J.C. Ryle: Without Christ We Are Without Peace

We are all broken, one way or another.  Every human on earth is attempting to find a way to heal the wound created by the Fall.  Some search in material things, others in relationships, and still others in doing church.  But a few do find true healing and peace.  In the words of J.C. Ryle, "There is only one things that can give peace to the conscience, and that is the blood of Jesus Christ sprinkled on it."  Praise God for His Son, Jesus Christ, and the peace He brings.

"To be 'without Christ' is to be without peace.  Every man has a conscience within him, which must be satisfied before he can be truly happy.  So long as this conscience is asleep or half dead, so long, no doubt, he gets along pretty well.  But as soon as a man's conscience wakes up. and he begins to think of past sins and present failings and future judgment, at once he finds out that he needs something to give him inward rest.  But what can do it?  Repenting and praying and Bible reading, and church going, and sacrament receiving, and self-mortification may be tried, and tried in vain.  They never yet took off the burden from anyone's conscience.  And yet peace must be had!

"There is only one thing that can give peace to the conscience, and that is the blood of Jesus Christ sprinkled on it.  A clear understanding that Christ's death was an actual payment of our debt to God, and that the merit of that death is made over to man when he believes, is the grand secret of inward peace.  It meets every craving of conscience.  It answers every accusation.  It calms every fear.  It is written, 'These things I have spoken unto you, that in Me you might have peace.'  'He is our peace.'  'Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ' (John 16:33; Eph. 2:14; Rom. 5:1).  We have peace through the blood of His cross: peace like a deep mine - peace like an ever-flowing stream.  But 'without Christ' we are without peace."

True Wisdom Brings Peace

“Two shopkeepers were bitter rivals.  Their stores were directly across the street from each other, and they would spend each day keeping track of each other’s business.  If one got a customer, he would smile in triumph at his rival.  One night an angel appeared to one of the shopkeepers in a dream and said, ‘I will give you anything you ask, but whatever you receive, your competitor will receive twice as much.  Would you be rich?  You can be very rich, but he will be twice as wealthy.  Do you wish to live a long and healthy life?  You can, but his life will be longer and healthier.  What is your desire?’  The man frowned, thought for a moment, and then said, ‘Here is my request: Strike me blind in one eye!’”  (Thomas Lindberg)

Jealousy is nothing new to the human race.  Selfish ambition has plagued mankind for generations since that fateful day in the Garden of Eden.  James, the brother of Jesus, takes special care in James 3:13-4:3 to address the problems that were evident in the churches of his time and still afflict the church today.

The opposite of jealousy and selfish ambition is wisdom, but not just any type of wisdom.  What is this wisdom?  How can the true Christian and disciple of Christ live out this wisdom?  What is the root cause of jealousy and selfish ambition?  Where does God’s intervention come into play?

Join us this Sunday as we dig into James’ words of encouragement and conviction.  Prayerfully be prepared for the Holy Spirit’s movement in your own life and in the life of the church as a whole as we look into the Truth of God’s Word.