What does it cost to be a true Christian?
“It will cost a man his sins. He must be willing to give up every habit and practice which is wrong in God’s sight. He must set his face against it, quarrel with it, break off from it, fight with it, crucify it, and labor to keep it under, whatever the world around him may say or think. He must do this honestly and fairly. There must be no separate truce with any special sin which he loves. He must count all sins as his deadly enemies, and hate every false way. Whether little or great, whether open or secret, all his sins must be thoroughly renounced. Let us set down that item second in our account. To be a Christian it will cost a man his sins.”
~ J.C. Ryle
From the series “Four Costs of Becoming a Christian”
Faithfulness and Holiness: The Witness of J.C. Ryle, “The Cost”, [Wheaton: Crossway, 2002], 175, 176.
For anyone who may be struggling with forsaking sin, I just wanted to share 2 verses that are helping me. I’ve been meditating and praying through 2 Cor 3:18 and Luke 11:13. The more we see God’s glory, which is revealed to us by his Spirit, the more we are transformed from one degree of glory to another (like peeling off onion layers of sin). And the Father is faithful to give us more of His Spirit when we ask Him (Lk 11:13) – for this very purpose. So ask Him to give you his Spirit to show you His greatness, and sins will begin falling off. Thanks for a great series Erik.
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