Holiness - Chapter 3 "Holiness" Part 1

Last week we read chapter 3, titled "Holiness," in J. C. Ryle's book Holiness. In this chapter, Ryle presents many key, Biblical points on how we are to be holy, and how true holiness will manifest itself. In this post, we'll just tackle the first part of chapter 3, in which Ryle adresses "what true practical holiness is - what sort of persons are those whom God calls holy."

(a) "Holiness is the habit of being of one mind with God, according as we find His mind described in Scripture." In other words, we should hate the things He hates, love that which He loves, and make sure that we measure all things, no matter how great or small, by the infallible standard set in God's Word.

(b) "A holy man will endeavor to shun every known sin, and to keep every commandment." That is not to say that he will always, in every single instance, succeed, but he will struggle, fight, persevere in earnestly trying to do what God says. "He will", Ryle states, "have a decided bent of mind toward God, a hearty desire to do His will - a greater fear of displeasing Him than of displeasing the world, and a love to all his ways." See Psa. 119:128; Rom. 7:22

(c) "A holy man will strive to be like our Lord Jesus Christ." We should love others as He loved us, forgive others as He forgave us, be selfless even as He was selfless, and in all ways try to walk as He did. See 1 Pet. 2:21; 1 John 2:6

(d) "A holy man will follow after meekness, longsuffering, gentleness, patience, kind tempers, government of his tongue. He will bear much, forebear much, overlook much, and be slow to talk of standing on his rights." How many of us will be the first to speak against an infringement of our "rights", instead of showing humility, and preferring others over ourselves! Instead, we need to be like David when he was mocked and cursed by Shimei (2 Sam. 16:10), or like Moses when his brother Aaron and his sister Miriam rebelled against his authority and spoke against him (Num. 12:3).

(e) "A holy man will folow after temperence and self-denial." In essence, we should crucify the desires of the flesh and keep in subjections sinful passions, putting off that which is old, and putting on that which is new. See 1 Cor. 9:27; Luke 21:34

(f) "A holy man will follow after charity and brotherly kindness." As Ryle says, one who is truly holy will "strive to adorn his religion by all his outward demeanor, and to make it lovely and beautiful in the eyes of all around him." Actions do speak louder than words! See Rom. 13:8; 1 Cor. 13

(g) "A holy man will follow after a spirit of mercy and benevolence toward others." Like Ryle says, one who is truly holy will not just be content with doing no harm; a holy man will try to do good! Dorcas gives us a good example here, for she went about doing good works (Acts 9:36). Paul also counted it a gladness to "spend and be spent for you, though the more abundantly I love you the less I be loved" (2 Cor. 12:15).

(h) "A holy man will follow after purity of heart." He will flee all unclean thoughts and desires, and shun everything which might lead to his falling into evil. Ryle states that "few Christians are ever too watchful and too particular about this point". See Psa. 119:9

(i) "A holy man will follow after the fear of God." This is not the fear that a slave has of his master, but rather like that of a child who loves his father so much he always moves as though his father were watching him. See Neh. 5:15

(j) "A holy man will follow after humility." We should prefer others before ourselves, and, as Ryle puts it, "see more evil in his own heart than in any other in the world." Jesus says that the meek are the ones who will inheirit the earth (Matt. 5:5), and the Apostle James writes that God resists those who are prideful, but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).

(k) "A holy man will follow after faithfulness in all the duties and relations in life." Well does Ryle put it when he says, "He will not try merely to to fill his place as well as others who take no thought for their souls, but even better, because he has higher motives, and more help than they." We should work diligently and to the best of our ability, as though our Heavenly Father were right there watching every single task we set our hands to; and indeed, He is watching us, and it is sinful of us to groan and gripe as we work. We should, rather, be thankful that we have work to do, and that we are able to do it. See Col. 3:23; Rom. 12:11

(l) "... a holy man will follow after spiritual mindedness." We should always keep our eyes on heavenly things, and, as Ryle puts it, "hold things on this earth with a very loose hand. He will not neglect the business of life that now is; but the first place in his mind and thoughts will be given to the life to come."

Now I'll close this first part with a few remaining thoughts from Ryle.

"And this I do boldly and confidently say, that true holiness is a great reality... It is light: if light exists, it will show itself. It is salt: if it exists, its savour will be perceived. It is a preciuos ointment: if it exists, its presence cannot be hid."

"I do not say for a moment that holiness shuts out the presence of indwelling sin. No: far from it... But it is the excellence of a holy man that he is not at peace with indwelling sin as others are. He hates it, mourns over it, and longs to be free from its company. The work of sanctification within him is the like the wall of Jerusalem - the building goes forward 'even in troublous times' (Dan. 9:25)."

"Sanctification is always a progressive work. Some men's graces are in the blade, some in the ear, and some are like full corn in the ear... And sanctification at its best is an imperfect work. The history of the brightest saints will contain many a 'but,' and 'howebeit,' and 'notwithstanding,' before you reach the end. The gold will never be without some dross - the light will never shine without some clouds, until we reach the heavenly Jerusalem."

"I dare not call anyone 'holy' who makes a habit of willfully neglecting known duties, and willfully doing what he knows God has commanded him not to do. Well says Owen, "I do not understand how a man can be a true believer unto whom sin is not the greatest burden, sorrow, and trouble.'"

Persevero,

Scribe