Matthew 5:13-20

1. True Christians are to be in the world like salt and light.
2. Beware of despising the Old Testament under any pretense whatsoever.
3. Beware of despising the law of the Ten Commandments.
4. Beware of supposing that the Gospel has lowered the standard of personal holiness.

"It will never do to idle through life, thinking and living like others, if we mean to be owned by Christ as His people. Have we grace? Then it must be seen. Have we the Spirit? Then there must be fruit. Have we any saving religion? Then there must be a difference of habits, tastes, and turn of mind, between us and those who think only of the world."

"The religion of the Old Testament is the embryo of Christianity. The Old Testament is the Gospel in the bud. The New Testament is the Gospel in full flower. The Old Testament is the Gospel in the blade. The New Testament is the Gospel in full ear. The saints in the Old Testament saw many things through a glass darkly. But they all looked by faith to the same Savior, and were led by the same Spirit as ourselves."

"The law of the Ten Commandments is God's eternal measure of right and wrong. By it, is the knowledge of sin. By it, the Spirit shows men their need of Christ, and drives them to Him. To it, Christ refers His people as their rule and guide for holy living. In its right place it is just as important as "the glorious Gospel.""

"The Christian who is content with a low standard of personal holiness has got much to learn."

Questions:

1. The Lord Jesus declares that those who follow him will be salt and light in the world, which Ryle highlights means that Christians must be distinct from the world. He says, "Have we grace? Then it must be seen. Have we the Spirit? Then there must be fruit. Have we any saving religion? Then there must be a difference of habits, tastes, and turn of mind, between us and those who think only of the world." If you are in Christ, what makes you distinct from those around you in your school or workplace or family? In what ways has belonging to Christ changed you?
2. In our day as in Ryle's, there are many who despise or cast aside the Old Testament. One way this is done even in the New Testament is when some consider the 'red letters' that is, the words that are recorded by Jesus, as more authoritative than the rest of Scripture. Yet, Ryle rightly says that "the religion of the Old Testament is the embryo of Christianity." Yes, we need to read the Old Testament rightly in light of the New Testament and it being fulfilled, but Leviticus is no less authoritative than John 3:16. Does this point come to you as shocking or as surprising that anyone would think otherwise? Is this an area you need to consider further?
3. Ryle points out that the 10 Commandments bring knowledge of sin, shows us our need for Christ, and also are the Christians guide for holy living. This is summed up nicely by someone who has said, "The law brings us to Christ for salvation, and then Christ brings us to the law for how to live." Throughout history, there has been a tendency to either try to be saved by obeying the law - legalism - or thinking that in Christ we no longer have anything to do with the law - antinomianism. Which one of these do you tend to side toward and struggle with the most?