JC Ryle Regarding Visible Fruit
Over the years, I’ve received a lot of reading recommendations. There was a season when JC Ryle seemed to dominate those recommendations. As a result I read several essays from the bishop of Liverpool and found many profitable observations among them. That said, reading the works of men should always be accompanied by an evergreen caution: a man’s opinions are not scripture and they must be weighed alongside that fact. I would say it this way, “There is some measure of dross to be found in the writings of men and disciples should approach them only to the extent that they are willing to ‘prove all things’ and ‘hold fast that which is good.’”
In one of Ryle’s articles I came across the following quote:
“Where there is no visible fruit of sanctification we may be sure there is no election.” (JC Ryle)
The attitude expressed in this quote is one that has gone to seed among Lordship Salvationists in our day and I have first-hand experience of the malevolent results thereof. This toxic, obnoxious, and unscriptural sentiment does great damage to the Lord’s flock by giving license to those who regard themselves as “evidently sanctified” to pass judgment on the eternal state of others they insist have produced “no visible fruit.” Bishop Ryle’s statement is ridiculous and unscriptural for multiple reasons:
It insists that the fruit of sanctification is “visible” to us and this is manifestly NOT TRUE. Lot pitched his tent toward Sodom and you’ll be hard pressed to find anything in the OT account of his life that would indicate the “fruit of sanctifiation” to an external observer. Yet the NT refers to him as “just” (I Peter 2:7) and the evidence it gives fro this is a conviction of conscience that was NOT born out in his actions. In other words, the fruit of his sanctification was NOT VISIBLE.
It insists that our assessment of another’s actions and motivations is always correct and this is manifestly NOT TRUE. (Matthew 26:8-9, Luke 9:49-50)
It denies the reality of the elect/unregenerate. There was a time when Paul was unregenerate and yet later the Lord was pleased to reveal His Son in him (Galatians 1:15-16). If one looked at Paul breathing out slaughter against the church declared, “There is no visible fruit of sanctification in him. We can be sure he is not one of the elect,” they would have been DEAD WRONG. This point alone is sufficient to defeat Ryle’s ludicrous statement.
Biblical observations that confound Ryle’s proclamation could be liberally multiplied. Suffice it to say that his statement is so evidently false that I find it disturbing that any Christian would promote it as the truth. Nevertheless, in my experience, it expresses the heart and soul of Neo-Pharisaical Lordship Salvation in practice.
”Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.” (Hebrews 4:13)
God alone is the one with whom we have to do and nothing is hidden from his sight. Men, even regenerate men, do not possess the purview on the hearts of men upon which Ryle’s statement depends. Indeed,
”the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7b)
What’s more, what might seem an utterly insignificant act in the eyes of men can well be an evidence of sanctification from God’s perspective.
“For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.” (Mark 9:41)
Only a fool believes his faculties of spiritual perception are so keen that they afford him the liberty of declaring another man’s eternal state of grace. We should be mindful of this fact and conduct ourselves so that this accusation would never be leveled at us. The Lord has “abundant mercy.” (I Peter 1:3) In the last day, I believe that this fact will be born out in the eternal salvation of many who were regarded as “unsanctified” and “fruitless” in the eyes of haughty zealots.
- Elder Daniel Samons