saints is one, and not many. No one need perplex himself on account of seeming diversities. For there are not many ways of salvation. In the very place where God promises one heart to His people, He also promises them one way (Jer. 32:39).

The whole way of the Christian is marked out in God's Word, and is called the way of His precepts, the way of His commandments, the way of His statutes, the way of His judgments (Ps. 119:27, 32-33; Isa. 26:8). Sad indeed is the case of those whose fear toward God is taught by the precepts of men (Isa. 29:13).

The way of the Christian often seems long, but let him not repine. Life's toils and sorrows will soon be over—over forever.

The way of godly men habitually increases in radiance. It shines more and more unto the perfect day (Prov. 4:18). The reason is, it is the only perfect way (Ps. 101:2). This is the course which the Psalmist calls the way everlasting. It shall not be broken up.

Discussion Questions:

1. The author lists many characteristics of the Christian's path. Which of these descriptions stands out to you the most and why?

2. The chapter says this path requires self-denial and that we "cannot carry with us our vices and lusts." What is one thing you feel God is asking you to lay down in order to walk more freely on His path?

Previous Chapter:

I. Introduction

Our focus continues with The Christian by William S. Plumer, where this chapter highlights the richness of godly simplicity—a virtue marked by sincerity, integrity, and Christlike humility. Plumer reminds us that the Christian life is not about being showy or putting on a performance, but about walking humbly and honestly before God. True simplicity isn't weakness, but strength shaped by grace. To encourage deeper reflection, we’ve gathered articles that bring clarity to the gospel’s message, alongside videos exploring contentment and wisdom in daily life

II. Recommended Resources

Articles

• The Simple Message | Tim Challies
  Tim Challies reminds us that although God’s nature is deep and mysterious, the gospel itself is straightforward: Jesus died for our sins and rose again. So hold fast to this simple, life-changing truth.

• Wisdom and the Wise: Themes in Proverbs 1 | Douglas Wilson
  Doug Wilson unpacks Proverbs 1, showing that true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord, shapes everyday life, welcomes correction, promotes peace, and ultimately points to Christ as its fulfillment.

Videos

• Defeating Discontentment | John Macarthur

  Contentment isn’t found in circumstances, it’s found in Christ. This powerful sermon by John MacArthur will help you trade restlessness for peace. Don’t miss this sermon.

• Matthew Henry: The Life & Times of the Bible Commentator
  Over 300 years ago, Matthew Henry wrote his internationally renowned commentary on the Bible which has been of enormous benefit to Christians throughout the centuries. This documentary takes a look at the story of the man behind the Commentary, exploring his spiritual and family life, his ministry, and his historical context.

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III. Book Club - The Christian

Note: This concise treatise by William S. Plumer examines key aspects of the Christian life with biblical clarity and pastoral wisdom. Do check the AI generated discussion below. Tap to get chapter list.

Ch 6: The Christian’s Simplicity

In our English Bible and in common parlance, to be simple is often the same as to be stupid, silly, credulous, easily deceived by appearances. In this case it is the opposite of wisdom. Thus: "A prudent man foresees the evil and hides himself: but the simple pass on and are punished" (Prov. 22:3). "Ephraim is like a silly dove without heart" (Hos. 7:11), describes a like character. It is a bad thing to be a natural fool. It is worse to be made a fool by wicked men and wicked inclinations. Such simplicity is never commended. This is the worst kind of simplicity, because it is both the fruit and the cause of wickedness.

Sometimes a simple man is one who is weak, uninstructed, perhaps deceived, but honest, a seeker of truth. Thus to the great feast prepared by wisdom the invitation is sent forth: "Whoever is simple, let him turn in hither" (Prov. 9:4).

One of the words rendered simplicity often denotes health, soundness, freedom from disease. Thus a single eye is a good eye, giving clear vision (Matt 6:22; Luke 11:34). The noun is rendered singleness of heart in Eph. 6:5 and Col. 3:22, where it means soundness or integrity of heart.

Again, simplicity is the opposite of penuriousness, stinginess—and so implies goodness, gentleness, liberality. Thus, in Rom. 12:8, "He who gives—let him do it with simplicity." In 2 Cor. 8:2 the same word is rendered liberality, and in 2 Cor. 9:11, bountifulness.

Lastly, to be simple is to be inoffensive, free from bad intention, inexpert in wickedness, harmless—as where Paul says, "I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil" (Rom. 16:19). The same word is used by our Lord when He says, "Be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves;" and by Paul, when he says, "Do all things without murmurings and disputings: that you may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke."

What is it, then, to be simple concerning evil? It is something wholly consistent with being wise unto that which is good. It is not natural foolishness. Yet to carnal men it often looks like folly, because it readily incurs natural evils rather than run into sinful ways. The arts of wicked men are not known to such. They are "so wise as not to be deceived, and yet so simple as not to be deceivers." In malice they are children, in understanding they are men. It is no credit to any godly man to be an adept in the arts and chicanery of the deceitful world. It was by one of the ancients pronounced a reproach to a king or philosopher to dance well. So it is a shame for a Christian to be expert in the devices of carnal men for gaining influence and promoting selfish or base designs.

The simplicity of the Gospel is near of kin to godly sincerity (2 Cor. 1:12). It abhors duplicity. It carries its heart in its hand. It has no crooked ways. "It is fair, it is candid, it is honest, it is upright in all things."

And it is as loving as it is fair. It bears no malice. Its tongue is not defiled with slander, nor its hands with wrong. Its steps are not stained with blood. It curses not, but it blesses largely. It is manly, not cowardly. It is humble, but not servile. It is bold, but not fierce. It devises liberal things, but loves to do good unseen. It is not boastful nor ostentatious, and yet it refuses not to do good for fear it might be found out.

Call on one possessed of this excellent quality to deny himself, and nothing seems easier. Present to him the temptations which master most men and they seem powerless. Their chief effect is to drive him nearer to God, closer to the mercy-seat, quite into the bosom of the Good Shepherd. This quality is gracious. It should be cultivated. It may be much strengthened by prayer, by the Word of God, by practice, by hating every false way, by associating with men of pure minds and simple hearts. In nothing is example more potent than in learning lessons of simplicity.

Because great attainments in this excellence are not often made, we ought the more earnestly to labor and pray for it. The more we are tempted to any course inconsistent with this simplicity, the more should we resist the devil, that he may flee from us.

For a pattern we have One that excels all others—our Lord Jesus Christ. Often He declined to commit Himself to others, for He knew what was in man. But never did any put themselves in His power or under His control, but to be blessed thereby. When He gave, it was with all bountifulness. When He reproved, it was with all gentleness. When He invited, it was with superhuman kindness. His eye was single. His heart was single and sincere and loving. His mind was pure and upright. Oh, be like Jesus Christ!

Discussion Questions:

1. How does the example of Jesus Christ redefine our understanding of simplicity?

2. In what ways is simplicity mistaken for weakness in today's world, and how can we actively model simplicity as a strength?

Previous Chapter:

I. Introduction

What truly sets a Christian apart in today's world? It's a profound difference that goes beyond outward appearances. It's about character – not merely reputation, but the "principles and affections which control a man," as our featured Book Club explores. This newsletter is packed with insights and resources designed to help you build a resilient Christian character, a character so distinct that "even infidels have confessed the difference." From understanding the true purpose of spiritual growth to calibrating your conscience, it’ll equip you to live a life transformed by grace, a life that truly reflects being a "new creature."

II. Recommended Resources

Articles to Read

• Agreeing to Disagree in a Culture that Disagrees to Agree | Michael Teddy
  The article emphasizes the Christian perspective on disagreements, highlighting the need for a right approach to differing opinions, especially on non-cardinal theological points. truggling to find common ground in a polarized world? This article helps.

• Sexuality Is Not Neutral | Ashok Mohanakumar
  This article delivers an uncompromising analysis of modern evangelicalism's misplaced emphasis on the "spiritual" over the "material," arguing this has led to a weakening of the church and a misguided embrace of worldly ideologies concerning gender and the body.

Video to Watch

• The Goal of Spiritual Growth | R. C. Sproul

  Discover the real purpose behind spiritual growth! Join R.C. Sproul as he unpacks how developing true Christian character leads us closer to God’s holiness.

Ebook for You (FREE)

• How Can I Develop a Christian Conscience? | R. C. Sproul

  In this booklet, Dr. R.C. Sproul explains that we must calibrate our conscience according to the Bible. With practical application, he shows how studying Scripture helps us, by God’s grace, to build a mature Christian conscience.

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III. Book Club - The Christian

Note: This concise treatise by William S. Plumer examines key aspects of the Christian life with biblical clarity and pastoral wisdom. Do check the AI generated discussion below.

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Next Post: The Christian’s Simplicity (Next week)

Ch 5: The Christian Character - An Example

The word character is often taken in the sense of reputation; but when used more precisely, it refers to the principles and affections which control a man. It is the stamp on the mind, the impress on the heart, the sum of the effects produced on the soul by all the influences brought to bear upon it.

There is such a thing as Christian character. Otherwise there is no difference between Christians and unbelievers. Even infidels have confessed the difference between Christian servants and the profane in their employment.

The epithets bestowed on men in the Word of God clearly show that there is a radical difference between them. Some are called wise, and others foolish; some are just, and others unjust; some are righteous, and others unrighteous; some are godly, and others ungodly; some are the friends of God, and others are His enemies; some are the servants of God, and others are the servants of sin; some are the children of God, and others are the children of the Devil. Christians are strangers and pilgrims, and others are men of the world. There is a radical difference between men's characters. The Bible says so. All this is very reasonable, for—

1. God's grace has done much more for some men than for others. See what a difference it made between Paul and Nero, both bloody persecutors; between Zaccheus and the young ruler whom Jesus loved, both greedy worldlings; between the two thieves on the Cross, both deserving death for their crimes. Every Christian has received of the Lord pardon for all his sins, acceptance in the Beloved, the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. He has also been renewed in the spirit of his mind by the power of the Holy Spirit. He has received a new heart. The law of God has been written upon his heart. He has been made a new creature. It would be monstrous for such a one to be, to live, and to act like one who had never been thus blessed.

2. The Christian has seen more than the wicked. He has had his eyes opened to behold wondrous things out of God's law. Christ has been revealed in him, and to him. He has by faith seen Him, who is invisible. He has caught amazing glimpses of the glorious character of the incorruptible God. How can such a one be, live, or behave like the poor, blinded sinner, who cannot see afar off?

3. The Christian has heard more than the wicked. His ears have been circumcised. He has so heard that he has lived. Like Lazarus in the grave, he has heard the Son of God saying, "Come forth," and he has had strength to obey. He has heard the voice of Love. He has heard the tender calls of bleeding mercy. Surely such a man will be different from those who are strangers to such things.

4. The Christian has felt more than the sinner. His heart has been circumcised. His soul has been filled with pleasure at things which the wicked care not for. Many a time his heart has burned within him at things which never moved the wicked. The Lord has opened his heart to attend unto the things which concern salvation. In his heart he thinks far differently from what he ever thought before.

5. The Christian has sincerely and devoutly promised to live unto God, and not unto himself. The vows of God are upon him. He has sworn that he would keep the statutes of the Lord. The man of the world has never heartily made any such engagements. Whatever promises he has made, if not grossly hypocritical, were at least without any gracious purpose to glorify God. Ease soon revokes vows made under terrors of conscience, the pangs of affliction, or the apprehension of death. It would be marvelous if the Christian, with all his good intentions, solemn vows, and settled purposes—had not a character quite decided and vastly different from that of the sinner. He may be slow to engage in some good things, but his hand once put to the plow, he looks not back.

6. The Christian really and earnestly expects more and greater things than all the sinners in the world. They have transient and vain expectations, based on their own self-righteousness, and on mistaken views of the character of God. But the Christian is warranted in every hope he indulges, built upon the Word of God. All his expectations are awakened by truth and the spirit of truth. None of his hopes shall perish. His supports in future conflicts and in the last struggle shall be greater than he had been able to think. The crown of life shall be more glorious than he ever anticipated. It therefore cannot be otherwise than that he shall be a peculiar manner of person in all holy living and godliness, looking for and hastening unto the coming of the day of God. He perfects holiness in the fear of God. He lives soberly, righteously, and godly in this present evil world. His character is different from that of all the enemies of God. The wicked take knowledge of him—that he has been with Jesus. His brethren in the Lord are drawn to him. He lives before God. His very death is precious in the sight of the Lord.

AN EXAMPLE IN REV. WM. PRESTON, D.D.

About the beginning of this century there was born in Connecticut a child, which grew and waxed strong, and in due time reached a vigorous manhood. After careful preparation he was inducted into the sacred office. His ecclesiastical relations were with the Protestant Episcopal Church. He twice served the Master as pastor of the flock in Columbus, Ohio, and twice, and for a longer period, he labored in Pittsburgh, Pa. In this latter field he spent in all about thirty of the best years of his life. Like many other people of God whom I have known, he left this world on Sabbath morning. It was the 25th of April. When the churches he had served, and the thousands of Israel were assembling in houses built with hands, he was for the first time joining in the hallelujahs of the temple on high. When Christian and Hopeful entered the heavenly city, Bunyan says: "Then I heard in my dream that all the bells in the city rang again for joy, and that it was said unto them, 'Enter into the joy of your Lord.'"

The day of his death was the greatest Sabbath ever enjoyed by Dr. Preston. To all such as he the day of one's death is better than the day of one's birth. He entered this world with a cry as of distress. He entered heaven with a shout of "Salvation unto God and the Lamb!" Here he had tears and sorrows, known only to his Savior and himself; but in the Church above he shall sorrow no more, for there the Lord God wipes away all tears from off all faces.

Dr. Preston was a lovely man. He was naturally amiable, and grace had sweetened all his nature. Who ever heard him say a hard or harsh thing of a fellow creature? He loved God's people of every name. His soul was warmed with charity that hoped and believed and endured all that godly men are commonly called to hope and believe and endure. Neither by nature, nor in principle, nor in practice was Dr. Preston a bigot. He abhorred those narrow views and feelings which believed moral excellence was found chiefly in his own denomination. Often did he walk to the house of God in company with brethren of other churches, and mingle his voice with theirs in prayer and praise. I have never heard more tender or evangelical extemporaneous prayers in large assemblies than I have heard from him, when he was the only Episcopalian perhaps in all the congregation.

Dr. Preston greatly loved the doctrines of grace. He was a firm believer in those doctrines as taught by Paul, by Augustine, by Calvin, and by the best English reformers. On these subjects his trumpet gave no uncertain sound. His faith was grounded and settled. He never attempted nor pretended to make any new discoveries in theology. He took good heed to the Word of the Lord as given by the prophet Jeremiah, "Stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and you shall find rest for your souls."

One truly says of him: "The ministers and Christian people of this city, indeed the whole community, mourn the death of a devoted servant of Christ, a pastor of stainless reputation, and a warmhearted gentleman and Christian friend." This witness is true.

The friendship between Dr. Preston and myself was of more than twenty years' standing. I found him always as kind as a woman, as firm as a rock, as fearless as a lion, and as true as steel. We had often communed together of the things of the kingdom. I never heard from him a doubtful sentiment. I never knew him to quail under clamor. He was valiant for the truth. He hated every false way.

The death of such men as Dr. Preston has a real power in making us willing to die. The society of which he is now a member is composed of the elite of the universe. Every choice spirit that has passed away from earth belongs to that blessed company who worship before the throne in a world where the wicked cease from troubling and the weary are at rest. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.

1. Devotional: Faith’s Checkbook, C. H. Spurgeon

2. Curated Resources

3. Book Club: The Christian: Ch. 4 - W. S. Plumer

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We Dare Not Doubt

“I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron” Isaiah 45:2

This was for Cyrus; but it is evermore the heritage of all the Lord’s own spiritual servants. Only let us go forward by faith, and our way will be cleared for us. Crooks and turns of human craft and Satanic subtlety shall be straightened for us; we shall not need to track their devious windings.

The gates of brass shall be broken, and the iron bars which fastened them shall be cut asunder. We shall not need the battering ram nor the crowbar: the Lord Himself will do the impossible for us, and the unexpected shall be a fact.

Let us not sit down in coward fear. Let us press onward in the path of duty; for the Lord hath said it, “I will go before thee.” Ours not to reason why; ours but to dare and dash forward. It is the Lord’s work, and He will enable us to do it: all impediments must yield before Him. Hath He not said, “I will break in pieces the gates of brass?” What can hinder His purpose or balk His decrees? Those who serve God have infinite resources. The way is clear to faith though barred to human strength.

When Jehovah says, “I will,” as He does twice in this promise, we dare not doubt.

— May 20th, Faith’s Checkbook, Charles Haddon Spurgeon.

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• What Is Doctrine and Why Is It Important? | Tim Challies
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Book Club - The Christian

Note: This concise treatise by William S. Plumer examines 30 key aspects of the Christian life with biblical clarity and pastoral wisdom.
Also, Do check the AI generated audio below for a discussion of the chapter.

Click to Read: 1st Chapter

Click to Read: Previous Chapter 3

Click to Read: Next Chapter 5

Ch 4: The Christian Doctrine

The word doctrine is found more than fifty times in the Scriptures. It has shades of meaning, but it commonly has the idea of knowledge, instruction, teaching. Our present business is with Christian doctrine.

The prophets, Christ, and His Apostles did teach something coherent and harmonious. There is a system of truth. It differs from Paganism, Mohammedanism, Deism, Judaism. Christian doctrine embraces the truths of the Gospel. In general it consists in the instruction given us in all God's Word. In particular it is made up of those great principles urged by Christ and His Apostles as expository of the Old Testament, and as declaring the mind and will of God.

There is such a thing as Christian doctrine in opposition to antiChristian error. Truth is opposed to falsehood. Both Solomon and Paul speak of "good doctrine." Four times does Paul speak of "sound doctrine," which is the same as good doctrine. All true and sound doctrine is good whether it pleases or offends men. In Scripture it is called "the doctrine of God," "the doctrine of the Lord," "the doctrine of God our Savior," "the doctrine of Jesus," "the doctrine of Christ," "the doctrine of the Apostles," "the doctrine which is according to godliness." In Scripture it is synonymous with "truth," "the truth in Christ," "the truth as it is in Jesus," "the truth of God," and "the word of truth." It is elsewhere called the "form of sound words," and "sound speech that cannot be condemned."

Christian doctrine is just the opposite of what the Bible calls "strange doctrines," "the doctrines and commandments of men," "philosophy and vain deceit," "the doctrines of devils," "the traditions of men," "damnable heresies."

So that it cannot be denied that there is such a thing as sound doctrine, just as there is unsound doctrine; there is good doctrine, and there is evil doctrine; there is doctrine according to godliness, and there is doctrine contrary to piety; there is a word that nourishes men up in faith, and there is a word that eats as a canker. Christian doctrine is always good, safe, edifying.

We are bound to discriminate between Christian doctrine and all its opposites. The Word of God requires us to prove all things, and to hold fast that which is good; to try the spirits, and not to believe every spirit; to judge of religious teachers by their doctrines. This can be done. Many have done it. We can know the truth. "The doctrine of the Pharisees" and "the doctrine of the Sadducees" never did accord with the doctrine of Christ. "The doctrine of Balaam" and "the doctrine of the Nicolaitans" always were at war with truth and righteousness, always were abhorred by godly men, and always did subvert those who lent a willing ear to them. Light and darkness are not more opposite than truth and error. Arsenic and flour look very much alike; but one kills while the other nourishes. All are bound to distinguish between Christian doctrine and opposing errors.

Christian doctrine is not the product of earth. Man is not its author. All saving truth is heaven-born. Christ so taught: "My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me." The consent of all men cannot transmute a lie or a fable, into the truth. Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. If God says anything, it is true. If He says it not, it is either not true, or it concerns not our salvation.

Christian doctrine must be known, loved, and embraced. It is essential to right views of God's nature, government, and worship. Before one believes that he needs a Savior, he must believe that he is a sinner. Men reject the truth from pride, or prejudice, or the lack of right affections. The Scripture warrants us in saying that men hold false doctrine because they have "not received the love of the truth," and that proves a wicked state of mind. All but ungodly men love the truth. Our salvation depends upon our receiving the Christian verity. "He who believes not is condemned already." "If you believe not that I am He, you shall die in your sins." "Sanctify them through Your truth; Your word is truth." These are a few specimens of what God's Word says, to teach us how essential a hearty reception of the very doctrines of Scripture is to our securing eternal life. Error may lead to bigotry, blasphemy, or superstition—but never to holiness.

False doctrine dishonors God at every step. It defiles the conscience, corrupts the heart, blinds the mind, and makes vain our imaginations. On the other hand, truth leads to godliness. When inspired men would stir up God's people to courage, constancy, humility, benevolence, adoration, and holiness, they never present old wives' fables, but the great truths of Scripture. Nor are God's friends at liberty to hold back any portion of the truth. The rejection of some of the doctrines of God will bring utter ruin on the soul. To believe a lie in religion is a very alarming symptom. "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!" (Gal. 1:8).

We must not only hold the Christian doctrine, but we must hold it to the rejection of opposite errors. The Pharisees held considerable truth, but they made it all vain by their traditions.

And we must hold the Christian doctrine at all cost and at all hazards. "Buy the truth, and sell it not." Myriads have laid down their lives for the testimony of Jesus; and they acted wisely in so doing. By thus losing their lives, they made sure eternal life. It would not be difficult to show that all the truths of religion, and all the civil and religious liberty on earth, are the fruit of the sufferings of men, who hazarded their lives for Christian doctrine.

— The Christian, William Swan Plumer

1. Devotional: Faith’s Checkbook, May 16 - C. H. Spurgeon

2. Curated Resources

3. Book Club: The Christian, Ch. 3 - William S. Plumer

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We Receive As We Give

“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy” Matthew 5:7

It is not meet that the man who will not forgive should be forgiven, nor shall he who will not give to the poor have his own wants relieved. God will measure to us with our own bushels, and those who have been hard masters and hard creditors, will find that the Lord will deal hardly with them. “He shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy.

This day let us try to give and to forgive. Let us mind the two bears — bear and forbear. Let us be kind, and gentle, and tender. Let us not put harsh constructions upon men’s conduct, nor drive hard bargains, nor pick foolish quarrels, nor be difficult to please. Surely we wish to be blessed, and we also want to obtain mercy: let us be merciful, that we may have mercy. Let us fulfill the condition, that we may earn the beatitude. Is it not a pleasant duty to be kind? Is there not much more sweetness in it than in being angry and ungenerous? Why, there is a blessedness in the thing itself! Moreover, the obtaining of mercy is a rich reward. What but sovereign grace could suggest such a promise as this? We are merciful to our fellow-mortal in pence, and the Lord forgives us “all that debt.”

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• Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ | John Piper (FREE)

  This book invites readers to behold the multifaceted glory of Jesus—not just to understand Him intellectually, but to delight in Him deeply. Through 13 Scripture-rich chapters, Piper explores Christ’s divine attributes, from His lion-like majesty to His lamb-like meekness, aiming to awaken both awe and affection in the hearts of believers.

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Book Club - The Christian

Note: This concise treatise by William S. Plumer examines 30 key aspects of the Christian life with biblical clarity and pastoral wisdom.
Also, Do check the AI generated audio below for a discussion of the chapter.

Click to Read: 1st Chapter

Click to Read: Previous Chapter 2

Click to Read: Next Chapter 4

Ch 3: The Christian Life

When we speak of the Christian life, we may refer either to the gracious principle implanted in the heart of the regenerate, or to the ordinary methods of its manifestation. Let us look at both.

The life of God in the soul of a believer is a great mystery. In any case life is somewhat unknown to us. But the life of a child of God is very far removed from the cognizance of the careless. Believers themselves are God's hidden ones. They are fed and nourished by the hidden manna. The secret of the Lord is with them. He shows them His covenant. Their life is hid with Christ in God. True, when Christ, who is their life, shall appear, then shall they also appear with Him in glory. But now they are unknown to the world, except as their light shines in the darkness.

The Christian life is supernatural. It is something far above the powers of the carnal man. That the blind should see, the deaf hear, the lame man leap as a deer, and the dead live—can be accounted for only on the ground that it is the work of God. We are all dead in trespasses and sins, until Divine grace makes us new creatures. Over our mind, dense clouds of smoke and thick darkness from the bottomless pit have settled. We have eyes, but we see not. Our imaginations are vain. Our memories are polluted. Our ingenuity devises mischief and foolish evasions and excuses. Our wills are perverse and stubborn. Our daring in sin is frightful. To think of our state might well make one to shudder. Our enmity to God is mortal. If such are changed from hatred to love, from sin to holiness—it must be by God's power, His mighty power.

This Christian life is the gift of the Holy Spirit, and no man knows the way of the Spirit. "The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound thereof, but cannot tell whence it comes nor where it goes; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." It is but vanity and presumption for us poor worms to claim to comprehend the ways of God.

The Christian life is to the soul that experiences it, a new life. Old things have passed away. All things are become new. Like all new life, it is full of wonders. Everything pertaining to it is fresh and suited to rejoice the heart.

And so it is a happy life. The joy of the Lord has great strength in it. The buoyancy of the soul that is stayed on God is often amazing, and always mighty.

This life is also abiding. It is not always equally strong, but it is fed by new supplies of strength until the last.

Of course the Christian life is a great mercy. So says the apostle of the circumcision: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who, according to His abundant mercy, has begotten us again unto a lively hope," etc. So says the apostle of the Gentiles: "God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, has quickened us together with Christ," etc. The Christian life manifests itself—

1. By healthful and regular pulsations. The child of God has a heart, and its throbbings are not spasmodic and occasional. Because Christ lives in them, the life of Christians is constant.

2. The Christian life manifests itself by cries—cries that enter the ears of the Lord Almighty. As soon as Paul was renewed, it was said of him, "Behold, he prays." No Christian lives without prayer.

3. The Christian life manifests itself by a relish for suitable food. Even the newborn babe desires the sincere milk of the Word that it may grow thereby. After a while, the strong meat of God's Word is required, and it is relished also.

   There will sooner or later be motion where there is life. In due time the renewed man will walk, and leap, and praise God.

4. Wondrously, too, does the child of grace enjoy the pure and heavenly atmosphere of the Church and ordinances of God's house, and the sweet moments of the communion of saints in prayer and praise, in supplication and thanksgiving.

5. Such Christians will grow—will grow up into more and more stability, heavenly-mindedness, constancy, courage, love, faith, and hope. Of some, Paul says their faith grew exceedingly.

6. The Christian life will show itself by activity. There will sooner or later be motion where there is life. In due time the renewed man will walk, and leap, and praise God. When one said to an ancient philosopher, "There is no such thing as motion," the sage said not a word, but arose and walked across the room. That was answer enough. So if any say there is no Christian life in the world, let us, by walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly, prove that they are mistaken.

There is a reality, there is a power in heartfelt piety. On this earth nothing is more powerful. But for true piety, the world would soon come to an end—the cries of its wickedness perpetually calling for vengeance. But as ten righteous men would have saved the cities of the plain, so for the elect's sakes the day of vengeance is shortened and the day of grace prolonged.

1. Devotional: Faith’s Checkbook - C. H. Spurgeon

2. Curated Resources

3. Book Club: The Christian - William S. Plumer

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Why Remain Captive?

“The Lord thy God will turn thy captivity” Deuteronomy 30:3

God’s own people may sell themselves into captivity by sin. A very bitter fruit is this, of an exceeding bitter root. What a bondage it is when the child of God is sold under sin, held in chains by Satan, deprived of his liberty, robbed of his power in prayer, and his delight in the Lord! Let us watch that we come not into such bondage; but if this has already happened to us, let us by no means despair.

But we cannot be held in slavery for ever. The Lord Jesus has paid too high a price for our redemption to leave us in the enemy’s hand. The way to freedom is, “Return unto the Lord thy God.” Where we first found salvation we shall find it again. At the foot of Christ’s cross confessing sin we shall find pardon and deliverance. Moreover, the Lord will have us obey His voice according to all that He has commanded us, and we must do this with all our heart, and all our soul, and then our captivity shall end.

Often depression of spirit and great misery of soul are removed as soon as we quit our idols and bow ourselves in obedience before the living God. We need not be captives. We may return to Zion’s citizenship, and that speedily. Lord, turn our captivity!

— April 27th, Faith’s Checkbook, Charles H. Spurgeon.

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• Fathers and the Fatherhood of God | Ashok Mohanakumar
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Book Club - The Christian

Note: This concise treatise by William S. Plumer examines 30 key aspects of the Christian life with biblical clarity and pastoral wisdom, great for personal reflection. Also, Do check this AI generated audio below for a discussion of the chapter.

Click to Read: Previous Chapter 1

Click to Read: Next Chapter 3

Ch 2: The Christian Profession

In the New Testament the same Greek verb is rendered both confess and profess. In these places it is rendered confess, namely, Matt. 10:32; Luke 12:8; John 1:20; 9:22; 12:42; Acts 23:8; 24:14; Rom. 10:9; Heb. 11:13; 1 John 1:9; 4:2-3, 15; and 2 John 7. In the following places the same verb is rendered profess, namely, Matt. 7:23; 1 Tim. 6:12; Titus 1:16. In like manner the noun is sometimes rendered profession, as in 1 Tim. 6:12; and in the very next verse it is rendered confession.

If there is any difference between a confession and a profession, it is that the former is made in the face of danger, while the latter is a mere setting forth of our belief and practice. Each is an avowal of one's convictions or of one's belief. Each is a declaration of what is supposed to be truth.

A Christian profession is called for—

1. By the very nature of the case, Christ's kingdom is both spiritual and voluntary. If men consent not to serve Him, they are His enemies. If they bow to His yoke, how can they more fitly declare that fact than by avowing their love to Him? If none of Christ's friends declare for Him, He will soon have no friends in this world.

2. A proper and becoming profession of love to Christ is useful to others. It emboldens timid disciples. It confirms the faltering. It awakes the dull and inattentive. It makes men feel that there is a reality in religion. Very few things are more potent for good, than a solemn profession of Christ's religion. Many a man has been stout and hardened until he saw his wife, or child, or brother, standing up to take upon them the Christian profession. It was proof of desperate wickedness in the chief priests and elders that when even the publicans and harlots believed John, and these officials saw it, they repented not afterward that they might believe (Matt. 21:32).

3. A Christian profession is commended in the Word of God. It is called "a good profession" (1 Tim. 6:12). It is in itself right, lovely, beautiful, excellent, as the Greek word signifies.

   But what is implied in a Christian profession? It is plainly to own the whole truth of God as made known to us.

4. A Christian profession is commanded by Him who has all authority in the case. His word and providence unite in saying: Who is on the Lord's side? Come out from among them. Be separate, says the Lord. Choose you this day whom you will serve.

5. Very glorious promises are annexed to a right Christian profession, and very awful threatenings are uttered against those who refuse to own the Redeemer. Hear the Savior, who shall be our final Judge: "Whoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 10:32-33). Compare Luke 12:8-9; Mark 8:38; Luke 9:26; Rom.10:9-10.

But what is implied in a Christian profession? It is plainly to own the whole truth of God as made known to us. To profess any error or falsehood cannot but be dishonoring to God. A good profession clearly implies an adherence to the truth of God. And no lie is of the truth. It is also a declaration of a purpose to observe all God's statutes and ordinances. There is no piety where there is no keeping of the Commandments. A good profession is always followed by walking in the ways of the Lord, following His example, and framing our doings to please Him and serve His people. And all this is with humble subjection to Christ in all things.

A Christian profession must be—

1. Sincere and hearty. Not only must it not be basely hypocritical, but in it there must not be even self-deception. It must be honestly made. In it must be no reserves, no relentings. A profession of love without love is offensive to every right mind.

2. It must be humble, not vainglorious and ostentatious. Jehu called on men to witness his zeal for the Lord. He was a poor, vain creature.

3. A Christian profession must be open and public. Christ made no secret of His love to us. Why should we make a secret of our love to Him? "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:16).

   A good profession is always followed by walking in the ways of the Lord, following His example, and framing our doings to please Him and serve His people.

4. Our profession should also be bold and fearless. We should not seem to be asking pardon for being followers of Jesus Christ. Paul says: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes" (Rom. 1:16). There is an apologetic way of avowing truth which seems to provoke opposition. We must stand up for Jesus, cost what it may. The life of the truth is more important than the life of any man upon earth. We must resist even unto the shedding of blood, if necessary.

5. A Christian profession is permanent—until death. In this war there is no discharge. "If any man draws back, My soul shall have no pleasure in him," says God (Heb. 10:38). In this work we have great encouragement. "Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; for He who promised is faithful." (Heb. 10:23). How faithful He is, the saints of all ages can testify. His faithfulness never fails. It reaches to the heavens. It is unto all generations.

— The Christian, William S. Plummer

We’re glad you’re here. Each week, we’ll share a short devotional, curated articles & videos, and work through classic Christian books together. Whether you’re reading during a quiet morning or a busy commute, we pray these words bring encouragement, clarity, and joy as you follow Jesus on the pilgrim path.

1. Devotional: Faith’s Checkbook

2. Curated Resources

3. Book Club: The Christian - The Christian Name

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God Finishes His Work

The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me — Psalm 138:8

He who has begun will carry on the work which is being wrought within my soul. The Lord is concerned about everything that concerns me. All that is now good, but not perfect, the Lord will watch over, and preserve, and carry out to completion. This is a great comfort. I could not perfect the work of grace myself. Of that I am quite sure, for I fail every day, and have only held on so long as I have because the Lord has helped me. If the Lord were to leave me, all my past experience would go for nothing, and I should perish from the way.

But the Lord will continue to bless me. He will perfect my faith, my love, my character, my life-work. He will do this because He has begun a work in me. He gave me the concern I feel, and, in a measure, He has fulfilled my gracious aspirations. He never leaves a work unfinished; this would not be for His glory, nor would it be like Him. He knows how to accomplish His gracious design, and though my own evil nature and the world, and the devil, all conspire to hinder Him, I do not doubt His promise. He will perfect that which concerneth me, and I will praise Him for ever. Lord, let thy gracious work make some advance this day!

— April 27th, Faith’s Checkbook, Charles H. Spurgeon.

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• There Is Only One Hero - Paul Washer (sermon)

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Book Club - The Christian

Note: This concise treatise by William S. Plumer examines 30 key aspects of the Christian life with biblical clarity and pastoral wisdom, great for personal reflection. Also, Do check the AI generated audio below for a discussion of the chapter.

Read: Chapter 2

Ch 1: The Christian Name

The word 'Christian' is found but three times in all the Scriptures. The places where it occurs are Acts 11:26; Acts 26:28; and 1 Peter 4:16. These read as follows: "And the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." "Then Agrippa said unto Paul—you almost persuade me to be a Christian." "Yet if any man suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God on this behalf."

The chronology of some of the events recorded in the Acts is not entirely certain, but it seems pretty clear that the followers of our Lord were not called Christians until ten or twelve years after our Savior's ascension to heaven.

I once heard a sermon on Acts 11:26, in which it was assumed that the name Christian, like that of Puritan or Methodist, was first given in reproach, and by enemies; and was afterward adopted by the disciples of our Lord, as a name which they were willing to bear. And it cannot be denied that in every age odious labels have been heaped upon the godly. It is also certain from the history of the trial and martyrdom of Polycarp, that for a long time the enemies of the Cross employed the term to revile and accuse. But this does not prove that bad men first gave the name.

These things seem to be clear:

1. Christian is a very fit name for all the followers of Christ. They are in Christ. They love and adore Christ. They are ready to die for Christ. He is their Savior and Redeemer. They are not ashamed of Him, and He is not ashamed of them. They are the friends, followers, and redeemed of Jesus Christ. He is all in all to them. They are precious to Him. He says so (Isa. 43:4).

2. Christian is a very appropriate name. It well designates God's people, and in itself sums up the whole matter. Other names are given to God's people, and some of them are very appropriate, but none is more fitting than this.

3. It was foretold by the evangelical prophet that in the latter days the Church should receive a new appellation: "The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, and all kings your glory: and you shall be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name" (Isa. 62:2). This passage no doubt indicates the great blessing arising from the altered state and prospects of the Gospel Church. But may it not also be interpreted as having been literally fulfilled in the bestowment of the name Christian? Many have so thought.

4. Nor were there lacking in the primitive Church, people by whom the Lord could fitly change the name of His people; for in immediate connection with the historic statement that "the disciples were called Christians first at Antioch," it is added, "prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. Then one of them, named Agabus, stood up and predicted by the Spirit that there would be a severe famine throughout the Roman world. This took place during the time of Claudius" (Acts 11:26-28). There were inspired men who were able to make known the mind of God and to speak by His authority.

5. The people of God have ever since, and without hesitation, borne the name of Christians. The inspired historian, Luke, says nothing against it. Peter speaks of it approvingly. Evidently godly men have long accepted it as if it were from the Lord.

Someone may ask, WHAT IS IN A NAME? The answer is, that there is a great deal in a name; and in giving a name, one exercises high authority. It is recorded as one of the acts of the intelligence and authority of Adam that he gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field (Gen. 2:20). Jehovah Himself asserts His prerogative in giving and changing names as He pleases. Thus He changed the names of Abraham, Jacob, and Sarah. Thus He directed that the name of His incarnate Son should be called Jesus. Names are things when properly applied. They are indeed often borne unworthily, often misapplied. But it would shock our pious feelings if the ancient Church had received her names from Cain, or Canaan, or Korah, or any notoriously bad man, instead of being called Jacob, Israel, Joseph, Abraham's seed, and spoken of in other like terms indicative of glory and virtue.

In the Christian name is so much that is precious, that nothing could persuade godly men to give it up. Even bad men love to have the label 'Christian' bestowed upon their loved ones who have left this world.

Reader, are you a Christian; a real, living, firm, consistent Christian? You have the name, but are you worthy of it? Is your union with Christ close and vital? Do you live in Him? Do you live for Him? Do you live to Him? Do you wish to live and reign with Him? Have you duly considered the import of the name you bear? It means much more than being born in a Christian land. Worthily to bear the name of a Christian, is the greatest honor and the greatest happiness ever attained on earth.
A Christian is the highest style of man.

— The Christian, William S. Plummer