The Presentation of the Bride - Leonard Ravenhill
Ravenhill preached that Romans 7 was a self-centered funeral march, but Romans 8 was a Christ-centered wedding march! He was grieved with how the “self-pity, self -interest, self-seeking, self-concern, me-first" Christianity was always excusing themselves to sin!
Biblical TheologyNov 1, 2013Updated Sep 3, 2026
Morning "quiet times" were a heartless perusal through scripture for many, that is, until the late generation heard the exasperated cry of Ravenhill! This man was different. He arose to withstand lukewarmness by 8 hours of prayer a day at the height of his ministry! Can you believe it? Hear it in his voice. Ravenhill preached with bitter pain and strong commands, and it made the proudest pastor bow in shame.
Powerhouses of human intelligence were denounced as powerless, seminaries were made to feel cold and godless like as a cemetery is lifeless, and classroom religion felt unclean, appalling, and sour! Why? Men congregated to hear Ravenhill pray, weep, and preach, holding their breath in awe. "I can read the map in the back of my Bible, and weep," he cried! God's people who were divided by theological and doctrinal disagreement could all agree to this: Leonard Ravenhill was a voice sent by God!
A Peculiar Burden
Contrary to most preachers of past generations, he was burdened... not for the lost, merely, but for the Church. Certainly, he prayed for a move of God that would sweep sinners into the Kingdom by the thousands! But he argued that this glory is ordained to come from the lamp - The Church - whose flame is now flickering, sickly, and nigh unto termination. Therefore, in summary, this was Ravenhill's burden: SAVE THE CHURCH and you will SAVE THE WORLD!
"The greatest tragedy, ever, is a sick Church in a dying world." — Leonard Ravenhill
"...knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked..." — Revelation 3:17
“The Church is blind tonight. Dear God, if we believed in hell this place would be packed out tonight. We’re blind to eternity. We’re blind to the fact that we have an obligation to 5 billion people in the world that we’ll never reach the way we’re going. The Church is wretched and blind - what do you think Jesus feels looking at His Bride tonight? He’s not coming for a limping, lame, ragged woman! He’s coming for a pure Church, a holy Bride. It’s not that we’ve got a passion for Jesus, that’s a lie from hell, and the hindrance to His coming tonight is because the Church is impure. He’s not coming for an impure Church. He’s not coming for a blind old woman that is creeping around for help…that has no sense of danger, no sense of her obligation, and if she has, what can a blind person do, and wretched in the sight of God!?” — Leonard Ravenhill
"...Christ also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it; That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish" — Ephesians 5:25-27
Ravenhill was most famous for communicating his burden for the Church by addressing her as "The Bride of Christ". Everything that he sought after was often communicated through this spiritual and metaphorical lens. He was obsessed with the promises of God given to the Bride, who will, as scripture states, make "herself ready" and Ravenhill was utterly persuaded that she was then, for a long time, UNREADY, UNHOLY, and IMPURE!
The Bride's Qualifications
How often do Christians excuse themselves because of their understanding of Romans chapter 7?
Ravenhill preached that was a self-centered funeral march, but was a Christ-centered wedding march! He was grieved with how the “self-pity, self -interest, self-seeking, self-concern, me-first"Christianity was always excusing themselves to sin! He sought to rebuke and alarm them by scathing rebukes, some of which are quoted below:
“There’s only two kinds of people in the world, those who are dead in sin and those who are dead to sin."- LR
"Get rid of this bunkum about 'carnal Christian'. Forget it! If you're carnal, you're not saved."- LR
"Do you think Paul finished out his days, 'Oh wretched man that I am?' He said in Romans 7, 'It's not I but sin dwelling in me.' In Galatians, he said, 'It's not I it's Christ living in me.' You can't have the indwelling Christ who is indwelling carnality - one has to get out of the way! Who preaches salvation? We're preaching forgiveness!"- LR
“We pray that some of us may go to our own funeral tonight, and die to self, and end all the failure and all the weakness”– LR
"When Jesus comes for the Bride, He's not coming for every believer, I'm assured of that."- LR
“Do you think Jesus died for this dirty, rotten system we call Christianity? Not on your life!”– LR
“People say the Church is dead - it isn’t dead! It is worse than dead! She’s poor, and wretched, and naked.”- LR
Leonard had an "understanding" in which God "enlightened" him - with a revelation - and it was of "the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints" and because he saw this, he felt what was truth, truth which most don't even believe: that it is a crime to be poor when Christ is rich; to be weak with Christ is strong; to be impotent with Christ is "exceeding greatness" of "power" to be drowning when Christ was overcoming. He understood that these things, and things like them, were purchased by the blood of Christ! Therefore, a life without them is a crime against God! What Ravenhill saw in "the Church" today was an exceeding contradiction to what he saw in scripture.
In Thy Storehouse - by Ravenhill
There are riches in Thy storehouse,
But my Lord we are so poor.
There is power in Thy storehouse,
But the cripple clothes our door.
There is wisdom in Thy storehouse,
But in ignorance we grope.
There's revival in Thy storehouse,
But we've millions without hope.
There is freedom in Thy storehouse,
But Thy people are so bound.
There is glory in Thy storehouse,
But it does not shine around.
There is love within Thy storehouse,
But Thy people are so dry.
There's compassion in Thy storehouse-
Then, my Savior, why, oh, why
Are Thy people stony-hearted
And our eyes so desert dry?
After listening to the two recordings above, can I ask you, my reader, are you serious to answer such a call? God is calling, but have we answered His call? Have you reformed your entire life around seeking after and obtaining a move of God? If we sacrifice ALL to lay hold upon the means of grace which are available to us in Christ, then peradventure God - The Sovereign - would apprehend us! It grieves my soul how Ravenhill did often mingle jokes with the most searing things he preached, but he did not do this in his old age! When he was nearer and nearer, looking death right in the face, he sobered up! He was weary of the jokes, the lies, the games, the facade of lip-service Christianity, all the powerless revival meetings with a purposeless people, going home and sleeping well... people who are heartless, careless, prayerless! God have mercy! My reader, what about you? Are you playing games with the God of Acts? Perhaps you never will wake up from spiritual sleep until you acknowledge - YOU MUST!
The Bridal Qualifications Determine the Eternal Destiny of Individuals
“The Christian must say 'NO' to the whole world system which is but damnation frosted with the glitter of success and illuminated with scientific luster. He remembers that it is worm-eaten with depravity and has God's sentence of death upon it.” — Leonard Ravenhill
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