Practical Religion - Ryle - III - Chapter 3

Required reading
Practical Religion by JC Ryle (available from Amazon or free on the internet, here for example) - Read Chapter 3 (Reality).

My summary
Today we read a short chapter on 'real' religion: 'What do I mean when I use the word "real." I mean that which is genuine, and sincere, and honest, and thorough.  I mean that which is not base, and hollow, and formal, and false, and counterfeit, and sham, and nominal".'

Firstly Ryle explains the importance of reality in religion by showing that there is unreal religion.  There is unreal repentance, faith, holiness, love and charity, humility, praying, worship and talking about religion.

Secondly Ryle gives us some tests by which we may try the reality of our religion.  Try your religion by examining:
(i) the place which religion occupies in your inner man (your heart);
(ii) the feelings toward sin which your religion produces;
(iii) the feelings toward Christ which your religion produces;
(iv) the fruit your religion bears in your heart and life;
(v) the feelings and habits about means of grace (church, Bible reading and prayer) your religion produces.

What grabbed me
Ryle certainly got nicely wound up at the end of the chapter and encouraged us to persist in having real religion: 'You may often find few with you, and many against you. You may often hear cruel things said of you. You may often be told that you go too far, and that you are extreme. Don't listen to it. Turn a deaf ear to remarks of this kind. Press on.

If there is anything which a man ought to do thoroughly, authentically, truly, honestly, and with all of his heart, it is the business of his soul. If there is any work which he ought never to slight, and do in a careless fashion, it is the great work of "working out his own salvation" (Philippians 2:12). Believer in Christ, remember this! Whatever you do in religion, do it well. Be authentic. Be thorough. Be honest. Be true.

If there is anything in the world of which a man need not be ashamed, it is the service to Jesus Christ. Of sin, of worldliness, of flippancy, of frivolousness, of time-wasting, of pleasure-seeking, of bad temper, of pride, of making an idol of money, clothes, hunting, sports, card-playing, novel-reading, and the like--of all this a man should be ashamed. Living after this fashion he makes the angels sorrow, and the devils rejoice. But of living for his soul--caring for his soul--thinking of his soul--providing for his soul--making his soul's salvation the principal and chief thing in his daily life--of all this a man has no cause to be ashamed at all. Believer in Christ, remember this! Remember it in your Bible-reading, and your private praying. Remember it on Sundays. Remember it in your worship of God. In all these things never be ashamed of being wholehearted, authentic, thorough, and true.'

Care for your soul and be not ashamed of it, particularly when people criticise you for being extreme.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 4 (Prayer).

Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.