I'm so thankful for the active obedience of Christ. No hope without it.
John Gresham MachenRead
What I need first of all is not exhortation, but a gospel, not directions for saving myself but knowledge of how God has saved me. Have you any good news? That is the question that I ask of you. I know your exhortations will not help me. But if anything has been done to save me, will you not tell me the facts?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of knowledge over mere encouragement, seeking understanding of salvation rather than just directions to attain it.
John Gresham Machen expresses a deep desire for actual knowledge and facts about salvation rather than motivational advice or encouragement. He indicates that understanding how one is saved is far more valuable than simply being told to save oneself, highlighting the need for concrete truths over inspirational rhetoric in spiritual matters.
Themes
KnowledgeSalvationTruthFaithWisdom
In practice
Example use cases
In a religious discussion about faith and salvation, to emphasize the need for concrete understanding rather than just encouragement.
More from John Gresham Machen
All quotes →Faith is indeed intellectual; it involves an apprehension of certain things as facts; and vain is the modern effort to divorce faith from knowledge. But although faith is intellectual, it is not only intellectual. You cannot have faith without having knowledge; but you will not have faith if you have only knowledge.
John Gresham MachenRead
The more we know of God, the more unreservedly we will trust him; the greater our progress in theology, the simpler and more child-like will be our faith
John Gresham MachenRead
Vastly more important than all questions with regard to methods of preaching is the root question as to what it is that shall be preached.
John Gresham MachenRead
I see with greater and greater clearness that consistent Christianity is the easiest Christianity to defend
John Gresham MachenRead
Christ died"--that is history; "Christ died for our sins"--that is doctrine. Without these two elements, joined in an absolutely indissoluble union, there is no Christianity.
John Gresham MachenRead
Similar quotes
You come to the master only in deep humbleness, because learning is possible only in humbleness. You have come to surrender, not to perform, not to manipulate, not to impress.
RajneeshRead
I think it's easy to stop smoking; it's just hard not to commit a felony after you stop.
David Foster WallaceRead
Bring forward what is true, Write it so that it is clear, Defend it to your last breath!
Ludwig BoltzmannRead
Good news is rare these days, and every glittering ounce of it should be cherished and hoarded and worshipped and fondled like a priceless diamond.
Hunter S. ThompsonRead
The pain of problems is a call to find solutions rather than a reason for unhappiness and inaction, so it's silly, pointless, and harmful to be upset at the problems and choices that come at you (though it’s understandable).
Ray DalioRead
When the eye is unobstructed, the result is sight. When the ear is unobstructed, the result is hearing. When the mind is unobstructed the result is truth. When the heart is unobstructed, the result is joy and love.
Anthony De MelloRead