Practical Religion # 6

Self-Inquiry (continued)

Now here is exactly the point, I am afraid, where multitudes of people fail, and are in imminent danger of being lost forever. They know that there is no forgiveness of sin excepting in Christ Jesus. They can tell you that there is no Saviour for sinners, no Redeemer, no Mediator, excepting Him who was born, of the Virgin Mary, and was crucified under Pontius Pilate, dead, and buried. But here they stop, and get no further! They never come to the point of actually laying hold on Christ by faith, and becoming one with Christ and Christ in them. They can say, "He is a Saviour, but not my Saviour, a Redeemer, but not my Redeemer, a Priest, but not my Priest, an Advocate, but not my Advocate: and so they live and die unforgiven! No wonder that Martin Luther said, "Many are lost because they cannot use possessive pronouns." When this is the state of many in this day, no one need wonder that I ask men whether they have received the forgiveness of sins. An eminent Christian lady once said, in her old age, "The beginning of eternal life in my soul, was a conversation I had with an old gentleman, who came to visit my father, when I was only a little girl. He took me by the hand one day, and said, "My dear child, my life is nearly over, and you will probably live many years after I am gone. But never forget two things. One is, that there is such a thing as having our sins forgiven while we live. The other is, that there is such a thing as knowing and feeling forgiven while we live." I thank God I have never forgotten his words." How is it with us? Let us not rest till we know that we are forgiven. Once more I ask, - In the matter of forgiveness of sins, "How do we do?"

5. Let me ask, in the fifth place, whether we know anything by experience of conversion to God.

Without conversion there is no salvation. "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." - "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." - "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." - "If any man be in Christ he is a new creature." (Matthew 18:3; John 3:3; Romans 8:(; 2 Corinthians 5:17). We are all by nature so weak, so worldly, so earthly-minded, so inclined to sin, that without a thorough change we cannot serve God in life, and could not enjoy Him in heaven. Just as ducks, as soon as they are hatched,take naturally to water, so do children, as soon as they can do anything, take to selfishness, lying, and deceit; and none pray, or love God, unless they are taught. High or low, rich or poor, gentle or simple, we all need a complete change, - a change which it is the special office of the Holy Spirit to give us. Call it what you please, - new birth, regeneration, renewal, new creation, quickening, repentance, - the thing must be had if we are to be saved: and if we have the thing it will be "seen."

~J. C. Ryle~

(continued with # 7)