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THE TRUE CHURCH by Bishop J.C. Ryle.
Where is this one true Church? What is this one true Church like? What are the marks by which this one true Church may be known? The one true Church is composed of all believers in the Lord Jesus. It is made up of all converted men and women, of all true Christians. It is a Church of which all the members have the same marks. They worship differently, and after various fashions, some worship with a form of prayer, and some with none; Some worship kneeling and some standing but they all worship with one heart. They are all led by one Spirit; they all build upon one foundation; They all draw their religion from one single book — that is the Bible. They are all joined to one great centre — that is JESUS CHRIST. It is a Church which is dependent upon no ministers upon earth, however much it values those who preach the Gospel to its members. The life of its members does not hang upon Church-membership, and Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper-although they highly value these things when they are to be had. But it has only one Great Head — one Shepherd, one chief Bishop — and that is JESUS CHRIST. It is a Church whose existence does not depend on forms, ceremonies, cathedrals, churches, chapels, pulpits, fonts, vestments, organs, endowments, money, kings, governments, magistrates or any act of favour whatsoever from the hand of man. It has often lived on and continued when all these things have been taken from it. Its existence depends on nothing but the presence of Christ and His Spirit; and they being ever with it, the Church cannot die. This is the only Church which possesses true unity. Its members are entirely agreed on all the weightier matters of religion, for they are all taught by one Spirit. About God, and Christ, and the Spirit, and sin, and their hearts, and faith and repentance, and necessity of holiness, and the value of the Bible, and the importance of prayer, and the resurrection, and judgement to come — about all these points they are of one mind. This is the only Church which is certain to endure to the end. Nothing can altogether overthrow and destroy it. Its members may be persecuted, oppressed, imprisoned, beaten, beheaded, burned, but the true Church is never altogether extinguished. It rises again from its afflictions; it lives on through fire and wars. When crushed in one land, it springs up in another. The Pharaohs, the Herods, the Neros, the Bloody Marys have laboured in vain to put down this Church; they slay their thousands, and then pass away and go to their own place. The true Church outlives them all and sees them buried each in their turn. It is an anvil that has broken many a hammer in this world, and will break many a hammer still; it is a brush that is often burned, and yet is not consumed. This is the Church which does the work of Christ upon earth. Its members are a little flock, a few in number, compared with the children of the world: one or two here and two or three there — a few in this district and a few in that. But these are they who shake the universe; but these are they who change the fortunes of kingdoms by their prayers; these are they who are the active workers for spreading the knowledge of pure religion and undefiled; these are the life blood of a country, the shield, the defence, the stay, and the support of any nation to which they belong. This is the church which shall be truly glorious at the end. When all earthly glory is passed away then shall this Church be presented without spot before God the Father’s throne. Thrones, principalities, and powers upon earth shall come to nothing; dignities and offices, and endowments shall all pass away; but the Church of the first-born shall shine as the stars at the last, and be presented with joy before the appearing, when the Lord’s jewels are made up. Friend, this is the true Church to which one must belong to, if he would be saved. Till you belong to this, you are nothing better than a lost soul. You may have the form, the husk, the skin, and the shell of religion, but you have not got the substance and the life. Yes, you may have countless outward privileges, you may enjoy great light and knowledge — but if you do not belong to the body of Christ, your light, and knowledge, and privileges will not save your soul. Alas, for the ignorance that prevails on this point! Men fancy if they join this Church or that Church, and become communicants and go through certain forms and rituals, that all must be right with their souls. It is an utter delusion; it is a gross mistake. Take notice, you may be a staunch Roman Catholic, Episcopalian, Baptist or Plymouth Brother or belong to another Christian Denomination — and yet NOT belong to the true Church. And if you do not, it will be better at last if you had never been born. If you desire to know the Lord JESUS CHRIST as your Saviour, then please contact us. Your Eternal destiny is at stake! |