Classic Christian Quotes from Classic Ministers

Classic Christian Quotes from Classic Ministers


How to conquer the world!

(Thomas Brooks, "The Unsearchable Riches of Christ!")

Perhaps the world--the smiling world or the frowning world, the tempting world or the persecuting world--lies as a heavy stone or burden upon your heart, as it does upon the hearts of thousands in these days. Witness their attempting anything to get the favors, honors and riches of this world! Ah! how many have turned their backs upon God, and Christ, and Heaven--to gain the world!
Men may hear many sermons--and yet remain worldly.
They may pray like angels--and yet live as if there were no Heaven nor Hell.
They will talk much of Heaven--and yet those who are spiritual and wise, smell their breath to stink strongly of earth.

All their endeavors can never cure them of this soul-killing disease--until faith breaks forth in its glorious actings. A man may hear sermons and pray many years--and yet remain as carnal, base, and worldly as ever! There is no way under Heaven to remove this burden--but by the exercise of faith!

"For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God." 1 John 5:4-5

Faith presents the world to the soul under all those notions which the Scripture holds forth the world unto us by. The Scripture holds forth the world as . . .
  an impotent thing,
  as a mixed thing,
  as a mutable thing,
  as a momentary thing.
Now faith comes and sets this home with power upon the soul--and this takes the soul off from the world.

Faith causes the soul to converse with those more glorious, soul-satisfying, soul-delighting, and soul-contenting objects! Now when faith is busied and exercised about soul-ennobling, soul-greatening, soul-raising, and soul-cheering objects--a Christian tramples the world under his feet! In Hebrews 11, it was the exercise of faith and hope upon noble and glorious objects, which carried them above the world . . .
  above the smiling world,
  above the frowning world,
  above the tempting world,
  and above the persecuting world!

Faith conquers the world, by assuring the soul of enjoying of better things. Men may talk much of Heaven, and of Christ, and religion, etc.; but give me a man who really and clearly lives under the power of divine faith--and I cannot see how such a one can be carried out in an inordinate love to these poor transitory worldly things.
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Go dogs, and eat the garbage!

(Charles Spurgeon)

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers.
 For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common?
 Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
 What harmony is there between Christ and Belial?
 What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever?
 What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?
'Therefore come out from them and be separate,' says the Lord. 'Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you will be My sons and daughters,' says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

I believe that one reason why the church at this present moment has so little influence over the world, is because the world has so much influence over the church! Nowadays, we hear mere professors pleading that they may do this, and do that--that they may live like worldlings. My sad answer to them, when they crave this liberty is, "Do it if you dare. It may not cost you much hurt, for you are so bad already. Your worldly cravings show how rotten your hearts are! If you are hungering after such dog's food--go dogs, and eat the garbage!"

Worldly amusements are fit food for pretenders and hypocrites.

If you were God's children, you would loathe the thought of the world's evil joys. Your question would not be, "How far may we be like the world?" but your cry would be, "How can we get away from the world? How can we come out of it?"

"Whatever is true,
 whatever is noble,
 whatever is right,
 whatever is pure,
 whatever is lovely,
 whatever is admirable,
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy
--think about such things!" Philippians 4:8
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You were fitter to be loathed, than loved!

(Thomas Boston, "Human Nature in its Fourfold State")

Call to mind the state you were in formerly. "Remember that at that time you were without Christ . . . having no hope and without God in the world." Ephesians 2:12

You are no longer a child of wrath--but an heir of God, and joint heir with Christ!

Remember--that in the day our Lord first took you by the hand, you were in no better a condition than others. O, what moved Him to take you--when He passed by so many others who were much better than you? He found you a child of wrath, even as others--but He did not leave you so. He came into the common prison where you lay in fetters, even as others. From among the multitude of condemned malefactors, He picked you out, commanded your fetters to be taken off, put a pardon in your hand, and brought you into the glorious liberty of the children of God--while He left others in the devil's fetters!

Remember--there was nothing in you to engage Him to love you, in the day He appeared for your deliverance. You were a child of wrath, even as others. You were fit for Hell, and altogether unfit for Heaven! Yet the King brought you into His palace. The King's Son loved you, a condemned criminal, and espoused you to Himself--on the day in which you might have been led forth to eternal execution! "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight!"

Remember--you were fitter to be loathed, than loved, in that day. Be amazed and wonder--that when He saw you in your blood, that He did not look upon you with abhorrence and pass you by!

Remember--it was He who took off your prison garments, and clothed you with robes of righteousness, garments of salvation! He took the chains from off your arms, the rope from around your neck; and put you in such a dress, as you might be fit for the court of Heaven--even to eat at the King's table!

Admire that matchless love which brought you out of the state of wrath! Christ's love brought your soul from the pit of corruption! He gave His life for your life. He gave His precious blood to quench the flames of wrath--which otherwise would have forever consumed you! He took you out of the horrible pit, and out of the miry clay. How broad was that love, which covered such a multitude of sins! See . . .
  the length of it--reaching from everlasting to everlasting;
  the depth of it--going so low as to deliver you from the lowest Hell;
  the height of it--raising you up to sit in heavenly places!

That your soul is not overwhelmed with the wrath of God, is owing purely to Jesus Christ! That your heart is not filled with horror and despair, is owing to Him alone! That . . .
  your eyes are not now blinded with the smoke of the bottomless pit;
  your hands not now fettered with adamantine chains of darkness;
  your tongue is not now broiling in the fire of Hell; and
  your feet are not now standing in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone--is owing purely to Jesus Christ!

Walk humbly, as it befits debtors to free grace!

You have no reason to complain of your lot in the world, whatever it is.
Well may you bear the cross for Him . . . .
  who bore your curse;
  who has freed you from eternal wrath;
  and who has quenched Hell-fire for you!