FirstLove Publications
  • Home
  • Order Free
  • Radio
  • Authors
  • E-Books
  • Contact
  • About
  • Special Pages
    • E.M. Bounds Page
    • W.R. Downing Catechism
    • John MacDuff
  • Quotes
    • Articles
    • Topical Quotes
    • Picture Quotes
    • Tracts
    • Topical Online Literature
    • Bible Study
    • Online Bible
  • Blog
  • FAQ
  • How We are Supported
  • Links
  • Newsletter
    • 2017 Lagos Bible Conference
    • 2017 Nigeria Missions
    • FirstLove Kentucky Conference
    • Philippines Missions Trip 2017
    • Outreach to the Philippines
    • December 2016

articles

"5 Marks of a Forgiven Soul" by J.C. Ryle

5/30/2015

0 Comments

 
1st Mark: Forgiven Souls Hate Sin

Forgiven souls HATE SIN. They can enter most fully into the words of our Communion Service, “The remembrance of sin is grievous unto them, and the burden of it is intolerable.” It is the serpent which bit them—how should they not shrink from it with horror? It is the poison which brought them to the brink of eternal death—how should they not loathe it with a godly disgust? It is the Egyptian enemy which kept them in hard bondage—how should not the very memory of it be bitter to their hearts? It is the disease of which they carry the marks and scars about them, and from which they have scarcely recovered—well may they dread it, flee from it, and long to be delivered altogether from its power! If you and sin are friends, you and God are not yet reconciled. You are not fit for heaven; for one main part of heaven’s excellence is the absence of all sin.

2nd Mark: Forgiven Souls Love Christ


Forgiven souls LOVE CHRIST. This is that one thing they can say, if they dare say nothing else—they do love Christ. His person, His offices, His work, His name, His cross, His blood, His words, His example, His ordinances—all, all are precious to forgiven souls. The ministry which exalts Him most, is that which they enjoy most. The books which are most full of Him, are most pleasant to their minds. The people on earth they feel most drawn to, are those in whom they see something of Christ. He is their Redeemer, their Shepherd, their Physician, their King, their strong Deliverer, their gracious Guide, their hope, their joy, their All. Were it not for Him they would be of all people most miserable.

3rd Mark: Forgiven Souls Are Humble


Forgiven souls are HUMBLE. They cannot forget that they owe all they have and hope for to free grace, and this keeps them lowly. They are brands plucked from the fire—debtors who could not pay for themselves—captives who must have remained in prison forever—but for undeserved mercy—wandering sheep who were ready to perish when the Shepherd found them! What right then have they to be proud? I do not deny that there are proud saints. But this I do say—they are of all God’s creatures the most inconsistent, and of all God’s children the most likely to stumble and pierce themselves with many sorrows. We have nothing we can call our own–but sin and weakness. Surely there is no garment that befits us so well, as humility.

4th Mark: Forgiven Souls Are Holy

Forgiven souls are HOLY. Their chief desire is to please Him who has saved them, to do His will, to glorify Him in body and in Spirit, which are His. “What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits?” (Ps. 116:12), is a leading principle in a pardoned heart. It was the remembrance of Jesus showing mercy that made Paul in labors so abundant, and in doing good so unwearied. If anyone points out to me believers who are in a carnal, slothful state of soul, I reply in the words of Peter, “They have forgotten they were purged from their old sins.” (2 Pet. 1:9.)

But if you show me a man deliberately living an unholy and licentious life, and yet boasting that his sins are forgiven, I answer, “He is under a ruinous delusion, and is not forgiven at all.” I would not believe he is forgiven if an angel from heaven affirmed it, and I charge you not to believe it too. Pardon of sin and love of sin are like oil and water—they will never go together. All who are washed in the blood of Christ, are also sanctified by the Spirit of Christ.


5th Mark: Forgiven Souls Are Forgiving


Forgiven souls are FORGIVING. They do as they have been done by. They look over the offenses of their brethren. They endeavor to “walk in love, as Christ loved them, and gave Himself for them.” (Eph. 5:2.) They remember how God for Christ’s sake forgave them, and endeavor to do the same towards their fellow-creatures. Has He forgiven them pounds, and shall they not forgive a few pence? Doubtless in this, as in everything else, they come short—but this is their desire and their aim. A spiteful, quarrelsome Christian is a scandal to his profession. Forgiveness is the way by which every saved soul enters heaven. Forgiveness is the eternal subject of song with all the redeemed who inhabit heaven. Surely an unforgiving soul in heaven would find his heart completely out of tune. Surely we know nothing of Christ’s love to us but the name of it, if we do not love our brethren.

Old Paths, “Forgiveness”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1999], 202, 203.
0 Comments

    Archives

    October 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015

    Categories

    All
    A Faith Ministry
    Albert N. Martin
    Andrew Murray
    A.W. Pink
    Bible
    Charles J. Butler
    Christ
    Christian Service
    C.H. Spurgeon
    Church
    Counting The Cost
    Death
    Election
    Eternity
    Evangelism
    Faith
    Forgiveness
    Fruit-Bearing
    F.W. Krummacher
    George Muller
    George Whitefield
    Gospel
    Grace
    Holiness
    Holy Spirit
    Hudson Taylor
    James Smith
    J.C. Ryle
    Joe Jacowitz
    John Bunyan
    John Calvin
    Knowing Christ
    Love Of God
    Missions
    New Birth
    N. L. DeMoss
    Octavius Winslow
    Prayer
    Prayer Meeting
    Preaching
    Preciousness Of Christ
    R.A. Torrey
    Resurrection
    Revival
    Salvation
    Sanctification
    Second Coming
    Sickness
    Sin
    Spiritual Gifts
    Spiritual Growth
    Teaching
    Testimony
    Trials
    Walking With God
    Worship

    RSS Feed

FirstLove Missions
FirstLove Radio
  • Home
  • Order Free
  • Radio
  • Authors
  • E-Books
  • Contact
  • About
  • Special Pages
    • E.M. Bounds Page
    • W.R. Downing Catechism
    • John MacDuff
  • Quotes
    • Articles
    • Topical Quotes
    • Picture Quotes
    • Tracts
    • Topical Online Literature
    • Bible Study
    • Online Bible
  • Blog
  • FAQ
  • How We are Supported
  • Links
  • Newsletter
    • 2017 Lagos Bible Conference
    • 2017 Nigeria Missions
    • FirstLove Kentucky Conference
    • Philippines Missions Trip 2017
    • Outreach to the Philippines
    • December 2016