Quotes from Charles R. Ringma

Receiving the grace of God never means that we continue with the way things were before. It separates us from the old; it never justifies the old. It embraces the new and calls the old into question.

A hardship mentality can make us narrow and defensive. A success and prosperity mentality can make us selfish. An attitude of thankfulness to God, for what He gives us, can make us truly generous.

The lie of the devil consists of this: that he wishes to make man believe that he can live without Gods word. " —TEMPTATION

By sheer grace, God will not permit us to live even for a brief period in a dream world. " —LIFE TOGETHER

Christ comes indeed, and opens up his own way, no matter whether man is ready beforehand or not. No-one can hinder his coming, but we can resist his coming in mercy. " —ETHICS

Daily, quiet reflection on the word of God as it applies to me ... becomes for one a point of crystallisation for everything which gives interior and exterior order to my life." —MEDITATING ON THE WORD

We should never argue with the devil about our sins, but we should speak about our sins only with Jesus." —TEMPTATION

In a world where success is the measure and justification of all things, the figure of him who was sentenced and crucified remains a stranger and is at best the object of pity.

3 "This is what I mean by worldliness—taking life in one's stride, with all its duties and problems.... It is in such a life that we throw ourselves utterly into the arms of God and participate in his sufferings in the world." —LETTERS AND PAPERS FROM PRISON

Has the fellowship served to make the individual free, strong, and mature, or has it made him weak and dependent? Has it taken him by the hand for a while in order that he may learn again to walk by himself, or has it made him uneasy and unsure?" —LIFE TOGETHER

The devil fears a roof of thatch beneath which the church is at prayer more than he does a splendid church in which many masses are celebrated. " —SANCTORUM COMMUNIO

There is no place to which the Christian can withdraw from the world, whether it be outwardly or in the sphere of the inner life. Any attempt to escape from the world must sooner or later be paid for with a sinful surrender to the world." —ETHICS

In the temptation of Jesus, there really remains nothing except God's word and promise.

Those who are still afraid of men have no fear of God and those who have fear of God have ceased to be afraid of men." —THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

Every day in which I do not penetrate more deeply into the knowledge of God's word in holy scripture is a lost day for me. I can only move forward with certainty upon the firm ground of the word of God. " —MEDITATING ON THE WORD

God has called each one of us to his work in his time." —NO RUSTY SWORDS

Christ ... is truth spoken in the concrete moment, the address which puts a man in the truth before God. " —CHRISTOLOGY

To be in Christ ... means to be in the church." —THE COST OF DISCIPLESHIP

Faith means being held captive by the sight of Jesus Christ." —ETHICS

My burden is borne by the others; their strength is my strength; when I falter and fail, the faith of the church comes to my aid." —SANCTORUM COMMUNIO

Discipline is not so much the way by which we are constrained, but the way we channel our energy in a particular direction.

The devil... takes the word of God's grace in his hand and whispers to us: God is a God of grace; he will not take our sins so seriously.

To be a Christian does not mean to be religious in a particular way, to cultivate some particular form of asceticism ... but to be a man." —LETTERS AND PAPERS FROM PRISON

You are a sinner, a great, desperate sinner; now come, as the sinner that you are to God who loves you. He wants you as you are; he does not want anything from you, a sacrifice, a work; he wants you alone. " —LIFE TOGETHER