Holiness

Discipleship in 21st Century Boston In Chapter 19 of Holiness, Ryle urges Christians to be like the tribe of Issachar, who had “understanding of the times” (1 Chronicles 12:32). Ryle says, “all ages have their own peculiar dangers for professing Christians, and all consequently demand special attention to peculiar duties” (Ryle 392). He was talking about 19th-century England. What about 21st-century Boston? What would be a peculiar danger for professing Christians in our context?...

Subtle Pride How does pride manifest itself? Is it always chest-beating, chin-raising bravado and swagger, like those energetic UFC entrances into the octagon? No, there is a more insidious form that exists in the guise of self-deprecation, where individuals belittle themselves to elicit sympathy, reassurance, and pleasant contradictions from others. In my high school years, I encountered this subtler form of pride among my peers who, despite being academic overachievers, continually lamented their shortcomings....

A Christless Heaven In Chapter 16 of Holiness, Ryle explains that “to be without Christ is to be without heaven” (Ryle 346). Not only does this mean that without Christ no one can enter into heaven, but it also means that a heaven devoid of Christ or God would cease to be heaven at all. He justifies this claim by thoughtfully pointing to the descriptions of heaven in Revelation that are all centered around the Lamb of Christ: the throne, the light, the temple, and the supper (Revelation 5:6; 22:3, 21:22; 19:9)....

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God. Overcoming Pornography Throughout Chapter 14 of Holiness, Ryle offers challenging exhortations to professing Christians in visible churches. In his general discussion of overcoming sin, I found myself thinking about a particular sin that has wrecked countless lives: pornography....

Lot’s Lingering Life In chapter 9 of Ryle’s Holiness, the account of Lot’s lingering life is presented as a negative example and cautionary tale for the Christian. Genesis 13 and 19 suggest that Lot was strongly swayed by worldly temptations and competing desires, hesitating to trust in God’s word, and seeking to please man. The fruits of his life include: His weak influence on his family and neighbors His despicable decision to offer his daughters to worthless men The notorious loss of his worldly wife His drunk, degenerate behavior with his daughters in a cave Additionally, the enduring legacy he leaves – the emergence of the Moabites and Ammonites, perennial adversaries of God’s people – stands as a testament to the lasting impact of a life marred by indecision and spiritual compromise....