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

by J.C. Ryle

Another sign of growth in grace is increased faith and love toward our Lord Jesus Christ. The person whose soul is growing finds more in Christ to rest upon every year, and he rejoices more that he has such a Savior. No doubt he saw much in Him when he first believed. His faith laid hold on the atonement of Christ and gave him hope, but as he grows in grace, he sees a thousand things in Christ that he never dreamed of at first. His love and power, His heart and His intentions, His work as Substitute, Intercessor, Priest, Advocate, Physician, Shepherd, and Friend – all unfold themselves to a growing soul in an unspeakable manner. The person who is growing in grace discovers a worthiness in Christ for the needs of his soul that he did not even know the half of before. Do you want to know if you are growing in grace? Then look within and see if you have increased knowledge of Christ.