Forgiveness 2b

“FORGIVENESS”
written by J.C. Ryle (1816-1900)
edited in modern English by  J.J. Cardwell (1960- ) 

“Because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.”—1 John 2:12

II. Let me point out, in the second place— the way of forgiveness. — Part Two

I know well that the natural heart dislikes this doctrine. It runs counter to man’s notions of religion. It leaves him no room to boast. Man’s idea is to come to Christ with a price in his hand— his regularity— his morality, his repentance— his goodness— and so, as it were, to buy his pardon and justification. The Spirit’s teaching is quite different— it is first of all, to believe. “Whoever believes in him should not perish” (John 3:16).

Some say such doctrine cannot be right, because it makes the way to heaven too easy. I fear that many such people, if the truth were spoken, find it too hard. I believe in reality that it is easier to give a fortune in building a cathedral, or to go to the stake and be burned, than thoroughly to be “justified by faith apart from the works of the law” (Romans 3:28), and to enter heaven as a sinner saved by grace.

Some say this doctrine is foolishness and enthusiasm. I answer that this is just what was said of it 1,800 years ago, and it is as vain a complaint now as it was then. So far from the charge being true, a thousand facts can prove this doctrine to be from God. No doctrine certainly has produced such mighty effects in the world, as the simple proclamation of free forgiveness through faith in Christ. This is the glorious doctrine which was the strength of the Apostles when they went forth to the Gentiles to preach a new religion. They began, a few poor fishermen, in a despised corner of the earth. They turned the world upside down. They changed the face of the Roman Empire. They emptied the heathen temples of their worshipers, and made the whole system of idolatry crumble away; and what was the weapon by which they did it all? It was free forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.

This is the doctrine which brought light into Europe 300 years ago, at the time of the blessed Reformation, and enabled one solitary monk, Martin Luther, to shake the whole Church of Rome. Through his preaching and writing the scales fell from men’s eyes, and the chains of their souls were loosed. What was the lever that gave him his power? It was free forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ.

This is the doctrine that revived our own Church in the middle of last century, when Whitefield, and the Wesley’s, and Berridge, and Venn broke up the wretched “spirit of slumber” which had come over the land, and roused people to think. They began a mighty work, with little seeming likelihood of success. They began, few in number, with small encouragement from the rich and great. But they prospered. And why? They preached free forgiveness through faith in Christ.

This is the doctrine which is the true strength of any Church on earth at this day. It is not education, or endowments, or liturgies, or learning that will keep a Church alive. Let free forgiveness through Christ be faithfully proclaimed in her pulpits, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against her. Let it be buried, or kept back, and her candlestick will soon be taken away. When the Saracens invaded the lands where Jerome, and Athanasius, and Cyprian, and Augustine once wrote and preached, they found bishops and liturgies, I make no question. But I fear they found no preaching of free forgiveness of sins, and so they swept the Churches of those lands clean away. They were a body without a vital principle, and therefore they fell. Let us never forget the brightest days of a Church are those when “Christ crucified” is most exalted. The dens and caves of the earth, where the early Christians met to hear of the love of Jesus, were more full of glory and beauty in God’s sight than ever was Peter’s at Rome. The basest barn at this day, where the true way of pardon is offered to sinners, is a far more honorable place than the Cathedral of Cologne or Milan. A Church is only useful so far as she exalts free forgiveness through Christ.

This is the doctrine which, of all others, is the mightiest engine for pulling down the kingdom of Satan. The Greenlanders were unmoved so long as the Moravians told them of the creation and the fall of man; but when they heard of redeeming love, their frozen hearts melted like snow in spring. Preach salvation by the sacraments, exalt the Church above Christ, and keep back the doctrine of the Atonement, and the devil cares little— his goods are at peace. But preach Christ fully; and a free pardon by faith in Him, and then Satan will have great wrath, for he knows he has but a short time. John Berridge said he went on preaching morality and nothing else, until he found there was not a moral man in his parish. But when he changed his plan, and began to preach the love of Christ to sinners and a free salvation by faith, then there was a stirring of the dry bones, and a mighty turning to God.

This is the only doctrine which will ever bring peace to an uneasy conscience, and rest to a troubled soul. A man may get on pretty well without it so long as he is asleep about his spiritual condition. But once let him awake from his slumber, and nothing will ever calm him but the blood of Atonement, and the peace which comes by faith in Christ. How anyone can undertake to be a minister of religion without a firm grasp of this doctrine, I never can understand. For myself, I can only say, I should think my office a most painful one if I had not the message of free forgiveness to convey. It would be miserable work indeed to visit the sick and dying, if I could not say, “Behold the Lamb of God— believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved.” The right hand of a Christian minister is the doctrine of free forgiveness through faith in Christ. Give us this doctrine, and we have power— we will never despair of doing good to men’s souls. Take away this doctrine and we are weak as water. We may read the prayers and go through a round of forms— but we are like Samson with his hair shorn— our strength is gone. Souls will not be benefitted by us, and good will not be done.

I commend the things I have been saying to the notice of every reader. I am not ashamed of free pardon through faith in Christ, whatever some may say against the doctrine. I am not ashamed of it, for its fruits speak for themselves. It has done things that no other doctrine can do. It has effected moral changes which laws and punishments have failed to work— which magistrates and policemen have labored after in vain— which education and secular knowledge have proved utterly powerless to produce. Just as the fiercest lunatics in the asylum became suddenly gentle when kindly treated, even so the worst and most hardened sinners have often become as little children, when told of Jesus loving them and willing to forgive. I can well understand Paul ending his Epistle to the erring Galatians with that solemn burst of feeling, “But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Galatians 6:14). The crown has indeed fallen from a Christian’s head when he leaves the doctrine of justification by faith.

You should ask yourself whether you have really received the truth which I have been dwelling on, and know it by experience. Jesus, and faith in Him, is the only way to the Father. He who thinks to climb into Paradise by some other road, will find himself fearfully mistaken. Other foundation can no man lay for an immortal soul than that of which I have been feebly speaking. He who ventures himself here is safe. He who is off this rock has got no standing ground at all.

You should seriously consider what kind of a ministry you are in the habit of attending, supposing you have a choice. You have reason indeed to be careful. It is not all the same where you go, whatever people may say. There are many places of worship, I fear, where you might look long for Christ crucified, and never find Him. He is buried under outward ceremonies— thrust behind the baptismal font— lost sight of under the shadow of the Church. “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him” (John 20:13). Take heed where you settle yourself. Try all by this single test, “Is Jesus and free forgiveness proclaimed here?” There may be comfortable pews—there may be good singing— there may be learned sermons. But if Christ’s Gospel is not the sun and center of the whole place, do not pitch your tent there. Say rather with Isaac, “Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?” (Genesis 22:7). Be very sure this is not the place for your soul.

 [“Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright ©2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.”

Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Holy Bible. The King James Version is in the Public Domain.]