Without the Spirit man is so infirm that he cannot, with all other means whatsoever, be enabled to think one right saving thought of God, of Christ, or of his blessed things.
John BunyanRead
Man indeed is the most noble, by creation, of all the creatures in the visible World; but by sin he has made himself the most ignoble.
Interpretation
Humans have the potential for greatness but can tarnish that potential through their actions.
This quote from John Bunyan reflects on the duality of human nature, suggesting that while humanity is created with noble qualities, individual choices, particularly sinful ones, can lead to a degradation of that nobility. It underscores the importance of moral responsibility and the impact of one's actions on their inherent value.
In practice
During a motivational speech about ethics and integrity in leadership.
Without the Spirit man is so infirm that he cannot, with all other means whatsoever, be enabled to think one right saving thought of God, of Christ, or of his blessed things.
I saw, moreover, that it was not my good frame of heart that made my righteousness better, nor my bad frame that made my righteousness worse; for my righteousness was Jesus Christ himself, the same yesterday and today and forever.
For to speak the truth, there are but few that care thus to spend their time, but choose rather to be speaking of things to no profit.
I saw a man clothed with rags . . . a book in his hand, and a great burden upon his back.
Look how fears have presented themselves, so have supports and encouragements; yea, when I have started, even as it were at nothing else but my shadow, yet God, as being very tender of me, hath suffered me to be molested, but would with one Scripture or another, strengthen me against all; insomuch that I have often said, Were it awful, I could pray for greater trouble, for the greater comfort's sake.
There can be but one will the master in our salvation, but that shall never be the will of man, but of God; therefore man must be saved by grace.
I was dying. Like all the other people who live in this world.
In the alchemy of man's soul almost all noble attributes- courage, honor, love, hope, faith, duty, loyalty, and so on - can be transmuted into ruthlessness. Compassion alone stands apart from the continuous traffic between good and evil proceeding within us. Compassion is the antitoxin of the soul: where there is compassion, even the most poisonous impulses remain relatively harmless.
Maher Arar's case stands as a sad example of how we have been too willing to sacrifice our core principles to overarching government power in the name of security, when doing so only undermines the principles we stand for and makes us less safe.
Instead of loaves of bread, many times God gives out handfuls of purpose.
But where are you going to, Helen? Can you see? Do you know?-I believe; I have faith: I am going to God.-Where is God? What is God?-My maker and yours, who will never destroy what He created. I rely implicitly on His power, and confide wholly in His goodness: I count the hours till that eventful one arrives which shall restore me to Him, reveal Him to me.
He thought that the rose was to be found in its own eternity and not in his words; and that we may mention or allude to a thing, but not express it.
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