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Those who teach by their doctrine must teach by their life, or else they pull down with one hand what they build up with the other.
Matthew Henry
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Interpretation

What this quote means

True teaching requires practicing what you preach to maintain integrity.

Matthew Henry emphasizes the importance of aligning one’s actions with their teachings. If educators or leaders fail to embody the principles they promote, they undermine their own messages and teachings, thereby creating a contradiction that weakens their influence and credibility. This highlights the necessity for authenticity in both words and actions in order to inspire and guide others effectively.

Themes

TeachingIntegrityAuthenticityActionsLeadership

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about personal integrity, one might quote this to emphasize authenticity.

More from Matthew Henry

A good man is willing to know the worst of himself, and particularly under affliction, desires to be told wherefore God contends with him and what God designs in correcting him.
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There is a burden of care in getting riches; fear in keeping them; temptation in using them; guilt in abusing them; sorrow in losing them; and a burden of account at last to be given concerning them.
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To wait on God is to live a life of desire toward Him, delight in Him, dependence on Him, and devotedness to Him.
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Scriptures were written, not to satisfy our curiosity and make us astronomers, but to lead us to God, and make us saints.
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What God requires of us he himself works in us, or it is not done. He that commands faith, holiness, and love, creates them by the power of his grace going along with his word, that he may have all the praise.
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No attribute of God is more dreadful to sinners than His holiness.
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