A LOT-LIKE RELIGION ABOUNDS

J.C. Ryle:

“You live in days when a lingering, Lot-like religion abounds. The stream of profession is far broader than it once was, but far less deep in many places. A certain kind of Christianity is almost fashionable now. To belong to some party in the Church of England, and show a zeal for its interests–to talk about the leading controversies of the day–to buy popular religious books as fast as they come out, and lay them on your table–to attend meetings–to subscribe to Societies–to discuss the merits of preachers–to be enthusiastic and excited about every new form of sensational religion which crops up–all these are now comparatively easy and common attainments. They no longer make a person singular. They require little or no sacrifice. They entail no cross. But to walk closely with God–to be really spiritually-minded–to behave like strangers and pilgrims–to be distinct from the world in employment of time, in conversation, in amusements, in dress–to bear a faithful witness for Christ in all places–to leave a savor of our Master in every society–to be prayerful, humble, unselfish, good-tempered, quiet, easily pleased, charitable, patient, meek–to be jealously afraid of all manner of sin, and tremblingly alive to our danger from the world–these, these are still rare things! They are not common among those who are called true Christians, and, worst of all, the absence of them is not felt and bewailed as it should be.” (Holiness)