Knots Untied - Ryle - II - Chapter 2

Required reading
Knots Untied by JC Ryle (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 2 (Only one way of salvation).

My summary
Ryle gets right to the point today in fearlessly declaring that there is only one way of salvation.

Firstly he explains what it means that there is no salvation except through Jesus Christ.

Secondly Ryle gives reasons why this is the case:
(i) man is sinful;
(ii) God is glorious;
(iii) the Bible is the only rule of faith.

Thirdly Ryle teaches us the consequences that flow from the truth that there is only one way of salvation:
(i) religion without Christ is utterly useless;
(ii) religion without Christ in the first place is foolish;
(iii) adding anything to Christ for salvation is a great error;
(iv) earnestness and sincerity never saved anyone.

Fourthly, Ryle gives us four ways that this truth should be applied:
(i) we should have an interest in that salvation for ourselves;
(ii) we should have an interest in that salvation for others;
(iii) we should accept all those who love Jesus as their Saviour, regardless of denomination;
(iv) we should not be surprised when ministers make much of Jesus.

What grabbed me
I always love how Ryle finishes his chapters with sturdy points of application. 

I particularly enjoyed how he made clear that we should witness to others: 'Let us look round the circle of our own relatives and friends, count them up one by one, and think how many of them are not yet in Christ.  Let us try to do good to them in some way or other, and act as a man should act who believes his friends to be in danger.  Let us not be content with their being kind and amiable, gentle and good-tempered, moral and courteous.  Let us rather be miserable about them till they come to Christ, and trust in Him.  I know all this may sound like enthusiasm and fanaticism.  I wish there more of it in the world.  Anything, I am sure, is better than a quiet indifference about the souls of others, as if everybody was in the way to heaven.  Nothing, to my mind, so proves our little faith, as our little feeling about the spiritual condition of those around us.'

Do you want to know if your faith is little?  If your concern for the salvation of others is little, so is your faith.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 3 (Private judgment).

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