Noteworthy Quotations

Eric Liddell
The Disciplines of the Christian Life (1936)

1. The Christian life should be a life of growth. I believe that the secret of this growth is to develop the devotional life. This involves setting aside time each day for prayer and Bible study. The time need not be long, but it should be unhurried. We should come to it in an honest spirit, prepared to face the challenge of God's Word as it lays dows a way of life, and prepared to face any inconsistencies in our lives which make them un-Christlike.

2. Obedience to God's Will is the secret of spiritual knowledge and insight. It is not willingness to know, but willingness to do (obey) God's Will that brings certainty.

Peter Marshall

1. God will not permit any troubles to come upon us, unless He has a specific plan by which great blessing can come out of the difficulty.

2. Most of us know perfectly well what we ought to do; our trouble is that we do not want to do it.

John Angell James
Christian Love (1828)

1. It is a very common supposition that it is an easy thing to be a Christian. And if to be a Christian were nothing more than . . .
going to a place of worship,
indulging in pious emotions,
subscribing to religious institutions, and
professing certain religious opinions,
--the supposition would be correct--
for nothing is more easy than all this!

But if the spirit of true piety is . . .
poverty of spirit,
humility,
self-abasement,
forgiveness of insults,
patience under provocation,
penitence,
meekness,
purity,
peaceableness,
thirsting after righteousness,
--then must it be obvious to everyone who knows his own heart, that to be a true Christian is the most difficult thing in the world!

2. There are delusive signs of spiritual health and vigor.

Increased ability and disposition to 'talk of religion' in the way of explaining and defending its doctrines, may be mistaken for an increased influence of it in the heart. Yet this may be nothing but the working of pride, or an effusion of vanity.

To have a knowledge of the truths of Scripture, without an experience of their influence upon the heart, is only walking to the bottomless pit with the torch of truth in our right hand!

Zeal for some peculiar notions or forms, may be thought to be pure concern for God's glory. Yet all the while it may only be the most rancorous party spirit.

Liberality in giving may be merely self-righteousness or ostentation.

Undeviating formality may be erroneously thought to be ardent devotion.

Enthusiastic attachment to some novel opinion, may be erroneously supposed to be spirituality of mind.

These are but a few specimens of the errors into which people fall, in judging spiritual health and vigor. And they tend to show the vast importance of our having a scriptural knowledge of the correct tests of personal godliness.