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As a body without breath is a corpse, so the church without the Spirit is dead.
John Stott
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote highlights the essential role of the Holy Spirit in giving life to the church, similar to how breath is vital for a body.

John Stott emphasizes that just as a body is lifeless without breath, a church is without purpose and vitality if it lacks the presence of the Holy Spirit. This serves as a metaphorical warning that spiritual life and guidance are essential for the church to thrive and fulfill its mission.

Themes

SpiritChurchLifeBreathFaith

In practice

Example use cases

In a sermon discussing the importance of spiritual vitality in congregations.

More from John Stott

We must be global Christians with a global vision because our God is a global God.
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Mission arises from the heart of God Himself and is communicated from His heart to ours. Mission is the global outreach of the global people of a global God.
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An unchurched christian is a grotesque anomaly. The New Testament knows nothing of such a person. For the church lies at the very center of the eternal purpose of God. It is not a divine afterthought. It is not an accident of history. On the contrary, the church is God's new community.
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Saving faith is resting faith, the trust which relies entirely on the Savior.
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It is a great comfort to know that our judge will be none other than our savior.
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To encounter Christ is to touch reality and experience transcendence. He gives us a sense of self-worth or personal significance, because He assures us of God's love for us. He sets us free from guilt because He died for us and from paralyzing fear because He reigns. He gives meaning to marriage and home, work and leisure, personhood and citizenship.
John StottRead

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