Martyn Quotes & Sayings

The tragedy is that many of us are living desperate Christian life. Sunday comes and we get some strength, and then we lose some on Monday; a good deal is gone by Tuesday and we wonder whether we have anything left. On Wednesday it has all gone and then we exist. Or perhaps refreshment comes in some other way, some meeting we attend, some friends we meet. Now that is the old order of things, that is not the new. He puts a well within us. We are not always drawing from somewhere outside. The well, the spring, goes on springing up from within into everlasting life. — Martyn

The ultimate test of my understanding of the scriptural teaching is the amount of time I spend in prayer. As theology is ultimately the knowledge of God, the more theology I know, the more it should drive me to seek to know God. Not to know about Him but to know Him! The whole object of salvation is to bring me to knowledge of God. If all my knowledge does not lead me to prayer there is something wrong somewhere. — Martyn

The man or woman who is born of God, who is regenerate, simply does not and cannot continue-abide-in a life of sin. They may backslide temporarily, but if they are born of God they will come back. It is as certain as that they have been born again. It is the way to test whether or not someone is born again. — Martyn

Our Gospel is a Gospel of blood; blood is the foundation; without it there is nothing. — Martyn

Do not expect, my friend, that the whole world will rejoice if you become Christian. You will probably receive enmity and hatred and persecution from certain people. It happened in the case of our Lord, and His followers must always be ready to meet it. — Martyn

We must not concentrate overmuch upon our feelings. Do not spend too much time feeling your own pulse taking your own spiritual temperature, do not spend too much time analyzing your feelings. That is the high road to morbidity. — Martyn

Faith holds on to truth and reason from what it knows to be fact. — Martyn

The true preacher does not seek for truth in the pulpit; he is there because he has found it. — Martyn

There is no 'love of God' for you unless you have repented or unless you do repent. Make no mistake about this. Do not rely or bank on God's love. It is only for the penitent; there is no entry into the kingdom of God except by repentance. — Martyn

The work of preaching is the highest and greatest and most glorious calling to which anyone can ever be called. — Martyn

Whether we like it or not, a breakdown in home-life will eventually lead to a breakdown everywhere. This is, surely, the most menacing and dangerous aspect of the state of society at this present time. Once the family idea, the family unit, the family life is broken up - once that goes, soon you will have no other allegiance. — Martyn

The most urgent need in the Christian Church today is true preaching; and as it is the greatest and most urgent need in the Church it is obviously the greatest need of the world also. — Martyn

The Christian must abstain from sin. It is as simple and direct as that. You have no right to say, 'I am weak, I cannot, and temptation is very powerful.' The answer of the New Testament is, Stop doing it! — Martyn

Love is not just a sentiment. Love is a great controlling passion and it always expresses itself in terms of obedience. — Martyn

Holiness is not something we are called upon to do in order that we may become something; it is something we are to do because of what we already are. — Martyn

Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire. — Martyn

Self, listen for moment, I will speak to you. — Martyn