What They Said

“It is a great thing to be a Christian. The very name is a noble one, beyond all the noble names of earth. The thing itself is inconceivably blessed and glorious. Much, then, is expected of you. Do not disgrace the old family name. Do nothing unworthy of Him who represents you in heaven, and whom you represent on earth. He is faithful to you; be you so to Him. Let men know what a Lord and Master you serve. Be His witnesses; be His mirrors; be His living epistles. Let Him speak through you to the world. Let your life tell your fellow-men what He is, and what He is to you. Speak well of Him to men, as He speaks well of you to God. He has honoured you by giving you His name; He has blessed you by conferring on you sonship, and royalty, and an eternal heritage: see that you do justice to His love, and magnify His greatness.”

Horatius Bonar

“Our generation is overwhelmingly naturalistic.  There is an almost complete commitment to the concept of uniformity of natural causes in a closed system.  This is its distinguishing mark.  If we are not careful, even though we say we are biblical Christians and supernaturalists, nevertheless the naturalism of our generation tends to come in upon us.  It may infiltrate our thinking without our recognizing its coming, like a fog creeping in through a window opened only half an inch.  As soon as this happens, Christians begin to lose the reality of their Christian lives.”

Francis Schaeffer

(From: True Spirituality)

“What Christian men and women urgently need, in this hard-driven time, is to sit down in company with the Bible, and not only familiarize themselves with its contents, but hear through its verses the voice of their Redeemer and King speaking intimately to themselves. This will rekindle faith, and give wings to hope, and keep the flame of love aglow.”

Alexander Smellie

(1857-1923)

“The Christian is a person who makes it easy for others to believe in God.”

Robert Murray M'Cheyne

“A Christian is one who recognizes Jesus as the Christ, the Son of the living God, as God manifested in the flesh, loving us and dying for our redemption; a Christian is so affected by a sense of the love of this incarnate God as to be constrained to make the will of Christ the rule of his obedience and the glory of Christ the great end for which He lives.”

Charles Hodge

"The world today is looking for, and desperately needs, true Christians. I am never tired of saying that what the Church needs to do is not to organize evangelistic campaigns and attract outside people, but to begin herself to live the Christian life." 

Martyn Lloyd-Jones

"Remember you are God's sword -- His instrument -- I trust a chosen vessel unto Him to bear His name.  In great measure, according to the purity and perfections of the instrument will be the success.  It is not great talents God blesses so much as a greg likeness to Jesus.  A holy minister is an awful weapon in the hand of God."

Robert Murray M'Cheyene

(Written to Re. Dan. Edwards)