Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just.
Blaise PascalRead
We must make good people wish that the Christian faith were true, and then show that it is.
Interpretation
What this quote means
We should inspire people to desire the truth of the Christian faith by embodying its principles in our lives.
Blaise Pascal suggests that to promote the Christian faith, it's not enough to simply argue for its validity; we must first cultivate a desire in people to believe in its truth. By living out the virtues and values of the Christian faith authentically, we can create a longing for those beliefs, thereby opening hearts and minds to the truths that the faith offers.
Themes
FaithTruthChristianityInspirationVirtue
In practice
Example use cases
In a sermon encouraging community service, one might reference this quote to illustrate the importance of embodying faith.
More from Blaise Pascal
All quotes βIf we submit everything to reason our religion will be left with nothing mysterious or supernatural. If we offend the principles of reason our religion will be absurd and ridiculous . . . There are two equally dangerous extremes: to exclude reason, to admit nothing but reason.
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Those are weaklings who know the truth and uphold it as long as it suits their purpose, and then abandon it.
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Jesus is the God whom we can approach without pride and before whom we can humble ourselves without despair.
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If he exalts himself, I humble him. If he humbles himself, I exalt him. And I go on contradicting him Until he understands That he is a monster that passes all understanding.
Blaise PascalRead
What use is it to us to hear it said of a man that he has thrown off the yoke that he does not believe there is a God to watch over his actions, that he reckons himself the sole master of his behavior, and that he does not intend to give an account of it to anyone but himself?
Blaise PascalRead
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