If I Would Be Happy
The uselessness of religious knowledge if not accompanied by practice.
- We read, "If you know these things, happy are you if you do them."
- It sounds as if our Lord would warn His disciples that they would never be really happy in His service if they were content with a barren head-knowledge of duty, and did not live according to their knowledge.
The lesson is one which deserves the continual remembrance of all professing Christians.
- Nothing is more common than to hear people saying of doctrine or duty--"We know it, we know it;" while they sit still in unbelief or disobedience.
- They actually seem to flatter themselves that there is something creditable and redeeming in knowledge, even when it bears no fruit in heart, character, or life.
- Yet the truth is precisely the other way.
To know what I ought to be, believe, and do, and yet to be unaffected by my knowledge, only adds to my guilt in the sight of God.
- To know that I should be humble and loving, while I continue proud and selfish, will only sink me deeper in the pit,
- unless I awake and repent.
- Practice, in short, is the very life of faith.
- "To him that knows to do good, and does it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:17.)
Of course I must never despise knowledge.
- It is in one sense the beginning of Christianity in the soul.
- So long as I know nothing of sin, or God, or Christ, or grace, or repentance, or faith, or conscience, I am of course nothing better than unbelievers.
- But I must not overrate knowledge.
- It is altogether valueless unless it produces results in my conduct, and influences my life, and moves my will.
- He could say to Jesus, "I know You who You are, the Holy One of God."
- The devils, says James, "believe and tremble." (James 2:19.)
- Satan knows truth, but has no will to obey it, and is miserable.
- He that would be happy in Christ's service must not only know, but do.
Adapted Excerpt From
The Gospel of John
J. C. Ryle
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