Practical Religion: A Daily Life of the Christian Faith (Grapevine Press)

by J.C. Ryle

"Formalism, formalism, formalism is the great sin of this day, under which the whole country groans. There is more light than there was, but less life; more profession, but less holiness." (Thomas Hall, on 2 Timothy 3:5, 1658). What would this good man have said if he lived in our times? I. We learn first, that "formal religion is not religion, and a formal Christian is not a Christian in God's sight." What do I mean when I speak of formal religion? This is a point that must be made clear. Thousands, I suspect, know nothing about it. Without a distinct understanding of this point my whole paper will be useless. My first step will be to paint, describe, and define. When a man is a Christian in name only, and not in reality--in outward things only, and not in his inward feelings--in profession only, and not in practice--when his Christianity in short is a mere matter of form, or fashion, or custom, without any influence on his heart or life- -in such a case as this the man has what I call a "formal religion." He possesses indeed the "form," or shell, or surface of religion, but he does not possess its substance or its "power." Look for example at those thousands of people whose whole religion seems to consist in keeping religious ceremonies and ordinances. They regularly attend public worship. They regularly go to the Lord's Table. But they never get any further. They know nothing of true heartfelt Christianity. They are not familiar with the Scriptures, and take no delight ...