Old Paths by J. C. Ryle Review
I recorded this review on Resurrection Sunday, which felt fitting. This was my second time reading Old Paths, and once again I was struck by how Ryle preaches Christ: Christ crucified, His resurrection, the atonement, propitiation, the forgiveness of sin. What better thing to talk about on the day we celebrate the risen Lord?
What the book is
Old Paths is Ryle's account of the doctrines a person must believe to be a true, orthodox Christian: the inspiration of Scripture, sin, justification, faith, the work of Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, among others. If you're studying Ryle, it's a crucial book, because in it he tells you plainly not only what Christians should believe, but what he himself believed.
A few things I marked
Ryle's great influence was the Puritan Robert Traill, and Ryle quotes him to say that it is impossible for people to believe in Christ too soon. It can be too late; it can never be too soon.
I also loved Ryle's test for any new teaching: ask, where is the Lamb? and where is the Holy Ghost? That's a good test for a new church or a new idea. If the answer leaves Christ and the Spirit out and puts man at the center, beware.
He also warns that human nature would always rather lean on a visible minister than an invisible Christ. Ministers are a gift from God, but we lean on Christ first.
Ryle on the doctrines of grace
The book includes Ryle's own positions on the doctrines of grace. On the atonement, he confesses that he holds to particular redemption, that none are effectually redeemed but God's elect, while holding just as strongly that Christ's atoning work is sufficient for all mankind, and he warns against making the way to heaven narrower than it really is. That balance shaped my own thinking.
His chapters on election and on the perseverance of the saints are full of Scripture, one passage after another. He's clear that true believers will still fall into sin, grow weary and doubt. But no one who is truly joined to Christ will ever be lost.
Do I recommend it?
Absolutely. I don't agree with Ryle on everything, but his work is phenomenal, and Christ is honored on every page. If you'd like to read Ryle for yourself, our Ryle Resources are a good place to start.
Soli Deo Gloria!
