J.C. Ryle “Warnings to the churches,” point 7:
7. BEWARE OF ANY TEACHING THAT OBSCURES THE DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
“Let us always beware of any teaching which either directly or indirectly obscures justification by faith. All religious systems which put anything between the heavy laden sinner and Jesus Christ the Savior, except simple faith, are dangerous and unscriptural. All systems which make out faith to be anything complicated, anything but a simple, childlike dependence, – the hand which receives the soul’s medicine from the physician, – are unsafe and poisonous systems. All systems which cast discredit on the simple Protestant doctrine which broke the power of Rome, carry about with them a plague-spot, and are dangerous to souls.”
Recall in my previous posts of Ryle’s “Warning to the churches” how he counts John Wesley a spiritual brother. This means Wesley and Ryle are unified in a “gospel” that nullifies the cross of Christ as a propitiation (cf. Romans 3:24-25).
Evidently in Ryle’s blinded estimate, Wesley’s denunciation of Christ as the end of law for righteousness (Romans 10:4) does NOT necessarily constitute an obscuring of justification by the propitiating blood and imputed righteousness of Jesus Christ.
Also implied in Ryle’s alleged warning is that “simple, childlike dependence” and “simple faith” means dependence or faith in an atonement that DOES NOT atone. Apparently to Ryle and other like-minded Calvinists, an atonement that ACTUALLY ATONES is some kind of novel or esoteric concept.
Agrammatos 