The Doctrine of Sin and the Christian Life

In the recent preaching series at church on the Christian life and the pursuit of holiness, one of the recommended resources that Tim encouraged us to get hold of and read is the classic study of this central Biblical theme entitled simply, Holiness, by J.C. Ryle. This book is indeed one of the most powerful and helpful treatments of this vital subject available. It is Biblically faithful and piercing to the heart, and in the midst of a lot of confusing ideas about sanctification floating around the Christian world these days (and past days for that matter), listening to Ryle teach the Bible (and of course applying to ourselves the truth of God he so effectively explains) will help keep us pressing on along the road to the Celestial City, growing ever more like our Lord along the way.

I find it interesting and significant that he begins this study of holiness with the entire first chapter focusing on the doctrine of sin. How often have we heard the complaints whenever sin is taught or preached, that this is a dreary subject (and I suppose it is) that makes us feel bad. Stop beating us up and making us feel bad--we want to feel good about ourselves, or so it goes. And while, for the follower of Christ, I would be quick to add that for every time we look upon our sin we should look ten times upon the sinless Savior and his righteousness imputed to us in the gospel (now that is a matter for great joy I might add!), nevertheless we will not be faithful to Biblical revelation, and we will not grow spiritually as God intends, if we ignore or avoid the foundational importance for our lives of the doctrine of sin. Certainly Ryle would seem to agree--here's how he starts off:

He who wishes to attain right views about Christian holiness must begin by examining the vast and solemn subject of sin. He must dig down very low if he would build high. A mistake here is most mischievous. Wrong views about holiness are generally traceable to wrong views about human corruption. I make no apology for beginning this volume of messages about holiness by making some plain statements about sin.

The plain truth is that a right understanding of sin lies at the root of all saving Christianity. Without it such doctrines as justification, conversion, sanctification, are "words and names" which convey no meaning to the mind. The first thing, therefore, that God does when He makes anyone a new creature in Christ is to send light into his heart and show him that he is a guilty sinner. The material creation in Genesis began with "light," and so also does the spiritual creation. God "shines into our hearts" by the work of the Holy Spirit and then spiritual life begins (2 Cor. 4:6). Dim or indistinct views of sin are the origin of most of the errors, heresies and false doctrines of the present day. If a man does not realize the dangerous nature of his soul’s disease, you cannot wonder if he is content with false or imperfect remedies. I believe that one of the chief wants of the contemporary church has been, and is, clearer, fuller teaching about sin. (Holiness, by J.C. Ryle, Fleming H. Revell, pg.1)

One wonders, if what Ryle describes as "one of the chief wants of the contemporary church.... is, clearer, fuller teaching about sin", concerning the 19th century period in which he lived, what would he think of the state of affairs in the contemporary church in our day?

More importantly, what does God think? And how clear is our understanding of this foundational truth? Might I suggest, paradoxically, that the fullness of our joy depends on it.