Connor Lawrence > Recent Status Updates

Chapter 2 is fantastic. So refreshing and full of the gospel, and how the peace and security that comes through Christ leads to a life of freedom to love God and others “without trying to score points.”

Not everyday that I read 65 pages of any book, much less one on the Trinity. However, even if I wasn’t doing that to prep a lesson, I still might have anyways, because this book is absolutely INCREDIBLE.

Chapter 2: The Necessity of Church Membership

Historical precedent from the Reformed confessions, covenantal principle throughout the Bible, NT presuppositions and practice.

“How can I claim to love Christ if I’m not willing to commit myself to his body, the church?” (51)

Chapter I: The Nature of Church Membership

The church is: (1) invisible (made up of all the elect), (2) visible (universal/catholic, consisting of professing believers and their children), and (3) local (expression of visible church with 3 marks of being a true church). Also church membership is not primarily sociological (about my relationship with others), but theological (about my relationship with God).

Chapter VI — on growth in grace. (1) There is such a thing as growth in grace for the Christian; (2) there are certain marks by which this growth can be shown forth; (3) there are specific means to be used by any who desires to grow in grace.

Read Chapter 5 (“The Cost”). (1) What it costs to be a true Christian; (2) the importance of counting the cost; (3) helps and encouragements that the cost is worth paying for the sake of Christ.

Chapter 4 — on “the fight” of the Christian life. Both super convicting and super equipping/encouraging to fight the glorious fight of the Christian warfare through faith in Christ, no matter what difficulties we may face.

Read Chapter 3 on “Holiness.” Ryle is a powerful and incisive, yet also tender and judicious, writer and pastor. His theological and practical writings most certainly carry the “light and heat” of the earlier Puritan tradition that he stands so much in the room of.