John 5:40-47

Until John, we have been using older manuscripts of Ryle's Expository Thoughts. Just recently, though, EP Publishing has put out a lightly updated version of Ryle's work, which I am now working from. If you are interested in a physical copy of the Expository Thoughts, you can find it HERE.

John 5:40-47

1. Let us mark the reason why many souls are lost.
2. Let us mark one principal cause of unbelief.
3. Let us mark the manner in which Christ speaks of Moses.

"Thousands, in every age, are constantly labouring to shift the blame of their condition from off themselves. They talk of their inability to change. They tell you complacently that they cannot help being what they are! They know that they are wrong but they cannot be different! It will not do."

"True faith does not depend merely on the state of someone’s head and understanding, but on the state of their heart. Their mind may be convinced. Their conscience may be pricked. But so long as there is anything they are secretly loving more than God there will be no true faith."

"Let us beware of handling the Old Testament irreverently and allowing our minds to doubt the truth of any part of it because of alleged difficulties. The simple fact that the writers of the New Testament continually refer to the Old Testament and speak even of the most miraculous events recorded in it as undoubtedly true, should silence our doubts."

Questions:

1. Jesus declares to us that the reason for many not believing comes from an unwillingness to come. Ryle points out that many throughout history are seeking to shift the blame from themselves to anywhere else. Where do we lay the blame for unbelief?

2. Ryle points out that true faith is not just mental consent or understanding, but rests in the heart and a desire to please God. Do we desire, above all else, the praise of God, or do our hearts desire the praise of man?

3. Ryle points out that Jesus believed Moses wrote the Pentateuch, and yet, in his day and ours as well, there are many who want to discredit this. There are many movements to disconnect the Old from the New Testament, or to not put as much weight on the authority of the Old Testament. Yet, how can we imagine Christ and the apostles to be wrong on this issue? Let us mark it in our hearts and minds that Moses wrote the Pentateuch, the first five books of the OT, and that every work of God is true.