John Charles Ryle (10 May 1816 – 10 June 1900) was an English Evangelical Anglican bishop. He was the first Anglican bishop of Liverpool.
A man may commit sin and yet be ignorant of it, and fancy himself innocent when he is guilty. . . We shall do well to remember that when we make our own miserably imperfect knowledge and consciousness the measure of our sinfulness, we are on very dangerous ground.
Weak, feeble and foolish as it may seem to people, the simple story of the Cross is enough for all mankind in every part of the globe.
Amidst the flood of dangerous reading, I plead for my Master's book; I call upon you not to forget the book of the soul. Do not let newspapers, novels, and romances be read, while the prophets and Apostles be despised. Do not let the exciting and sensual swallow up your attention, while the edifying and the sanctifying can find no place in your mind.
The early Christians made it a part of their religion to look for his return. They looked backward to the cross and the atonement for sin, and rejoiced in Christ crucified. They looked upward to Christ at the right hand of God, and rejoiced in Christ interceding. They looked forward to the promised return of their Master, and rejoiced in the thought that they would see him again. And we ought to do the same
If anyone feels his sins, let him come at once, straight, direct, not merely to church, or to the sacrament, or to repentance, or to prayer, but to Christ Himself.
The beginning of the way to heaven, is to feel that we are on the way to hell.
The heart that has really tasted the grace of Christ, will instinctively hate sin.
Conversion is not putting a man in an armchair and taking him easily to heaven. It is the beginning of a mighty conflict, in which it costs much to win the victory.
We are all naturally self-righteous. It is the family disease of all the children of Adam.
Health is a good thing; but sickness is far better, if it leads us to God.
I declare I know no state of soul more dangerous than to imagine we are born again and sanctifiied by the Holy Spirit, because we have picked up a few religious feelings.
If you show me a man deliberately living an unholy and licentious life, and yet boasting that his sins are forgiven, I answer, 'He is under a ruinous delusion, and is not forgiven at all. ' I would not believe he is forgiven if an angel from heaven affirmed it, and I charge you not to believe it too. Pardon of sin and love of sin are like oil and waterthey will never go together. All who are washed in the blood of Christ, are also sanctified by the Spirit of Christ.
He that has trained his children for heaven, rather than for earth- for God rather than for man- he is the parent who will be called wise at the last.
We must read our Bibles like men digging for hidden treasure.
Just as the first sign of life in an infant when born into the world is the act of breathing, so the first act of men and women when they are born again is praying.
No one ever reached heaven without repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
We know nothing of humility by nature, for we are all born proud.
Beware of self-righteousness in every possible shape and form. Some people get as much harm from their "virtues" as others do from their sins.
What you think now about the cross of Christ, I cannot tell; but I can wish you nothing better than this - that you may be able to say with the apostle Paul, before you die or meet the Lord, 'God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. '
Fear not because your prayer is stammering, your words feeble, and your language poor. Jesus can understand you.