Saturday, June 25, 2011

Practical Religion: J. C. Ryle on the Christian Life


Chapter 7: Love

Love is rightly called "the Queen of Christian graces." "The goal of this command," says Paul, "is love" (1 Timothy 1:5). It is a grace which all people profess to admire. It seems a plain practical thing which everybody can understand. It is none of "those troublesome doctrinal points" about which Christians disagree. Thousands, I suspect, would not be ashamed to tell you that they know nothing about justification, or regeneration, or about the work of Christ, or of the Holy Spirit. But nobody, I believe, would like to say that he knows nothing about love! If men possess nothing else in religion, they always flatter themselves that they possess "love."

A few plain thoughts about love will be very useful. There are false notions about love which need to be dispelled. There are mistakes about it which require to be rectified. In my admiration of love I yield to none. But I am bold to say that in many minds the whole subject seems completely misunderstood.

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