psycheives
Puritan Board Freshman
JC Ryle, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels, Mt 13:53-58:
Will you guys please take some time to consider carefully and then comment on the accuracy of JC Ryle's quote below? The way he speaks of belief as being the condition for salvation makes me uncomfortable and "smells like Amyraldianism/Arminianism" to me. I acknowledge there is a common way in which Calvinists speak of "conditional faith" but Ryle's words seem to cross the line into "losing saving faith" (especially the last sentence). Please consider the following questions:
"The last thing which we ought to notice in these verses is the ruinous nature of unbelief. The chapter ends with the fearful words, "He didn't do many miraculous works there, because of their unbelief."
Behold in this single word the secret of the everlasting ruin of multitudes of souls! They perish forever, because they will not believe. There is nothing beside in earth or heaven that prevents their salvation. Their sins, however many, might all be forgiven. The Father's love is ready to receive them. The blood of Christ is ready to cleanse them. The power of the Spirit is ready to renew them. But a great barrier interposes--they will not believe. "You will not come unto me," says Jesus, "that you might have life." (John 5:40.) May we all be on our guard against this accursed sin. It is the old root-sin, which caused the fall of man. Cut down in the true child of God by the power of the Spirit, it is ever ready to bud and sprout again. There are three great enemies against which God's children should daily pray--pride, worldliness, and unbelief. Of these three, none is greater than unbelief."
Behold in this single word the secret of the everlasting ruin of multitudes of souls! They perish forever, because they will not believe. There is nothing beside in earth or heaven that prevents their salvation. Their sins, however many, might all be forgiven. The Father's love is ready to receive them. The blood of Christ is ready to cleanse them. The power of the Spirit is ready to renew them. But a great barrier interposes--they will not believe. "You will not come unto me," says Jesus, "that you might have life." (John 5:40.) May we all be on our guard against this accursed sin. It is the old root-sin, which caused the fall of man. Cut down in the true child of God by the power of the Spirit, it is ever ready to bud and sprout again. There are three great enemies against which God's children should daily pray--pride, worldliness, and unbelief. Of these three, none is greater than unbelief."
Will you guys please take some time to consider carefully and then comment on the accuracy of JC Ryle's quote below? The way he speaks of belief as being the condition for salvation makes me uncomfortable and "smells like Amyraldianism/Arminianism" to me. I acknowledge there is a common way in which Calvinists speak of "conditional faith" but Ryle's words seem to cross the line into "losing saving faith" (especially the last sentence). Please consider the following questions:
- Is it true that “There is nothing beside [unbelief] that prevents their salvation”?
- Is it true that “The Father's love is ready to receive them. The blood of Christ is ready to cleanse them. The power of the Spirit is ready to renew them. But a great barrier interposes--they will not believe.”
- Is Jesus’ saying "You will not come unto me… that you might have life." (John 5:40) the same as saying “God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are ready to receive, cleanse and renew you but only your unbelief prevents this?”
- Is it true “May we all be on our guard against this accursed sin. It is the old root-sin, which caused the fall of man. Cut down in the true child of God by the power of the Spirit, it is ever ready to bud and sprout again.”