Knots Untied: Being Plain Statements On

Why are J. C. Ryle's works so popular after over a century? Firstly, he expounded timeless Biblical truths using scripture, and secondly, he employed simple, concise, direct language. In "Knots Untied" Ryle explains what he means by "Evangelical" and presents and justifies the evangelical understanding of salvation, private judgement, baptism, regeneration, the Lord's supper, the real presence, the church, priests, confession, worship, the Sabbath, fallibility of ministers, idolatry, and other points. This classic is an excellent start for one wishing to understand or critique the evangelical position.

While most people are usually familiar with the latter three (especially "Holiness"), "Knots Untied" has for the most part fallen by the wayside. The irony here is that "Knots" went through ten editions in its first eleven years, and to this day many consider it to be J.C. Ryle's magnum opus!

Because “Knots” is a systematic defense of confessional Christianity, as opposed to the chaos which marks the modern church, perhaps it could be argued that its fall in popularity is simply a reflection of contemporary Christians’ antagonism to orthodoxy. However this may be, one thing is certain: “Knots Untied” is a remarkable witness for the evangelical faith—a witness that if heeded could only benefit the Church.