If you are looking for some penetrating questions to help you evaluate the state of your faith, look no further than Walking with God by J. C. Ryle. I have been a Christian for over 30 years, and I don’t know that I’ve ever read a more helpful book—to wake me up, to encourage repentance, and to help me pursue what’s really important in life—than Walking with God.
If you are concerned that you might be drifting, this book for you. Ryle’s tough love will help you get your bearings. He asks some very straight forward questions, but at the same time, you get the sense that he is asking these things in Christian love.
Ryle wrote in the 1800’s, but this lightly edited version of Walking with God has a nice balance of staying faithful to Ryle’s original intent, while at the same time, making it accessible to 21st century readers. Here is just a sample of what you can expect from this excellent book.
1. On effort
Do not suppose that you must commit great crimes to be lost. The road of spiritual laziness—doing nothing—leads just as certainly to hell. (p. 26)
2. On prayer
Praying and sinning will never live together in the same heart. Prayer will choke sin, or sin will choke prayer. (p. 41)
3. On bible reading
I shall not waste time trying to prove the inspiration of the Bible. The book itself is its own best witness. It is the greatest standing miracle in the world, and nothing but divine inspiration can account for it. (p. 52)
4. On the world
Strive to show others that your principles (whatever they may think about them) make you cheerful, agreeable, good-tempered, unselfish, considerate of others, and ready to take an interest in everything that is innocent and good. Let there be no needless separation. (p. 97)
5. On wealth and poverty
Money is a good servant, but a bad master. (p. 108)
6. On the best friend
Often our friends would be willing to help us if only they could. They can sympathize with us when we are in trouble, but they have no power to deliver us from it. But Christ is almighty. He is never in the position of wishing He could help but not having the power to do so. (p. 112)
7. On illness
Do you want to make your Christianity attractive and beautiful to others? Then acquire the grace of patience now, before you experience illness. Then, if you become ill, your illness will be for the glory of God. (p. 123)
8. On the family of God
It would be a great mistake to judge God’s family only by what you can see at present. You see only a small part of it. You cannot see the huge number of those who are already in heaven. When the whole family is assembled at the last day, it will be “a multitude which no one could number” (Rev. 7:9). God’s family is far richer and more glorious than you suppose, and I want you to belong to it. (p. 131)
9. On being heirs of God
By nature all are guilty and condemned, and have a slavish fear of God. But when they become sons of God, this changes. Instead of slavish fear, they have peace with God and confidence towards Him as their heavenly Father. (p. 140)
10. On eternity
If we do not believe in the eternity of punishment, we cannot consistently believe in the eternity of heaven. They stand or fall together. The same language is used in the Bible about both. (p. 162-3)
As you might suspect, I found some chapters more helpful than others. The chapter “The Best Friend” was simply outstanding, as was the chapter on “Bible Reading.” All in all, reading Ryle feels like having a really good older brother giving you sage advice. I heartily recommend him.
Get your copy of Walking with God by J.C. Ryle this month for a gift of any amount.