This sermon by J.C. Ryle was preached in 1884; if things were deteriorating then, what would Mr. Ryle think of our present world? May the Lord bless you as you read….
Signs of the Times
By J. C. Ryle, October 21, 1884
Enormous luxury, extravagance, self-indulgence, mammon-worship, and an idolatry of fashion and amusements, are sorrowful marks of our times.
With all our outward show of religion, is there any proportionate increase of internal reality? With all this immense growth of external Christianity, is there any corresponding growth of vital godliness? Is there more faith, repentance, and holiness among the worshipers in our churches? Is there more of that saving faith without which it is impossible to please God, more of that repentance unto salvation without which a man must perish, and more of that holiness without which no man shall see the Lord? Is our Lord Jesus Christ more known and trusted and loved and obeyed? Is the inward work of the Holy Spirit more realized and experienced among our people? Are the grand verities of justification, conversion, sanctification, more thoroughly grasped and rightly esteemed by our congregations? Is there more private Bible reading, private prayer, private self-denial, private mortification of the flesh, private exhibition of meekness, gentleness, and unselfishness? In a word, is there more private religion at home in all the relations of life? These are very serious questions, and I wish they could receive very satisfactory answers. I sometimes fear that there is an enormous amount of hollowness and unreality in much of the Church religion of the present day, and that, if weighed in God’s balances, it would be found terribly wanting.
For after all, we must remember that it is written, ‘Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’ The great Head of the Church has said, ‘This people draws near to me with their mouth, and honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.’ He has also said, ‘The true worshipers shall worship in spirit and in truth, for the Father seeks such to worship Him.’ If there is one thing more clearly taught than another in the Word of God, it is the utter uselessness of formal outward worship, however beautifully conducted, when the hearts of the worshipers are not right in the sight of God. I suspect that the Temple worship in the days when our Lord Jesus Christ was upon earth was as perfectly and beautifully performed as possible. I have little doubt that the music, the singing, the prayers, the dress of the priests, the gestures, the postures, the regularity and punctuality of the ceremonial observances, the keeping of the feasts and fasts, were all perfection itself, and there was nothing faulty or defective. But where was true saving religion in those days? What was the inward godliness of men like Annas and Caiaphas and their companions? What was the general standard of living among the fierce zealots of the law of Moses who crucified the Lord of Glory? You all know as well as I do. There is only one answer. The whole Jewish Church, with all its magnificent ritual, was nothing but a great whited sepulcher, beautiful without, but utterly rotten and corrupt within. In short, the Jewish Church was intended by God to be a beacon to all Christendom, and I am certain that these are days in which its lessons ought not to be forgotten.
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How many times have we been guilty of saying, “Those were the days…”? “Forgetting those things which are behind and pressing toward those things which are ahead…” should be on our lips instead.
Solomon said that there is nothing new under the sun, what we have today, they had yesterday and what we have today will be tomorrow’s new thing. This is why I am shocked when so-called Christians say, “because of the changing times, we have to revamp the Gospel to meet the needs of the youth/baby boomers, elders, children, etc.” If nothing changes, and God doesn’t change then why do we have to change the Gospel? Never made sense to me. Anyway I know my comment is so far off topic it belong in last year somewhere, it just struck me as funny how we still have the same old troubles, trials, temptations and that old nasty sin-sickness that is taking its toll on the world and on the church as well. This is a post I wrote on this very subject you might find it of interest. http://revivalandreformation.wordpress.com/2009/12
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Good article and very convenient for today don’t you think?
We tend to put first century Christians on a pedastal, even though we read,
Demas has forsaken me…2 Tim 4v10
… all those in Asia have turned away from me… 2 Tim 1v15
Not to mention, Ananias and Sapphira, Simon the sorcerer etc.
The contrast is, that they were the minority, whereas today, they would be the majority.
There is nothing new under the sun.
Nothing.
How quickly the leaven found its way in the church. Imagine the problems that Paul, Peter and the rest of the leaders had to deal with, and if it was THAT bad then, can you imagine what they would think of us today? How far HAVE we veered off course? We probably will find this out once we get to heaven. You would think with the Copelands, Hagins, Roberts, etc., talking to angels, Jesus and the Old Testament prophets, they would have this faith of ours down pat. But they are just the ones who have caused so much of the damage to the church. Ananias and Sappira, Judas and the rest of those who have dome damage to the church would have been proud at what they see in the church today. Truly Christ’s church has become a den of robbers…
Peter was very good at ferreting out Satan, and he spoke harshly to Satan’s secret agents when they were exposed. When he exposed Ananias, Peter asked him, “Why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost?” (Acts 5:3)
He told Simon: “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness, and in the bond of iniquity.” Acts 8:22-23
It is possible that Ananias and Sapphira would have destroyed the church in Jerusalem, and likewise Simon could have destroyed the church in Samaria. It may be that Peter was so good at spotting Satan’s infiltration tactics because of his past experience with Satan trying to infiltrate the disciples through Peter himself.
“But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”
Matthew 16:23
“And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. ” Luke 22:31-32
Hi Richard,
As to what should be done with these leaders who are leading the dull of understanding astray? Let’s look at the Bible. KICK THEM OUT FROM AMONGST US AND TURN THEM OVER TO SATAN…Self explanatory and quite effective. these people need to be isolated and shunned until one of two things happens: They either come to their senses, or they self-destruct. Too much effort and time is wasted trying to argue and debate with these people. We can talk until the cows milk themselves, but we will never get through to them because two things are happening here that I can see in the Bible: God has sent a strong delusion and He has given them over to their own lusts and desires. How can we fight what God has ordained? Kick them out, turn them off and have nothing to do with them. Don’t allow them to teach in your churches, don’t carry their materials, shun them completely and thoroughly and maybe, just maybe we might make an example out them for others to fear.
Wherever man acts selfishly deceitfully, it is always to the harm of the body. Whether it be the Copelands convincing those poor deceived souls that they need a new jet, or someone in the Bible investing great efforts into stealing from God, it makes no difference. the body functions properly when all members are on the same page. When one member starts acting independantly, that’s when trouble starts. Imagine if your left foot started to think for itself…?
No doubt it’s gotten worse, no doubt it’ll get evern worse than this with all power and signs and lying wonders, with all deceivableness of unrighteousness.
Have you ever wondered why they don’t preach the word and use it in their services? Because there is truth in it and it would shed light on them.So they have to change it to fit their greed, and those who are promised health and wealth are the same in that they have believed a lie and seek after worldly things and perish. This is why paul can say about them; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
Yes pitty is all we can give them though they say we have need of nothing, but give us more.
But remember what Paul has told Timothy;2Ti 2:23 But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do engender strifes.
2Ti 2:24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,
2Ti 2:25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;
2Ti 2:26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.
Thank God for his light through his Spirit that gives us our sight, because without it there would no doubt be any in us.