Holiness- Chapter 4 "The Fight" Pt. 2

After opening his chapter with the reminder that "True Christianity is a fight," Ryle goes on to say that "True Christianity is the fight of faith." It is not dependent on physical abilities, such as "the strong arm, the quick eye, or the swift foot." Rather, "faith is the hinge on which victory turns."

1) "A general faith in the truth of God's written Word is the primary foundation of the Christian soldier's character." Ryle asserts that we do what we do, hope what we hope, act as we act, think as we think because we believe certain truths revealed in God's Word. Perhaps many like to speak of having a religion without any "doctrine or dogma," but upon closer examination, we'll discover that such is simply impossible. To speak of religion without speaking of specifically what a man believes is to "talk of a body without bones or sinew." Everyone has faith in something.

For true Christians, "faith is the very backbone of their spiritual existence." We can't fight against the world, the flesh, and the devil unless we "have engraven on our hearts certain great principles which we believe."

2) "A special faith in our Lord Jesus Christ's person, work, and office is the life, heart, and mainspring of the Christian soldier's character."

"He sees by faith an unseen Savior, who loved him, gave himself for him, paid his debts for him, bore his sins, carried his transgressions, rose again for him, and appears in heaven for him as his Advocate at the right hand of God. He sees Jesus and clings to him."

"He sees his own many sins--his weak heart, a tempting world, a busy devil; and if he looked only at them he might well despair. But he sees also a mightly Savior, an interceding Savior, a sympathizing Savior--his blood, his righteousness, his everlasting priesthood--and he believes that all this is his own.

3) "Habitual lively faith in Christ's presence and readiness to help is the secret of the Christian soldier fighting successfully." Ryle reminds us that believers have different degrees of faith, and even the same person has greater faith at some times than at others. However, our level of faith profoundly impacts our Christian life. "Nothing enables him to bear the fatigue of watching, struggling, and wrestling against sin, like the indwelling confidence that Christ is on his side and success is sure, " and "nothing makes the anxieties of warfare sit so lightly on a man as the assurance of Christ's love and continual protection."

Ryle then offers a substantial list of verses to encourage us in this way...Eph. 6:16, 2 Tim. 1:12, 2 Cor. 4:16-18, Gal. 2:20, 6:14, Phil. 1:21, 4:11, 13.

Ryle encourages us to read Hebrews 11, and see the great victories won because of faith and to study church history and see what the martyrs and reformers endured and believed. "Let us mark how these gallant soldiers of Christ stood firm against a host of adversaries, and were ready to die for thier principles. What battles they fought! What controversies they maintained! What contradiction they endured!" Let us remember "that believing in an unseen Jesus was the secret of their strength. They overcame by faith."

In closing of this section of the chapter, we're reminded that to live the life of a Christian soldier requires faith and that we should be earnestly praying for it, knowing that it is the gift of God, and "a gift which those who ask shall never ask in vain." We should pray for that continual increase in faith and guard our faith jealously, for "it is the citadel of the Christian character, on which the safety of the whole fortress depends. It is the point which Satan loves to assail. All lies at his mercy if faith is overthrown."

Pressing On,

Queen Mom