The carnal person fears man, not God. The strong Christian fears God, not man. The weak Christian fears man too much, and God too little.
Interpretation
This quote highlights the differing fears and priorities of individuals regarding their relationship with God and humans.
John Flavel's quote emphasizes the spiritual journey of a person in relation to faith and fear. It categorizes individuals based on their focus: the carnal person is preoccupied with the opinions and actions of others, fearing man over God; the strong Christian recognizes God's supremacy and fears Him above all else; while the weak Christian struggles with misplaced priorities, being overly concerned about human judgment and neglecting the awe and fear due to God. This encourages self-reflection on what governs one's actions and beliefs.
In practice
In a sermon discussing the importance of prioritizing God in our lives.
All the tears of a penitent sinner, should he shed as many as there have fallen drops of rain, since the creation, to this day, cannot wash away one sin. The everLasting burnings in hell, cannot purify the flaming conscience, from the least sin.
All the dark, intricate, puzzling providences at which we were sometimes so offended...we shall [one day] see to be to us, as the difficult passage through the wilderness was to Israel, "the right way to the city of habitation".
Providence is like a curious piece of tapestry made of a thousand shreds, which, single, appear useless, but put together, they represent a beautiful history to the eye.
Whatsoever we have over-loved, idolized, and leaned upon, God has from time to time broken it, and made us to see the vanity of it; so that we find the readiest course to be rid of our comforts is to set our hearts inordinately upon them.
It is the duty of the saints, especially in times of straights, to reflect upon the performances of Providence for them in all the states and through all the stages of their lives.
Providence so orders the case, that faith and prayer come between our wants and supplies, and the goodness of God may be the more magnified in our eyes thereby.
What can this world offer comparable with that insight into spiritual things, that keen faith, that heavenly peace, that high sanctity, that everlasting righteousness, that hope of glory, which they have, who in sincerity love and follow our Lord Jesus Christ?
Once you start describing nothingness, you end up with somethingness.
And that's why people read comics, to get away from the way life works, which is quite cruel and unheroic and ends in death.
Manβs rights can be violated only by the use of physical force. It is only by means of physical force that one man can deprive another of his life, or enslave him, or rob him, or prevent him from pursuing his own goals, or compel him to act against his own rational judgment.
I can concede that the government has no knowledge of the people, but I believe the people know less of the government. There are useless officials, evil, if you like, but there are also good ones, and these are not able to accomplish anything because they encounter an inert mass, the population that takes little part in matters that concern them.
One of Satan's greatest tools is pride: to cause a man or a woman to center so much attention on self that he or she becomes insensitive to his Creator or fellow beings. It is a cause for discontent, divorce, teenage rebellion, family indebtedness, and most other problems we face.
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