J.C. Ryle: To be Ignorant of Christ is to be Without Christ

The American culture today has become one of tolerance and safety in that one cannot be critical or judge another for fear of receiving a "scarlet letter."  It is no different within the walls of the churches.  The misuse of Matthew 7:1 is rampant throughout so called "church circles."  It has even come to the point where once respected ministers of the Word have removed the narrow road of the gospel message and replaced it with a universalism that will mislead souls and tickle ears.  How is the true church of God to combat such falsehood?  J.C. Ryle (1816-1900) dealt with this same issue in his home country of England.  See his words below.

"You were without Christ" (Ephesians 2:12).

"Let us consider when it can be said of a man that he is 'without Christ' . . . A man is 'without Christ' when he has no head-knowledge of Him.  Millions, no doubt, are in this condition.  They neither know who Christ is, nor what He has done, nor what He taught, nor why He was crucified, nor where He is now, nor what He is to mankind.  In short, they are entirely ignorant of Him.  The heathen, of course, who never yet heard the gospel, come first under this description.  But unhappily they do not stand alone.  There are thousands of people living in England at this very day, who have hardly any clearer ideas about Christ than the very heathen.  Ask them what they know about Jesus Christ, and you will be astounded at the gross darkness which covers their minds.  Visit them on their deathbeds, and you will find that they can tell you no more about Christ than about Mohammad.  Thousands are in this state in country parishes, and thousands in towns.  And about all such people but one account can be given.  They are 'without Christ.'

"I am aware that some modern divines do not take the view which I have just stated.  They tell us that all mankind have a part and interest in Christ, whether they know Him or not.  They say that all men and women, however ignorant while they live, shall be taken by Christ's mercy to heaven when they die!  Such views, I firmly believe, cannot be reconciled with God's Word.  It is written 'this is life eternal, that they might know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent' (John 17:3).  It is one of the marks of the wicked, on whom God shall take vengeance at the last day, that they 'know not God' (2 Thess. 1:8).  An unknown Christ is no Savior.  What shall be the state of the heathen after death; how the savage who never heard the gospel shall be judged; in what manner God will deal with the helplessly ignorant and uneducated - all these are questions which we may safely let alone.  We may rest assured that 'the judge of all the earth will do right' (Gen. 18:25).  But we must not fly in the face of Scripture.  If Bible words means anything, to be ignorant of Christ is to be 'without Christ'"  (Holiness, J.C. Ryle).