A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
Christianity asserts that every individual human being is going to live for ever, and this must be either true or false. Now there are a good many things which would not be worth bothering about if I were going to live only seventy years, but which I had better bother about very seriously if I am going to live for ever.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the eternal significance of human life and choices based on the belief in everlasting existence.
C. S. Lewis conveys the idea that the belief in everlasting life fundamentally changes how we approach our actions and priorities in this life. If we only live a limited number of years, many concerns may seem trivial. However, recognizing the possibility of eternal existence compels us to engage seriously with our choices and their implications for our spiritual and moral lives.
Themes
EternityChoicesSignificanceHuman LifeBelief
In practice
Example use cases
In a sermon about the importance of our actions, this quote could highlight the value of living a meaningful life.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes →I enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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