Holiness: For the Will of God Is Your Sanctification – 1 Thessalonians 4:3 [Annotated, Updated]

by J.C. Ryle

In conclusion, think seriously about whether your current version of Christianity costs you anything. Very likely it costs you nothing. Very probably it does not cost you trouble, time, thought, care, effort, reading, praying, self-denial, conflict, working, or labor of any kind. Now notice what I say. Such a Christianity as this will never save your soul. It will not give you peace while you live nor hope while you die. It will not support you in the day of affliction nor cheer you in the hour of death. Christianity that costs nothing is worth nothing. Awake before it is too late. Awake and repent. Awake and be converted. Awake and believe. Awake and pray. Do not rest until you can give a satisfactory answer to my question: “What does it cost?” If you lack inspiring motives for serving God, think about what it cost to provide salvation for your soul. Think how the Son of God left heaven and became a man, suffered on the cross, and lay in the grave to pay your debt to God and work out for you a complete redemption. Think about all this and learn that it is no little matter to possess an immortal soul. It is worthwhile to take some trouble about your soul.