4th mark of Salvation: Forgiven Souls are Holy by J.C. Ryle

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.

Source: www. jcryle.info

Scriptures:

Psalm 116:12

What shall I render to the LordFor all His benefits toward me? -nkjv

¹² What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me? -kjv

What shall I repay to the LordFor all His benefits to me? -nasb

What shall I return to the Lord    for all his goodness to me? -niv

2 Peter 1:9

⁹ For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. -nkjv

⁹ But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. -kjv

⁹ For the one who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins. -nasb

⁹ But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins. -niv

Sharing our faith

Open Line Hour 1 July 19, 2025

In the opening remarks on hour 1 of Open Line program, Dr Michael Rydelnik emphasized 3 keys to effective faith sharing:

1. We need to tell our faith story (Paul tells his faith story in Acts 22, Acts 23, Acts 26)

2. We need to communicate according to culture

3. We need to keep the main thing the main thing (i.e the Gospel)

Exact words from Dr Michael Rydelnik:

https://www.moodyradio.org/radioplayer.aspx?episode=650216&hour=1

3rd Mark of Salvation: Forgiven Souls Are Humble by J.C. Ryle

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.

Source: www.jcryle.info