J. C. Ryle - The Cross [Annotated, Updated]: Crucified with Christ, and Christ Alive in Me

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What the Apostle Paul Did Not Glory In

T he apostle Paul might have gloried in many things, if he had thought as some do today. If ever there was a person on earth who had something to boast of, that man was the great apostle of the Gentiles. If he did not dare to glory, who should?

He never gloried in his national privileges. He was a Jew by birth, as he tells us he was an Hebrew of Hebrews (Philippians 3:5). Like many of his brethren, he might have said, I have Abraham for my forefather. I am not a dark, unenlightened heathen; I am one of the favored people of God: I have been admitted into covenant with God by circumcision. I am a far better man than the ignorant Gentiles. But he never said that but declared those things which were gain to me, I counted loss for Christ (Philippians 3:7). He never gloried in anything of this kind. Never for one moment!

He never gloried in his own works. No one ever worked so hard for God as he did. He was more abundant in labors than any of the apostles ( 2 Corinthians 11:23 ). No living man ever preached so much, traveled so much, and endured so many hardships for Christs cause. No one ever converted so many souls, did so much good to the world, and made himself so useful to mankind. No father of the early church, no reformer, no Puritan, no missionary, no minister, no layman no one man could ever be named who did so many good works as the apostle Paul. But did he ever glory in them as if they were in the least meritorious and could save his soul? Never! Never for one moment!

He never gloried in his knowledge. He was a man of great natural gifts, and after he was converted, the Holy Spirit gave him even greater gifts. He was a mighty preacher, and a mighty speaker, and a mighty writer. He was as great with his pen as he was with his tongue. He could reason equally well with Jews and Gentiles. He could argue with infidels at Corinth, or Pharisees at Jerusalem, or the self-righteous people in Galatia. He knew many deep things. He had been in the third heaven and had heard unspeakable words (2 Corinthians 12:1-4). He had received the spirit of prophecy and could explain things yet to come. But did he ever glory in his knowledge as if it could justify him before God? Never! Never for one moment!

He never gloried in his graces. If ever there was one who abounded in graces, that man was Paul. He was full of love. How tenderly and affectionately he used to write. He could feel for souls like a mother or a nurse feeling for her child. He was a bold man. He cared not whom he opposed when truth was at stake. He cared not what risks he ran when souls could be won. He was a self-denying man in many watches, in hunger and thirst, in many fasts, in cold and nakedness (2 Corinthians 11:27). He was a humble man. He thought himself less than the least of all saints and the chief of sinners (Ephesians 3:8; 1 Timothy 1:15). He was a prayerful man. At the beginning of his epistles he expressed himself as a thankful man. His thanksgivings and his prayers walked side by side, but he never gloried in all this, never valued himself because of it, never rested his souls hopes on it. Oh no, never for a moment!

He never gloried in his churchmanship. If ever there was a good churchman, that man was Paul. He was a chosen apostle. He was a founder of churches and an ordainer of ministers: Timothy, Titus, and many elders received their first commission from his hands. He began services in many dark places, observed the Lords Supper, and held many meetings for prayer, and praise, and preaching. He set up the discipline in many young churches. Paul described qualifications for bishops and deacons and explained how to provide for widows and honor the elders (1 Timothy 3:1-5:25). But did he ever glory in his office and church standing? Does he ever speak as if his churchmanship would save him, justify him, remove his sins, and make him acceptable before God? Oh no, never! Never for a moment!

And now consider what I say. If the apostle Paul never gloried in any of these things, who in all the world, from one end to the other, has any right to glory in these qualities today? If Paul said, God forbid that I should glory in anything except the cross, who should dare to say, I have something to glory in; I am a better man than Paul?

Who is there among the readers of this small book that trusts in any goodness of his own? Who is there that is resting on his own accomplishments, his own morality, or his own performances of any kind? Who is there that is placing the weight of his soul on anything of his own in the smallest possible degree?

Who is there among the readers of this book that trusts in his church membership for salvation? Who values himself on his baptism, his attendance at the Lords Table, his church attendance on Sundays, or his daily services during the week and says to himself, What do I lack? Learn today that you are not like Paul. Your Christianity is not the Christianity of the New Testament. Paul would not glory in anything but the cross. Neither should you.

Oh, beware of self-righteousness. Open sin kills thousands of souls. Self-righteousness kills tens of thousands. Go and study humility with the great apostle of the Gentiles. Go and sit with Paul at the foot of the cross. Give up your secret pride. Cast away your vain ideas of your own goodness. Be thankful if you have grace, but never glory in it for a moment. Work for God and Christ with heart and soul and mind and strength, but never dream for a second of placing confidence in any work of your own.