J.C. Ryle: Cry to God for Mercy

It is useless to say you cannot pray till you have faith and a new heart, and that you must sit still and wait for them. This is to add sin to sin. It is bad enough to be unconverted and going to hell. It is even worse to say, "I know it, but will not cry for mercy." This is a kind of argument for which there is not warrant in scripture. "Call ye upon the Lord," saith Isaiah, "while He is near" (Isa. 55:6). "Take with you words, and turn unto the Lord," says Hosea (Hos. 14:2). "Repent and pray," says Peter to Simon Magus (Acts 8:22). If you want faith and a new heart, go and cry to the Lord for them. The very attempt to pray has often been the quickening of a dead soul.--JC Ryle, A Call to Prayer, pg. 22

Comments (9)

wow.

Posted by Eleanor | April 18, 2009 3:50 PM

^^What she said.

Posted by Josiah Faas | April 18, 2009 7:51 PM

I have brought my Buddhist buddy to Church once a month for a year... He loves to come, loves to pray, loves to worship God in song... but has not accept Christ.

Ryle's words express my heart.

Posted by yipeng | April 19, 2009 9:36 AM

I have brought my Buddhist buddy to Church once a month for a year... He loves to come, loves to pray, loves to worship God in song... but has not accept Christ.

Ryle's words express my heart.

Posted by yipeng | April 19, 2009 9:36 AM

Keep on praying so the Holy Spirit open up his heart for Jesus and be thankful. At least your buddy still goes to the church.

Posted by vera | April 19, 2009 10:24 PM

Great stuff and prompts me to be yet more intentional in my prayers. Thanks.

Posted by David Cooke | April 22, 2009 3:56 AM

Great stuff and prompts me to be yet more intentional in my prayers. Thanks.

Posted by David Cooke | April 22, 2009 3:56 AM

Well...I am a Christian and I 95% convinced I may have committed the unpardonable sin when I was told by the Holy Spirit not to look on porn one morning and I resisted the convicted and did it anyway. I felt literally the presence of the Holy Spirit leaving me. Now its like I feel dry and dead and empty and lost and the only thing I am resolved to do is "CRY OUT TO GOD FOR MERCY" in hopes that I may be restored. Anybody...tell me what you think

Posted by Omar Mustafa | August 11, 2009 8:19 PM

Omar,

It's good to be convicted over sin, but God-given conviction leads to repentance and FAITH, not despair. The sin against the Spirit that is unpardonable is an unrelenting denial and opposition to his work. That is not what you did.

1 John 1:9-10 says, " If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Receive God's forgiveness for your sin. Allow God's word to inform your perspective.

Joshua

Posted by Joshua Harris | August 12, 2009 2:40 AM

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