It is the distinguishing glory of Christianity not to rest satisfied with superficial appearances, but to rectify the motives, and purify the heart.
William WilberforceRead
There is no shortcut to holiness; it must be the business of our whole lives.
Interpretation
Holiness requires a lifelong commitment and cannot be achieved through quick fixes.
This quote by William Wilberforce emphasizes that attaining holiness is not a simple or quick endeavor; rather, it demands a persistent and dedicated effort throughout our lives. It highlights the notion that genuine spiritual growth and moral integrity are built over time through consistent choices and lifestyle rather than through fleeting actions or shortcuts.
In practice
In a sermon on personal growth, one might say, 'Remember, there is no shortcut to holiness; it must be the business of our whole lives.'
It is the distinguishing glory of Christianity not to rest satisfied with superficial appearances, but to rectify the motives, and purify the heart.
God Almighty has set before me two great objects: the suppression of the slave trade and the reformation of manners.
The first years in Parliament I did nothing - nothing to any purpose. My own distinction was my darling object.
In an age in which infidelity abounds, do we observe parents carefully instructing their children in the principles of faith which they profess? Or do they furnish their children with arguments for the defense of that faith? ...it is not surprising to see them abandon a position which they are unable to defend.
No one expects to attain to the height of learning, or arts, or power, or wealth, or military glory, without vigorous resolution, strenuous diligence, and steady perseverance. Yet we expect to be Christians without labour, study, or inquiry.
O what a blessing is Sunday, interposed between the waves of worldly business like the divine path of the Israelites through the sea! There is nothing in which I would advise you to be more strictly conscientious than in keeping the Sabbath day holy. I can truly declare that to me the Sabbath has been invaluable.
To become a philosopher, start by walking very slowly.
Bad facts make bad law, and people who write bad laws are in my opinion more dangerous than songwriters who celebrate sexuality. Freedom of speech, freedom of religious thought, and the right to due process for composers, performers and retailers are imperiled if the PMRC and the major labels consummate this nasty bargain.
That which exists possesses identity; he could keep it out of existence by refusing to identify it.
Nothing except a battle lost can be half so melancholy as a battle won.
If the history of resistance to Darwinian thinking is a good measure, we can expect that long into the future, long after every triumph of human thought has been matched or surpassed by 'mere machines,' there will still be thinkers who insist that the human mind works in mysterious ways that no science can comprehend.
The virtues of men are of more consequence to society than their abilities, and for this reason, the heart should be cultivated with more assiduity than the head.
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