The Way to God and How to Find It · Chapter
The Two Classes explained
Moody categorizes inquirers into two classes: the self-righteous (Pharisee) and the convicted (publican).
What happens
Moody categorizes inquirers into two classes: the self-righteous (Pharisee) and the convicted (publican). He emphasizes the necessity of faith, which involves knowledge, assent, and appropriation, and illustrates how belief in Christ brings assurance of salvation and eternal life.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
The emotional/psychological peak occurs in the stark diagnosis of the backslider’s condition—their ear is “unc…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Faith and Belief in Christ
Faith is defined as knowledge, assent, and appropriation, and is essential for receiving eternal life.
- Assurance of Salvation
Believers can have boldness in the day of judgment because they have passed from death to life.
- Human Inability and Divine Grace
All have sinned and fall short of God's glory, but grace is available through faith in Christ.
Characters to notice
- Moody
Moody addresses the two classes of inquirers and shares a personal story of a self-righteous man's conviction.
- Jesus Christ
Christ is presented as the object of faith, the giver of eternal life, and the one who has conquered death.
- Paul
Paul's writings are quoted to show the universality of sin and the need for salvation.
- Maggie
Maggie's story illustrates childlike trust and recognition of the father's voice, paralleling faith in God.
- Adam
Adam is referenced to contrast the inheritance lost in Paradise with the greater inheritance of the redeemed.
Key passages
“If a man simply give his assent to the plan of salvation, it will not save him: he must accept Christ as his Saviour.”
Merely agreeing with the gospel is not enough; one must personally receive Christ as Savior.
Moody emphasizes the need for appropriation, not just intellectual assent.
“Faith is a belief in testimony. It is not a leap in the dark, as some tell us.”
Faith is trusting in evidence, not an irrational jump into uncertainty.
Moody counters the idea that faith is blind, grounding it in the testimony of God.
