Practical Religion 3 Reality

Practical ReligionRealityJ.C. Ryle

Is Your Religion (Faith) Real?

By “real” we mean:

Genuine, sincere, honest and thorough

Not base, hollow, formal, false, counterfeit, sham and nominal

If we measure the religion of the age by its apparent quantity, there is much of it. But if we measure it by its quality, there is very little indeed.

If we profess to have any religion at all, let us take care that it is

The Importance of Reality

Most people tell us ‘that all have got good hearts at bottom,’— that all are sincere and true in the main, though they may make mistakes.

They call us uncharitable, and harsh, and censorious, if we doubt anybody’s goodness of heart.


What does Scripture say? This is the only competent judge.

Observe how many of the parables contrast the true believer and the nominal disciple.

The Sower

The Wheat & the Tares

The DragnetThe Two Sons

The Wedding Garment

The Ten Virgins

The TalentsThe Great Supper

The Pounds

The Two Builders




What does Jesus say about the Scribes and Pharisees?

Hypocrites!Serpents!

Brood of Vipers!




What does Jesus say about the Scribes and Pharisees?

There is hardly any grace of a true Christian for which there is not a counterfeit described in Scripture

Repentance: Saul, Ahab, Herod, Judas Iscariot Faith: Simon MagusHoliness: Joash, Judas Iscariot False Love and CharityFalse Humility: the PhariseesFalse WorshipFalse religious conversation


What shall we say about these things?

They show we must take care that our faith be genuine.

Scripture has shown that Jesus

Taught the importance of genuine faith

Condemned false profession

Scripture shows there are false graces

The Importance of RealityIs our walk with Christ merely Churchmanship?

Going through the expected rituals: baptism, marriage, attendance, etc.?

Does our walk show grace, faith, repentance, holiness, spirituality of conduct and conversation?

Are we more interested in popular preachers than we are in living for the Lord?

Are we more concerned about rejecting “improper worship” than we are about worshiping in Spirit and in Truth?

Tests To Determine Reality of Faith

1. What place does your faith occupy in your inner man?

It is not enough that it is in your head

It is not enough that it is on your lips

It is not enough that it is in your feelings

Your religion, if it is real, and given by the Holy Ghost, must be in your heart. - J.C. Ryle


If it is real, your religion must be in your heart

It must hold the reins

It must sway the affections

It must lead the will

It must direct the tastes

It must influence your choices and decisions

Your religion, if it is real, and given by the Holy Ghost, must be in your heart. - J.C. Ryle

Tests To Determine Reality of Faith 2. What feelings toward sin does your faith produce?

Faith from the Holy Spirit will have a deep view of the sinfulness of sin

It will see sin as the thing God hates

It will see sin as the source of guilt and makes one lost in God's sight

It will see sin as the source of wrath and condemnation

Above all, it will see sin as our source of eternal ruin unless there is a redeemer


“It is a commonplace to say that ‘the punishment must fit the crime’. But that can be a half biblical truth. It can encourage us to assess the nature of the punishment by what we consider to be the severity of the crime. Paul reverses this. We learn the magnitude of the crime by means of the severity of the punishment it deserves.” (emphasis mine)

- Sinclair Ferguson, Devoted to God

Tests To Determine Reality of Faith3. What feelings toward Christ does it produce? Real faith will produce feelings of

confidence in Him

love toward Him

delight in Him

comfort in Him

knowing Him as mediator

knowing Him as the food, the light, the life, the peace of the soul

Tests To Determine Reality of Faith4. Does your faith bear fruit in your life?

The degree in which these various graces appear may vary in different believers.

Repentance

Faith HopeCharity

HumilitySpirituality

KindnessSelf-denial

UnselfishnessForgiveness

TemperanceTruthfulness Brotherly-kindness

PatienceForbearance

Tests To Determine Reality of Faith5. How does your faith affect your attitudes toward the means of grace?

Is Sunday a season of weariness and constraint, or a delight and a refreshment, and a sweet foretaste of the rest to come in heaven?

How do you feel about public prayer and praise?

How do you feel about public worship and the Lord's Supper?

How do you feel about private means of grace?

Is Bible reading essential to you?

Is it comforting to speak to God in prayer?

Words of ApplicationLook at yourself!

You may see others as hypocrites, and you may be right, but this is not the question!

The judgment day will reveal every man’s religion, of what sort it is. The parable of the wedding garment will receive an awful fulfillment.

If you know your faith is not genuine, recall the greatness of the danger and the extent of your guilt before God

God is the God of Truth

Can you imagine that He would not hate a Christianity that is not true?

Words of ApplicationIf you are pricked in your conscience by this topic, do not trifle with it, but make every effort to be sure your faith is genuine

Apply to the Lord Jesus today! He asks only that your desire be real.

If you have taken up the cross and honestly follow Christ

Persevere – do not be moved by difficulties and opposition

Turn a deaf ear to those who accuse you of going too far in your faith.

If there is anything which a man ought to do with all his heart, it is the business of his soul. If there is any work which he ought never to do in a slovenly fashion, it is the great work of ‘working out his own salvation’

For next week:

Chapter 4: Prayer

Please read:

1 Pet. 1: 17

1 Cor. 1: 2

Psalm 14: 4

Psalm 50:15

Psalm 55:17