Quoting J.C. Ryle

I started reading J.C. Ryle's Expository on the Gospel of Matthew over a month ago. I'm not quite halfway through it, but I thought I'd go ahead and share some insights with you. You can read this book for yourself online.

Here is one among many reasons, why we ought to be diligent readers of our Bibles. The Word is the sword of the Spirit. We shall never fight a good fight, if we do not use it as our principal weapon. The Word is the lamp for our feet. We shall never keep the king's highway to heaven, if we do not journey by its light. It may well be feared, that there is not enough Bible-reading among us. It is not sufficient to have the Book. We must actually read it, and pray over it ourselves. It will do us no good, if it only lies still in our houses. We must be actually familiar with its contents, and have its texts stored in our memories and minds. Knowledge of the Bible never comes by intuition. It can only be obtained by diligent, regular, daily, attentive, wakeful reading. Do we grudge the time and trouble this will cost us? If we do, we are not yet fit for the kingdom of God. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

Humility is the very first letter in the alphabet of Christianity. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

It is perfectly clear that true Christianity is something more than being baptized and going to church. "Salt" and "light" evidently imply peculiarity both of heart and life, of faith and practice. We must dare to be singular and unlike the world, if we mean to be saved. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

We have no reason to be discouraged and cast down, if the religion we profess is not popular, and few agree with us. We must remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ in this passage: "The gate is narrow." Repentance, and faith in Christ, and holiness of life, have never been fashionable. The true flock of Christ has always been small. It must not move us to find that we are reckoned singular, and peculiar, and bigoted, and narrow-minded. This is "the narrow way." Surely it is better to enter into life eternal with a few, than to go to "destruction" with a great company. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

It is neglect of the Bible which makes so many a prey to the first false teacher whom they hear. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

Happy is he who prays over his Bible and knows the difference between truth and error in religion! There is a difference, and we are meant to know it, and use our knowledge. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

Faith in Christ appears a small and simple thing to the children of this world. They see in it nothing great or grand. But faith in Christ is most precious in God's sight, and like most precious things, is rare. By it true Christians live. By it they stand. By it they overcome the world. Without this faith no one can be saved. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

Let us beware of loving the world more than Christ. Let us beware of hindering the salvation of others, because we fear the increase of true religion may diminish our gains, or give us trouble. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

Let it be a fixed principle in our religion, that with Christ nothing is impossible. He can take a tax collector, and make him an apostle. He can change any heart, and make all things new. Let us never despair of any one's salvation. Let us pray on, and speak on, and work on to do good to souls, even to the souls of the worst. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

The first thing needful, in order to have an interest in Christ, is to feel deeply our own corruption, and to be willing to come to Him for deliverance. We are not to keep away from Christ, as many ignorantly do, because we feel bad, and wicked, and unworthy. We are to remember that sinners are those He came into the world to save, and that if we feel ourselves such, it is well. Happy is he who really comprehends that one principal qualification for coming to Christ is a deep sense of sin! ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

Men are sadly apt to forget, that it does not require great open sins to be sinned, in order to ruin a soul forever. They have only to go on hearing without believing, listening without repenting, going to Church without going to Christ, and by and bye they will find themselves in hell! We shall all be judged according to our light. We shall have to give account of our use of religious privileges. To hear of the "great salvation," and yet neglect it, is one of the worst sins man can commit. (John 16:9.) ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

Every believer may do something if he tries. There is always something for every one to do. May we each have an eye to see it, and a will to do it. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

Few things do so much harm in religion as exaggerated expectations. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew

Happy is he who thoroughly understands, that though Christianity holds out a crown in the end, it brings also a cross in the way. ~ J.C. Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Matthew 

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible