Knots Untied - Ryle - XVIII - Chapter 18

Required reading
Knots Untied by JC Ryle (Available from Amazon or free here) - Read Chapter 18 (Apostolic fears).

My summary
Today Ryle gives us an exposition of 2 Corinthians 11:3: 'I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve by his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Chirst.'

Firstly we see there is a spiritual disease to which we are all liable and which we ought to fear: the corruption of our minds.  Ryle then teaches us that false doctrine has corrupted many throughout all history from the primitive church to today.

Secondly we see there is an example which we ought to remember as a beacon: 'The serpent beguiled Eve by his subtlety'.

Thirdly there is a point about which we ought to be on our guard: corruption from the simplicity that is in Christ.  Therefore never forget that there is:
(i) no way of peace but the simple way marked out by Christ;
(ii) no other priest who can be in any way a Mediator between yourself and God but Jesus Christ;
(iii) no sacrifice for sin except the one sacrifice of Christ upon the cross;
(iv) no other rule of faith and judge of controversies but that simple one to which Christ always referred, the written word of God;
(v) no other means of grace in the church which have any binding authority, excepting those well-known and simple ones which Christ and the apostles have sanctioned;
(vi) no sound teaching about the sacraments which gives them a power of which Christ says nothing;
(vii) no teaching about the Holy Ghost that is safe which cannot be reconciled with the simple teaching of Christ;
(viii) no teaching that can be thoroughly sound in which truth is not set forth in the proportion of Christ and the apostles.

What grabbed me
I liked the reminder of the subtlety of Satan: 'Now this "subtilty," St. Paul tells us, is precisely what we have to fear in false doctrine. We are not to expect it to approach our minds in the garment of error, but in the form of truth. Bad coin would never obtain currency if it had not some likeness to good. The wolf would seldom get into the fold if he did not enter it in sheep's clothing. Popery and infidelity would do little harm if they went about the world under their true names. Satan is far too wise a general to manage a campaign in such a fashion as this. He employs fine words and high-sounding phrases, such as "Catholicity, Apostolicity, Unity, Church order, sound Church views, free thought, broad sense, kindly judgment, liberal interpretation of Scripture," and the like, and thus effects a lodgment in unwary minds. And this is precisely the "subtilty" which St. Paul refers to in the text. We need not doubt that he had read his Master's solemn words in the Sermon on the Mount : "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves." (Matt. vii. 15.)'

Heresies don't come with Satan's name attached, the liar puts a good name on his falsities.  So beware.

Next week's reading
Read Chapter 19 (Idolatry).

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