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Passion & Purity or Politically Correct?

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By Grace

Member
The True Church
By Bishop J. C. Ryle
(1816-1900) Liverpool, England

I want you to belong to the one true Church: to the Church outside of which there is no salvation. I do not ask where you go on a Sunday; I only ask, "Do you belong to the one true Church?" Where is this one true Church? What is this one true Church like? What are the marks by which this one true Church may be known? You may well ask such questions. Give me your attention, and I will provide you with some answers.

1. The one true Church IS COMPOSED OF ALL BELIEVERS IN THE LORD JESUS. It is made up of all God's elect — of all converted men and women — of all true Christians. In whomsoever we can discern the election of God the Father, the sprinkling of the blood of God the Son, the sanctifying work of God the Spirit, in that person we see a member of Christ's true Church.

2. It is a Church OF WHICH ALL THE MEMBERS HAVE THE SAME MARKS. They are all born again of the Spirit; they all possess "repentance towards God, faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ," and holiness of life and conversation. They all hate sin, and they all love Christ. (They worship differently, and after various fashions; some worship with a form of prayer, and some with none; some worship kneeling, and some standing; but they all worship with one heart.) They are all led by one Spirit; they all build upon one foundation; they all draw their religion from one single book — that is the Bible. They are all joined to one great center — that is Jesus Christ. They all even now can say with one heart, "Hallelujah;" and they can all respond with one heart and voice, Amen and Amen.

3. It is a Church WHICH IS DEPENDENT UPON NO MINISTERS UPON EARTH, however much it values those who preach the gospel to its members. The life of its members does not hang upon Church-membership, or baptism, or the Lord's Supper — although they highly value these things when they are to be had. But it has only one Great Head — one Shepherd, one chief Bishop — and that is Jesus Christ. He alone, By His Spirit, admits the members of this Church, though ministers may show the door. Till He opens the door no man on earth can open it — neither bishops, nor presbyters, nor convocations, nor synods. Once let a man repent and believe the gospel, and that moment he becomes a member of this Church. Like the penitent thief, he may have no opportunity of being baptized; but he has that which is far better than any water-baptism — the baptism of the Spirit. He may not be able to receive the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper;but he eats Christ's body and drinks Christ's blood by faith every day he lives, and no minister on earth can prevent him. He may be ex-communicated by ordained men, and cut off from the outward ordinances of the professing Church; but all the ordained men in the world cannot shut him out of the true Church. It is a Church whose existence does not depend on forms, ceremonies, cathedrals, churches, chapels, pulpits, fonts, vestments, organs, endowments, money, kings, governments, magistrates or any act of favor whatsoever from the hand of man. It has often lived on and continued when all these things have been taken from it. It has often been driven into the wilderness, or into dens and caves of the earth, by those who ought to have been its friends. Its existence depends on nothing but the presence of Christ and His Spirit; and they being ever with it, the Church cannot die.

4. This is the Church TO WHICH THE SCRIPTURAL TITLES OF PRESENT HONOR AND PRIVILEGE, AND THE PROMISES OF FUTURE GLORY ESPECIALLY BELONG; this is the Body of Christ; this is the flock of Christ; this is the household of faith and the family of God; this is God's building, God's foundation, and the temple of the Holy Ghost. This is the Church of the first-born, whose names are written in heaven; this is the royal priesthood, the chosen generation, the peculiar people, the purchased possession, the habitation of God, the light of the world, the salt and the wheat of the earth; this is the "Holy Catholic Church" of the Apostles' Creed; this is the "One Catholic and Apostolic Church" of the Nicene Creed; this is that Church to which the Lord Jesus promises "the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," and to which He says, "I am with you always, even unto the end of the world"(Matt.16:18; 28:2).

5. This is the only Church WHICH POSSESSES TRUE UNITY. Its members are entirely agreed on all the weightier matters of religion, for they are all taught by one Spirit. About God, and Christ, and the Spirit, and sin, and their own hearts, and faith, and repentance, and necessity of holiness, and the value of the Bible, and the importance of prayer, and the resurrection, and judgment to come — about all these points they are of one mind. Take three or four of them, strangers to one another, from the remotest corners of the earth; examine them separately on these points: you will find them all one judgment.

6. This is the only Church WHICH POSSESSES TRUE SANCTITY. Its members are all holy. They are not merely holy by profession, holy in name, and holy in the judgment of charity; they are all holy in act, and deed, and reality, and life, and truth. They are all more or less conformed to the image of Jesus Christ. No unholy man belongs to this Church.

7. This is the only Church WHICH IS TRULY CATHOLIC. It is not the Church of any one nation or people; its members are to be found in every part of the world where the gospel is received and believed. It is not confined within the limits of any one country, or pent up within the pale of any particular forms of outward government. In it there is no difference between Jew and Greek, black man and white, Episcopalian and Presbyterian - but faith in Christ is all. Its members will be gathered from north, and south, and east, and west, and will be of every name and tongue — but all one in Jesus Christ.

8. This is the only Church WHICH IS TRULY APOSTOLIC. It is built on the foundation laid by the Apostles, and holds the doctrines which they preached. The two grand objects at which its members aim are apostolic faith and apostolic practice; and they consider the man who talks of following the Apostles without possessing these two things to be no better than sounding brass and tinkling cymbal.

9. This is the only Church WHICH IS CERTAIN TO ENDURE UNTO THE END. Nothing can altogether overthrow and destroy it. Its members may be persecuted, oppressed, imprisoned, beaten, beheaded, burned; but the true Chruch is never altogether extinguished; it rises again from its afflictions; it lives on through fire and water. When crushed in one land it springs up in another. The Pharaohs, the Herods, the Neros, the Bloody Marys, have labored in vain to put down this Church; they slay their thousands, and then pass away and go to their own place. The true Church outlives them all, and sees them buried each in his turn. It is an anvil that has broken many a hammer in this world, and will break many a hammer still; it is a bush which is often burning, and yet it's not consumed.

10. This is the only Church OF WHICH NO ONE MEMBER CAN PERISH. Once enrolled in the lists of this Church, sinners are safe for eternity; they are never cast away. The election of God the Father, the continual intercession of God the Son, the daily renewing and sanctifying power of God the Holy Ghost, surround and fence them in like a garden enclosed. Not one bone of Christ's mystical Body shall ever be broken; not one lamb of Christ's flock shall ever be plucked out of His hand.

11. This is the Church WHICH DOES THE WORK OF CHRIST UPON EARTH. Its members are a little flock, and few in numbers, compared with the children of the world; one or two here, and two or three there — a few in this place and few in that. But these are they who shake the universe; these are they who change the fortunes of kingdoms by their prayers; these are they who are the active workers for spreading the knowledge of pure religion and undefiled; these are the life-blood of a country, the shield, the defence, the stay, and the support of any nation to which they belong.

12. This is the Church WHICH SHALL BE TRULY GLORIOUS AT THE END. When all earthly glory is passsed away then shall this Church be presented without spot before God the Father's throne. Thrones, principalities, and powers upon earth shall come to nothing; dignities, and offices, and endowments shall all pass away; but the Church of the first-born shall shine as the stars at the last, and be presented with joy before the Father's throne, in the day of Christ's appearing. When the Lord's jewels are made up, and manifestation of the sons of God takes place, Episcopacy, and Presbyterianism, and Congregationalism will not be mentioned; one Church only will be named, and that is the Church of the elect.

13. Reader, THIS IS THE TRUE CHURCH TO WHICH A MAN MUST BELONG, IF HE WOULD BE SAVED. Till you belong to this, you are nothing better than a lost soul. You may have the form, the husk, the skin, and the shell of religion, but you have not got the substance and the life. Yes, you may have countless outward privileges; you may enjoy great light, and knowledge — but if you do not belong to the Body of Christ, your light and knowledge and privileges will not save your soul. Alas, for the ignorance that prevails on this point! Men fancy if they join this church or that church, and become communicants, and go through certain forms, that all must be right in their souls. It is an utter delusion, it is a gross mistake. All were not Israel who were called Israel, and all are not members of Christ's Body who profess themselves Christian. TAKE NOTICE; you may be a staunch Episcopalian, or Presbyterian, or Independent, or Baptist, or Wesleyan, or Plymouth Brother — and yet not belong to the true Church. And if you do not, it will be better at last if you had never been born.

J.C. Ryle
 
PART 2 APPLICATIOIN
==================================================
It seems to me that too many who call themselves Christians are more worried about offending other people than they are about offending Jesus Christ, the Savior.

Things like propositional truth and correct doctrine are so much watered down among those persons so that whenever one says to another "repent or perish" there is a gasp of shock because it is considered intemperate or uncouth.

Nevertheless, Scripture is abundantly clear:
Ezekiel 18:23
Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked, declares the Lord GOD, and not rather that he should turn from his way and live? (ESV)

Evangelists know that people cannot hear the Good News of the Gospel until they hear the bad news first: "You are a sinner, repent or die. " This has been the message of all the major evangelists from Jonathan Edwards and George Whitfield on to Billy Graham and beyond.

Think it over. Whatever you decide is not of minor consequence:
Joshua 24:15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” (NIV)
 
I think this concern about "political correctness" is a lil bit out of proportion to what's going on, honestly. Some churches have been secularized, which is sad, but many remain true to the core beliefs and traditional Christian morality. I don't think church has to be pain and punishment to qualify as genuinely Christian.
 
I think this concern about "political correctness" is a lil bit out of proportion to what's going on, honestly. Some churches have been secularized, which is sad, but many remain true to the core beliefs and traditional Christian morality. I don't think church has to be pain and punishment to qualify as genuinely Christian.

Most if not all know the reason Charles Spurgeon left the Baptist Union do you?
 
Most if not all know the reason Charles Spurgeon left the Baptist Union do you?
Hi Brother turnorburn, to the best I can tell through search Spurgeon detested the ecumenicalism introduced by the Baptist Union of Great Britain. In this I have to wonder at his motive since he had already secularized himself as Baptist which flies in the face of the following scriptures.

1 Cor 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1 Cor 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? (One claims today to be Baptist, another Catholic, or Methodist, etc.)
1 Cor 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

If I’m reading the article on this thread authored by By Grace correctly, it is that we all that are born of God are of one body of Christ regardless the carnal organizations men in their tendency to join religions separate themselves in.
 
Maybe the two of them thought alike..Spurgeon had this to say about Ryle..

Charles Spurgeon, another of the great Victorian evangelicals described Ryle as "the best man in the Church of England."
 
Hi Brother turnorburn, to the best I can tell through search Spurgeon detested the ecumenicalism introduced by the Baptist Union of Great Britain. In this I have to wonder at his motive since he had already secularized himself as Baptist which flies in the face of the following scriptures.

1 Cor 3:3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
1 Cor 3:4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? (One claims today to be Baptist, another Catholic, or Methodist, etc.)
1 Cor 3:6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.

If I’m reading the article on this thread authored by By Grace correctly, it is that we all that are born of God are of one body of Christ regardless the carnal organizations men in their tendency to join religions separate themselves in.

With all due respect, I do not you read it correctly, Eugene

1. The one true Church IS COMPOSED OF ALL BELIEVERS IN THE LORD JESUS. It is made up of all God's elect — of all converted men and women — of all true Christians. In whomsoever we can discern the election of God the Father, the sprinkling of the blood of God the Son, the sanctifying work of God the Spirit, in that person we see a member of Christ's true Church.

2. It is a Church OF WHICH ALL THE MEMBERS HAVE THE SAME MARKS. They are all born again of the Spirit; they all possess "repentance towards God, faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ," and holiness of life and conversation. They all hate sin, and they all love Christ. (They worship differently, and after various fashions; some worship with a form of prayer, and some with none; some worship kneeling, and some standing; but they all worship with one heart.) They are all led by one Spirit; they all build upon one foundation; they all draw their religion from one single book — that is the Bible. They are all joined to one great center — that is Jesus Christ. They all even now can say with one heart, "Hallelujah;" and they can all respond with one heart and voice, Amen and Amen.

5. This is the only Church WHICH POSSESSES TRUE UNITY. Its members are entirely agreed on all the weightier matters of religion, for they are all taught by one Spirit. About God, and Christ, and the Spirit, and sin, and their own hearts, and faith, and repentance, and necessity of holiness, and the value of the Bible, and the importance of prayer, and the resurrection, and judgment to come — about all these points they are of one mind. Take three or four of them, strangers to one another, from the remotest corners of the earth; examine them separately on these points: you will find them all one judgment.

7. This is the only Church WHICH IS TRULY CATHOLIC. It is not the Church of any one nation or people; its members are to be found in every part of the world where the gospel is received and believed. It is not confined within the limits of any one country, or pent up within the pale of any particular forms of outward government. In it there is no difference between Jew and Greek, black man and white, Episcopalian and Presbyterian - but faith in Christ is all. Its members will be gathered from north, and south, and east, and west, and will be of every name and tongue — but all one in Jesus Christ.

The Bishop is surely NOT Ecumenical--as it has come to be understood, meaning that if you attend a church, you are a Christian. Instead, he is looking at several distinguishing marks of a Christian, one is the common core of proper theology instead of the outward manifestations of superficial differences which cause division.

Instead if stating as some do, "Doctrine divides", he is saying the opposite, "PROPER doctrine unites"​
 
I think this concern about "political correctness" is a lil bit out of proportion to what's going on, honestly. Some churches have been secularized, which is sad, but many remain true to the core beliefs and traditional Christian morality. I don't think church has to be pain and punishment to qualify as genuinely Christian.
Of course, you are welcome to your opinion, but in my opinion, it is not out of proportion.

Without naming names, there are churches who are openly tolerant towards those who are openly flaunting the Law of God.
There are churches who are calling the murder of unborn children, a "choice".
There are other things that are indicators of "political correctness" but those two things are sufficient to make my point.

8. This is the only Church WHICH IS TRULY APOSTOLIC. It is built on the foundation laid by the Apostles, and holds the doctrines which they preached. The two grand objects at which its members aim are apostolic faith and apostolic practice; and they consider the man who talks of following the Apostles without possessing these two things to be no better than sounding brass and tinkling cymbal.

Since these modern, relativistic practices cannot be found being supported by any of the teachings of the Apostles, nor in any portion of the Bible, these are the churches who have truly turned their collective backs on their First Love, and sought the praise of sinful men and women instead of wanting to hear Jesus to say to them, "Well done, faithful and true servant".
 
To quote the good Bishop:
The two grand objects at which its members aim are apostolic faith and apostolic practice;
Since abortion is the killing of an unborn soul, it is murder.
Since homosexuality is having sex outside of marriage, it is sin just as is adultery or engaging the services of a "sex worker"

1 Peter 1:16
English Standard Version
since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”

Leviticus 11:44
English Standard Version
For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy. You shall not defile yourselves with any swarming thing that crawls on the ground.
 
I'm sorry, but a list like that makes it sound like a set of doctrines to kick christisns out of the church instead of either 1) welcome new members of faith, young menbers in faith, and reach out to those who aren't christian, or 2) used to correct christians and make them better in their following God.

If we're not doing one of those two things when we say anything about the real church, or about real christians, then I think there's reason to double check what's being said. A red flag if you will.
 
Since abortion is the killing of an unborn soul, it is murder.

Here is murder at what most would consider a much lower threshold of violence/vileness.

1 John 3:15
Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer
: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
Since homosexuality is having sex outside of marriage, it is sin just as is adultery or engaging the services of a "sex worker"

Easy to pot shot the obvious stuff. Again, the threshold that Jesus established is much harsher:

Matthew 5:
28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

What invariably happens with "church folk" is they mitigate, excuse, dismiss and double deal with their sins compared to the sins of others.

Romans 3:9 tells us we're not better than any other sinner. So does Luke 18:11. So does 1 Tim. 1:15.

I might suspect honesty plays a significant role in "holiness."
 
I'm sorry, but a list like that makes it sound like a set of doctrines to kick christisns out of the church instead of either 1) welcome new members of faith, young menbers in faith, and reach out to those who aren't christian, or 2) used to correct christians and make them better in their following God.

If we're not doing one of those two things when we say anything about the real church, or about real christians, then I think there's reason to double check what's being said. A red flag if you will.
You are adding something to the OP that was never said, nor intended.
Too often people misunderstand that solid doctrine unites true believers, and it also delineates the differences between "Thus saith the Lord" and "well, i think that is not correct..."

Taken to its logical extremes your statement "doctrines to kick christisns (sic) out of the church " could make being born again optional. I am not saying that is your intent, but we both know that Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You must be born again" in John 3.

The statement of the Bishop is designed to measure the teaching of a church, (which is the subject of the OP) not to measure the belief of the adherents in the church (which you interject into the discussion). Of course there will be old saints, new saints and not-yet saints in every dynamic church, and it is the job of the church to disciple all until they come to the full knowledge of Jesus Christ, wholly believe in Him, and then grow in him. So that is where your objection misses the mark: It does not apply as you believe that it would.

Here is a parallel situation. You never can tell if you raised your son correctly until you see him with your grandchildren. Just as every arrogant 17 years old is unfit to nurture a child, so also is every new Christian and/or adherent in a church fit to pastor and teach a church to maturity. It takes time. However, the standards of mom and dad do not change during those formative years. they are applied as necessary, and they are relaxed as necessary.

Through the usage of proper doctrine, the church does likewise.
 
You are adding something to the OP that was never said, nor intended.
Too often people misunderstand that solid doctrine unites true believers, and it also delineates the differences between "Thus saith the Lord" and "well, i think that is not correct..."

Taken to its logical extremes your statement "doctrines to kick christisns (sic) out of the church " could make being born again optional. I am not saying that is your intent, but we both know that Jesus said to Nicodemus, "You must be born again" in John 3.

The statement of the Bishop is designed to measure the teaching of a church, (which is the subject of the OP) not to measure the belief of the adherents in the church (which you interject into the discussion). Of course there will be old saints, new saints and not-yet saints in every dynamic church, and it is the job of the church to disciple all until they come to the full knowledge of Jesus Christ, wholly believe in Him, and then grow in him. So that is where your objection misses the mark: It does not apply as you believe that it would.

Here is a parallel situation. You never can tell if you raised your son correctly until you see him with your grandchildren. Just as every arrogant 17 years old is unfit to nurture a child, so also is every new Christian and/or adherent in a church fit to pastor and teach a church to maturity. It takes time. However, the standards of mom and dad do not change during those formative years. they are applied as necessary, and they are relaxed as necessary.

Through the usage of proper doctrine, the church does likewise.

I see. I'm not use to the idea that a church is bigger then the people in it, so I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. Hopefully I'll learn something from this discussion.
 
I see. I'm not use to the idea that a church is bigger then the people in it, so I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. Hopefully I'll learn something from this discussion.

AGAIN (sigh) You are adding something to the OP that was never said, nor intended.
The subject of the OP is that a church needs to be founded on the doctrines taught by Jesus, the writers of the Gospels, and of the Apostles.

This is the keystone of the article. Everything else flows from this thought:
By Grace said:
8. This is the only Church WHICH IS TRULY APOSTOLIC. It is built on the foundation laid by the Apostles, and holds the doctrines which they preached. The two grand objects at which its members aim are apostolic faith and apostolic practice; and they consider the man who talks of following the Apostles without possessing these two things to be no better than sounding brass and tinkling cymbal.

IOW it is not the building that is most important, nor is it the people who attend any particular building called a church. What is important is that the pastors and the teachers of a particular church built on the foundation laid by the Apostles, and holds the doctrines which they preached .

Can you see the difference? Essentially, and unintentionally you are accusing me of taking the Roman view of the church. I am really NOT upset at that because I sense your questions are honest, and not antagonistic. Therefore, I take time to explain calmly and hopefully plainly.

The Bishop is echoing and expanding upon the words of Peter:
2 Peter 2: 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
6 For it stands in Scripture:

“Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone,
a cornerstone chosen and precious,
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

That is a reference to Isaiah 28:16
16 therefore thus says the Lord God,
“Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion,
a stone, a tested stone,
a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation:
‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’

Therefore, the good Bishop is bolstering his position by a dual reference, one to 2 Peter 2:4-6 and the other to Isaiah the Prophet
 
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