“Christ will never fail” by J.C. Ryle

“Ministers may preach, and writers may write, but the Lord Jesus Christ alone can build. And unless He builds, the work stands still.

Great is the wisdom wherewith the Lord Jesus Christ builds His Church! All is done at the right time, and in the right way.

Each stone in its turn is put in its right place. Sometimes He chooses great stones, and sometimes He chooses small stones.

Sometimes the work goes on fast, and sometimes it goes on slowly. Man is frequently impatient, and thinks that nothing is doing. But man’s time is not God’s time.

A thousand years in His sight are but as a single day. The great Builder makes no mistakes. He knows what He is doing.

He sees the end from the beginning. He works by a perfect, unalterable, and certain plan.

The mightiest conceptions of architects, like Michael Angelo and Wren, are mere trifling and child’s play, in comparison with Christ’s wise counsels respecting His Church.

Great is the condescension and mercy which Christ exhibits in building His Church! He often chooses the most unlikely and roughest stones, and fits them into a most excellent work.

He despises none, and rejects none, on account of former sins and past transgressions. He often makes Pharisees and Publicans become pillars of His house.

He delights to show mercy. He often takes the most thoughtless and ungodly, and transforms them into polished corners of His spiritual temple.

Great is the power which Christ displays in building His Church! He carries on His work in spite of opposition from the world, the flesh, and the devil.

In storm, in tempest, through troublous times, silently, quietly, without noise, without stir, without excitement, the building progresses, like Solomon’s temple. “I will work,” He declares, “and who shall let it?” (Isaiah 43:13)

The children of this world take little or no interest in the building of this Church. They care nothing for the conversion of souls.

What are broken spirits and penitent hearts to them? What is conviction of sin, or faith in the Lord Jesus to them? It is all “foolishness” in their eyes.

But while the children of this world care nothing, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God.

For the preserving of the true Church, the laws of nature have oftentimes been suspended.

For the good of that Church, all the providential dealings of God in this world are ordered and arranged.

For the elect’s sake, wars are brought to an end, and peace is given to a nation.

Statesmen, rulers, emperors, kings, presidents, heads of governments, have their schemes and plans, and think them of vast importance.

But there is another work going on of infinitely greater moment, for which they are only the “axes and saws” in God’s hands. (Isaiah 10:15)

That work is the erection of Christ’s spiritual temple, the gathering in of living stones into the one true Church.

We ought to feel deeply thankful that the building of the true Church is laid on the shoulders of One that is mighty. If the work depended on man, it would soon stand still.

But, blessed be God, the work is in the hands of a Builder who never fails to accomplish His designs! Christ is the almighty Builder.

He will carry on His work, though nations and visible Churches may not know their duty.

Christ will never fail. That which He has undertaken He will certainly accomplish.”

–J.C. Ryle, Holiness: Its Nature, Hindrances, Difficulties and Roots (London: William Hunt and Company, 1889), 311-312.