J. C. Ryle Quotes

It is neglect of the Bible which makes so many a prey to the first false teacher whom they hear.

We must wrestle earnestly in prayer, like men contending with a deadly enemy for life.

The nearer we live to God while we live, the more ready we will be to dwell forever in His presence when we die.

Let us learn to be patient in the days of darkness, if we know anything of vital union with Christ.

Humility and love are precisely the graces which the men of the world can understand, if they do not comprehend doctrines. They are the graces about which there is no mystery, and they are within reach of all classes... The poorest Christian can every day find occasion for practicing love and humility.

The surest mark of true conversion is humility.

Prosperity is a great mercy, but adversity is a greater one, if it brings us to Christ.

A man's state before God may always be measured by his prayers.

Until we give God our heart, we give Him nothing at all.

A Christian is a walking sermon. They preach far more than a minister does, for they preach all week long.

It is not always those who have the most eminent gifts who are the most successful laborers for God. It is generally those who keep up closest communion with Christ and are most constant in prayer.

Prayer is the surest remedy against the devil and besetting sins.

Look not to yourselves! You are by nature wretched, miserable, poor, blind and naked. Look simply unto Jesus.

A right heart leans on Christ, hangs on Christ, builds on Christ and cleaves to Christ.

Sin always seems 'good, and pleasant, and desirable,' at the time of commission.

All converted people should labor to adorn the doctrine they profess by humility. If they can do nothing else, they can strive to be humble.

No one ever reached heaven without repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

It must not content us to take our bodies to church if we leave our hearts at home.

The temple in which the Lord Jesus delights most, is a broken and contrite heart, renewed by the Holy Spirit.

No doubt men may easily think too little of God the Father, and God the Spirit, but no man ever thought too much of Christ.

We ought to regard the sacrament of baptism with reverence. An ordinance of which the Lord Jesus Himself partook, is not to be lightly esteemed. An ordinance to which the great Head of the Church submitted, ought to be ever honorable in the eyes of professing Christians.

Let us be real, honest, and sincere in our Christianity. We cannot deceive an all-seeing God.

The chief end for which He lived and died was to provide eternal redemption for mankind.

Prayer is the very life-breath of true Christianity.

There is something sadly wrong when it is more important to us whether others are a part of our denomination, rather than whether they repent of sin, believe on Christ and live holy lives.

There are very few errors and false doctrines of which the beginning may not be traced up to unsound views about the corruption of human nature. Wrong views of the disease will always bring with them wrong views of the remedy. Wrong views of the corruption of human nature will always carry with them wrong views of the grand antidote and cure of that corruption.

A man may commit sin and yet be ignorant of it, and fancy himself innocent when he is guilty... We shall do well to remember that when we make our own miserably imperfect knowledge and consciousness the measure of our sinfulness, we are on very dangerous ground.

The key to understanding the Bible is Jesus Christ.

The incorruptible things are all within the narrow gate. The peace of God which passed all understanding - the bright hope of good things to come - the sense of the Spirit dwelling in us - the consciousness that we are forgiven, safe, insured, provided for in time and eternity, whatever may happen - these are true gold, and lasting riches.