--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let it be a settled principle ...that…" description: "\"Let it be a settled principle ...that men's salvation, if saved, is wholly of God; and that man's ruin, if lost, is wholly of himself.\" — J. C. Ryle" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/j-c-ryle-789_ifs_let-it-be-a-settled-principle-that-men-s_83323.png" --- # Let it be a settled principle ...that men's salvation, if… ![“Let it be a settled principle ...that men's salvation, if saved, is wholly of God; and that man's ruin, if lost, is wholly of himself.” quote by J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/j-c-ryle-789_ifs_let-it-be-a-settled-principle-that-men-s_83323.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/j-c-ryle-789_ifs_let-it-be-a-settled-principle-that-men-s_83323.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/134/j-c-ryle-789_ifs_let-it-be-a-settled-principle-that-men-s_83323.png) > “Let it be a settled principle ...that men's salvation, if saved, is wholly of God; and that man's ruin, if lost, is wholly of himself.” [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human destiny hinges entirely on divine grace for salvation and personal responsibility for ruin, emphasizing a binary moral framework. **In simple terms:** Salvation is divine; ruin is self‑inflicted. Key Takeaway Moral agency and divine sovereignty are exclusive causes of fate. Themes theology ethics human agency divine providence salvation ruin Mood solemn reflective inspirational Type theological aphoristic didactic When to use this quote - preaching sermons - personal reflection - ethical counseling - theological debate - spiritual formation Key Concepts free will predestination moral responsibility spiritual dependence Practical Applications - guiding moral decision‑making - shaping doctrinal teaching Questions to Reflect On - How does this view affect personal accountability? - What implications does it have for communal support? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Men Salvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men-salvation-1054516/) [Principles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/principles/) [Ruins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ruins/) [Salvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvation/) [Salvation Saved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvation-saved-342453/) [Saved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saved/) [Saved Wholly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saved-wholly-1054517/) [Wholly God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wholly-god-467792/) ## Related quotes > [“Everybody living at the orphanage . . . are fully convinced of the selection of men to salvation ex absoluto decreto. . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-martin-boltzius/everybody-living-at-the-orphanage-are-fully-convinced-of-the/) [Johann Martin Boltzius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-martin-boltzius/) > [There is but one Church in which men find salvation, just as outside the ark of Noah it was not possible for anyone to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/there-is-but-one-church-in-which-men-find-salvation-just-as-outside/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [You are not saved by the plan of salvation. You are saved by the man of salvation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/you-are-not-saved-by-the-plan-of-salvation-you-are-saved-by-the-man/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [I think books were my salvation, they saved me from being miserable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/i-think-books-were-my-salvation-they-saved-me-from-being-miserable/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [I believe in a cause that for a man to preach salvation, he must first be saved, for him to preach deliverance, he must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samule-kermis/i-believe-in-a-cause-that-for-a-man-to-preach-salvation-he-must-first/) [Samule Kermis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samule-kermis/) > [“If God has saved you, He has saved you by faith--plus nothing. God is not accepting any kind of good works for salvation. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-vernon-mcgee/if-god-has-saved-you-he-has-saved-you-by-faith-plus-nothing-god-is/) [J. Vernon McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-vernon-mcgee/) > [In salvation we are not only saved from sin and damnation; we are saved unto holiness. The goal of redemption is holiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/in-salvation-we-are-not-only-saved-from-sin-and-damnation-we-are/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [Worship is at heart a person offered to God, claiming no rights, making no more selfish demands than a dead man does, but living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-kendrick/worship-is-at-heart-a-person-offered-to-god-claiming-no-rights-making/) [Graham Kendrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-kendrick/) > [I do believe in Jesus as wholly God and wholly human, and I believe the human part was human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-mccrae/i-do-believe-in-jesus-as-wholly-god-and-wholly-human-and-i-believe/) [Shane McCrae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-mccrae/) > [Those who are wholly God's are always happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/those-who-are-wholly-god-s-are-always-happy/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [“Human will becomes truly creative and truly our own when it is wholly God’s, and this is one of the many senses in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis-2/human-will-becomes-truly-creative-and-truly-our-own-when-it-is-wholly/) [C.S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis-2/) > [You either belong wholly to the world or wholly to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vianney/you-either-belong-wholly-to-the-world-or-wholly-to-god/) [John Vianney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vianney/) > [It is when God appears to have abandoned us that we must abandon ourselves most wholly to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/it-is-when-god-appears-to-have-abandoned-us-that-we-must-abandon/) [Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/) > [We become Godlike to the extent we realize nonviolence, but we can never become wholly God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/we-become-godlike-to-the-extent-we-realize-nonviolence-but-we-can/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I ascribe my change wholly to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-ascribe-my-change-wholly-to-god/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) ## More by J. C. Ryle > [When a person’s tongue is extensively wrong, it is absurd, no less than unscriptural, to say that their heart is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/when-a-person-s-tongue-is-extensively-wrong-it-is-absurd-no-less-than/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Love should be the silver thread that runs through all your conduct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/love-should-be-the-silver-thread-that-runs-through-all-your-conduct/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Amidst the flood of dangerous reading, I plead for my Master's book; I call upon you not to forget the book of the soul.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/amidst-the-flood-of-dangerous-reading-i-plead-for-my-master-s-book-i/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Persecution, in short, is like the goldsmith's stamp on real silver and gold - it is one of the marks of a converted man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/persecution-in-short-is-like-the-goldsmith-s-stamp-on-real-silver-and/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [The parent who tries to train without setting a good example is building with one hand, and pulling down with the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/the-parent-who-tries-to-train-without-setting-a-good-example-is/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [We are all naturally self-righteous. It is the family disease of all the children of Adam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/we-are-all-naturally-self-righteous-it-is-the-family-disease-of-all/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Sunday morning, before we go to hear the Word of God preached...let us not rush into God’s presence careless, reckless, and unprepared, as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/sunday-morning-before-we-go-to-hear-the-word-of-god-preached-let-us/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [The true secret of spiritual strength is self-distrust and deep humilty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/the-true-secret-of-spiritual-strength-is-self-distrust-and-deep/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [That Bible is read best, which is practised most.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/that-bible-is-read-best-which-is-practised-most/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [O Christian, look up and take comfort. Jesus has prepared a place for you, and those who follow Him shall never perish, neither shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/o-christian-look-up-and-take-comfort-jesus-has-prepared-a-place-for/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Let your Christianity be so unmistakable, your eye so single, your heart so whole, your walk so straightforward, that all who see you may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/let-your-christianity-be-so-unmistakable-your-eye-so-single-your/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [That Bible is read best - which is practiced most!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/that-bible-is-read-best-which-is-practiced-most/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [If we would know whether our faith is genuine, we do well to ask ourselves how we are living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/if-we-would-know-whether-our-faith-is-genuine-we-do-well-to-ask/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [To be born again is, as it were, to enter upon a new existence, to have a new mind, a new heart, new views,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/to-be-born-again-is-as-it-were-to-enter-upon-a-new-existence-to-have/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Do not glory in your own faith, your own feelings, your own knowledge, or your own diligence. Glory in nothing but Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/do-not-glory-in-your-own-faith-your-own-feelings-your-own-knowledge/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) [Explore all 369 J. C. Ryle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) ## More Ifs quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. 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If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Many individuals spend a considerable portion of their lifetimes in terror of one imagined catastrophe or another. The classic is that your immortal soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-neil-smith/many-individuals-spend-a-considerable-portion-of-their-lifetimes-in/) [L. 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And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [If we gave up our freedom as the price of security, we would no longer be the great nation that we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-bader-ginsburg/if-we-gave-up-our-freedom-as-the-price-of-security-we-would-no-longer/) [Ruth Bader Ginsburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-bader-ginsburg/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. 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