Ethics Holiness Paper

Holiness Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots. By J. C. Ryle. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, 2007. 418 pages. Reviewed by John Sanders After 125 years, this book still stands in authority and in the position to change lives of countless Christians everywhere. Holiness written by J. C. Ryle is a comprehensive work for all Christians in which the author describes the need for Christians to have a passion, zeal, and on fire mentality for the Lord. Ryle produced this great work in a time when he looked out upon the general public and stated that “there has been of late years a lower standard of personal holiness among believers than there used to be in the days of our fathers.”1 J. C. Ryle wrote the book out of a heart for the condition of holiness in the lives of Christians. He stands in clout and experience in this area of Christian life due to his time spent and knowledge gained as “a vigorous preacher and a passionate evangelist.”2 Ryle in his book Holiness lays out his heart for Christians to not just settle in their Christian life but to excel in holiness. Ryle’s passion for Christians on fire for the Lord cause him to proclaim, “I cannot read the Bible without desiring to see many believers more spiritual, more holy, more single-eyed, more heavenly minded, more wholehearted.”3 This is the focus of his work Holiness.

1

J. C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots, (Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers Inc., 2007), 16. 2

Ibid., Back Book Cover

3

Ibid., 60 1

2 J. C. Ryle accomplished his goal in how he handled the topics that he covered relating to the issue of holiness and how he organized his material and thoughts. J. C. Ryle starts off his book in what seems to be in an elementary manner with his discussion of sin, sanctification, and holiness. While these may seem like topics that are well known by all people, Ryle, in many ways, goes against the common thought to explain what they really mean and how they are necessary for attaining a holy life. To continue on with his structure and substance of his book Holiness, Ryle relates those foundational topics in the beginning throughout the rest of his work in application of how Christians can obtain a holy life. Holiness is defined and described as the act of being set apart or different. In the case for Christians, it is the means of being different from the world and looking like Christ. It is a way of life that Christians should strive for because with a life of holiness one finds eternal happiness and satisfaction. A life set apart is required to become a follower and remain the believer in Jesus Christ that God wants Christians to be. Holiness as described by Ryle is not just a one-time event. But rather it is a standard of living that must be pursued. It is not an object that one can obtain and then it remains forever. Rather holiness must be sought after daily and fervently. Ryle, in his book Holiness, speaks of these things not in a manner of looking down on Christians and judging them. Instead, he gets his authority from scripture and expresses that authority through a humble demeanor. This is an observation of how he has organized his work to argue his point. Ryle realizes that some of the things he mentions are harsh, but he is careful and wants never to deviate from the teaching and meaning of Scripture. Ryle shows his humility when he stats “but I shall do it at the same time with fear and trembling. I feel that I am treading on very difficult ground, and that it is easy to speak rashly and unscripturally in this

3 manner.”4 This is just to quote one instance but numerous times, Ryle shows his humility in the topics he is covering and then following, he executes what he means to say always filtering his words through the Scriptural standard. Another fine technique that Ryle uses is his flow of thought for the topics that he is covering. It can be easily seen that Ryle’s experience as a pastor has influenced his style as he argues his points. Many of the arguments that Ryle makes are structured in the form or sermons which are very easy to read, balanced, and thought provoking. For example, his chapter “The Cost” is divided up into three sections. Ryle says “firstly, I will show what it costs to be a true Christian, secondly, I will explain why it is such great importance to count the cost, and in last place I will give some hints which may help men to count the cost rightly.”5 With each point Ryle progresses from the definition to application which is very practical, efficient, and proves just how much his organization proves his point in his book. While Ryle certainly has deserving praise for his organization and use of Scripture to support his arguments in his work on Holiness, one suggestion could be made in order to improve the ease in which readers may grasp the concepts in his book. More visuals or illustrations would help make his points even more clear. Outside of the quoting of Scripture and correctly explaining the text, Ryle uses questions to engage the thought processes of the reader and to move his readers in the direction that he wills them. Although this is an effective strategy, illustrations could accomplish the same and even more. What does it take to be a Christian? If asked this question one would get answers such as “to pray to Christ” or “if you are baptized before the Lord” or perhaps even “if you attend a church regularly.” While some of these are important 4

Ibid., 128

5

Ibid., 85

4 in the Christian life, Ryle makes it clear that these alone do not automatically create a holy life. While reading Holiness readers may identify in themselves and fellow Christians the pitiful, lazy, nonconventional call to Christian life that most people have rather than the on fire, white hot zeal for God that they should have. In the chapter titled “The Cost,” Ryle asks men if their religion costs them anything. Ryle writes: Very likely it costs you nothing. Very probably it neither cost you trouble, nor time, nor thought, nor care, nor pains, nor reading, nor praying, nor selfdenial, nor conflict, nor working, nor labor of any kind. Now mark what I say. Such a religion as this will never save your soul. It will never give you peace while you live, nor hope while you die. It will not support you in the day of affliction, nor cheer you in the hour of death. A religion which costs nothing is worth nothing.6 Ryle writes a one of a kind book that is beneficial and useful to all Christians in all stages of Christian maturity. There will never come a time when a Christian can become negligent in pursuing devotion to Christ and His cause, devotion to prayer, devotion to worship, finally, devotion to not looking like this world but being different, set apart, holy. This book is likely to be accepted by all Christians who can look at their lives and say “I want to be more like Christ.” This book should be read, understood, dwelt upon, and passed along for others to do the same. This book was easy to read, practical to life, and delight to devote myself to. What a good book written on such a needed topic. Never as a Christian do I ever want to settle for what I have done and what I look like now. I want to continue to grow in holiness and to grow in my Christ likeness and Ryle’s work on holiness helped me in just that.

6

Ibid., 101

1Works Cited Ryle, J. C. Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties, and Roots. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers Inc., 2007

5

HOLINESS

A Critical Book Report Presented to Dr. David Jones in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Ethics

John Sanders Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary October 18, 2008