Divine Means: Christian Practices

"But the practices of Christianity are not to be despised because they are not saviors. Gold is not food, you cannot eat it, but you would not say it is useless and throw it away. Your soul's eternal well-being most certainly does not depend on the practices of Christianity, but it is certain that without them, as a general rule, your soul will not do well. . . . No one but a fool would think of building a house without ladders and scaffolding, and just so, no wise man will despise means" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 75-76).

Special Rules for Young Men by J. C. Ryle

Special Rules for Young Men

• For one thing, resolve at once, by God's help, to break off every known sin, however small.
• Resolve, by God's help, to shun everything which may prove an occasion of sin.
• Resolve never to forget the eye of God.
• Be diligent in the practice of your Christianity.
• Resolve that wherever you are, you will pray.

*From J. C. Ryle's Thoughts for Young Men (pp. 65-84).

Friendships

"There is no telling the harm that is done by associating with godless companions and friends. . . . You must remember, we are all creatures of imitation: precept may teach us, but it is example that draws us" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 60).

Read with Prayer

"Read [the Bible] with the prayer that the Holy Spirit's grace will help you understand it" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 57).

Read Your Bible

"The Bible is God's merciful provision for sinful man's soul, the map by which he must steer his course if he would attain eternal life. . . . Young men, I charge you to make a habit of reading the Bible, and not to let the habit be broken" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 56).

Difficulties and Obstacles and Fears - Overcome by Believing in Promises of God

"Difficulties which seem like mountains shall melt away like snow in spring. Obstacles which seemed like giants in the distance, will dwindle into nothing when you actually face them. The lion that blocks the way that you are traveling and causes you great fear, will prove to be chained and unable to harm you. If men believed the promises more, they would never be afraid of their assigned duties [underline added, CCS]" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 55).

"God is no hard master."

"God is no hard master. He will not, like Pharaoh, require you to make bricks without straw. He will make sure that the path He requires us to walk is never an impossible road. He never gave commands to man which He would not give man the power to perform" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 54).

Foolish World

"The world is only too ready to wink at youthful sins. The world appears to think it is a matter of course that young men must "sow their wild oats." The world seems to take it for granted that young people must be irreligious, and that it is not possible for them to follow Christ. Young men, I ask you this simple question--Where will you find anything of this in the Word of God? Where is the chapter or verse in the Bible which will support this talking and reasoning of the world? (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 52-53).

Training

"Think for a moment why you were born into the world. . . . You were placed here to train for eternity" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 50-51).

"Go to Christ."

"Young men, I set before you Jesus Christ this day, as the treasury of your souls; and I invite you to begin by going to Him. Let this be your first step -- go to Christ" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 48).

Life in Christ

"To live in Christ, to draw all from Christ, to do all in the strength of Christ, to be ever looking to Christ; this is the true secret of spiritual prosperity. "I can do all things," says Paul, "through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians 4:13)" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 48).

Acquainted with Jesus Christ

"Seek to become acquainted with our Lord Jesus Christ. This is, indeed, the principal thing in Christianity. This is the cornerstone of Christianity. Till you know this, my warnings and advice will be useless, and your endeavors, whatever they may be, will be in vain. A watch that does not keep time is as useless as religion without Christ" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 47).

Sin

"There are two ways of coming down from the top of a ladder; one is to jump down, and the other is to come down by the steps: but both will lead you to the bottom. So also there are two ways of going to hell; one is to walk into it with your eyes wide open--few people do that; the other is to go down by the steps of little sins--and that way, I fear, is only too common. Put up with a few little sins, and you will soon want a few more" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 68).

The Bible - "The things needed for salvation are as clear as daylight."

"Men may tell you that there are difficulties in the Bible, things hard to understand. It would not be God's book if there were not. And what if there are? You don't despise medicines because you cannot explain all that your doctor does with them. But whatever men may say, the things needed for salvation are as clear as daylight. Be very sure of this -- people never reject the Bible because they cannot understand it. They understand it too well; they understand that it condemns their own behavior; they understand that it witnesses against their own sins, and summons them to judgment. They try to believe it is false and useless, because they don't like to believe it is true. An evil lifestyle must always raise an objection to this book. Men question the truth of Christianity because they hate the practice of it" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 37).

Be a Wise-Writer

Words are powerful and words are reality-defining. Therefore, as J. C. Ryle said, "Be wise in your youth. Write the word "poison" on all earthly pleasures" (Thoughts for Young Men, 29).

Making a Bee-Line for Hell

"Contempt of holy things is the straight road to hell" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 36).

Avoid the Love of Pleasure

"Remember, again, if you cling to earthly pleasures, they will all be unsatisfying, empty, and pointless. . . . All that glitters is not gold. All that tastes sweet is not good. All that please for a while is not real pleasure" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 29).

Danger of Thoughtlessness

"Men will not consider, will not look ahead, will not look around them, will not reflect on the end of their present course, and the sure consequences of their present days, and wake up to find they are damned for a lack of thinking. . . . Believe me, this world is not a world in which we can do well without thinking, and least of all do well in the matter of our souls. "Don't think," whispers Satan; he knows that an unconverted heart is like a dishonest businessman's financial records--they will not bear close inspection. "Consider your ways," says the word of God--stop and think--consider and be wise. The Spanish proverb says it well, "Hurry comes from the devil." Just as men marry in a rush and then are miserable with their mate, so they make mistakes about their souls in a minute, and then suffer for it for years" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 32-33).

Beware of Pride

"Young men, if you would be wise, if you would be happy, remember the warning I give you--Beware of pride" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 26).

"Young men, take to heart the Scriptures just quoted."

"Young men, take to heart the Scriptures just quoted [Romans 12:3; 1 Corinthians 8:2; Colossians 3:12; 1 Peter 5:5; John 13:15 (Christ is a young man's great example.); 2 Corinthians 8:9; Philippians 2:7, 8; 1 Kings 3:8 (Regarding the wisest man that ever lived--King Solomon.); Proverbs 26:12]. Do not be too confident in your own judgment. Stop being so sure that you are always right, and others wrong. Don't trust your own opinion when you find it contrary to that of older men and especially to that of your own parents. Age gives experience, and therefore deserves respect" (J. C. Ryle, Thoughts for Young Men, 25-26).