The proof of spiritual maturity is not how pure you are but awareness of your impurity. That very awareness opens the door to grace.
Philip YanceyRead
Politics draws lines between people; in contrast, Jesus' love cuts across those lines and dispenses grace. That does not mean, of course, that Christians should not involve themselves in politics. It simply means that as we do so we must not let the rules of power displace the command to love.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the importance of love and grace over political divisions.
Philip Yancey's quote illustrates the contrast between the divisive nature of politics and the unifying essence of Jesus' love. While he acknowledges the necessity for Christians to engage in political realms, he warns against allowing political power dynamics to supersede the fundamental Christian command to love. This message serves as a reminder that love should guide our actions, regardless of societal divisions.
Themes
LovePoliticsGraceUnityChristianity
In practice
Example use cases
During a community meeting about local policies, one might reference this quote to emphasize the importance of compassion in decision-making.
More from Philip Yancey
All quotes →If my activism, however well-motivated, drives out love, then I have misunderstood Jesus’ gospel. I am stuck with law, not the gospel of grace.
Philip YanceyRead
In the stories of extravagant grace given to us by Jesus, there are no loopholes disqualifying us from God's love.
Philip YanceyRead
Parents learn the uses of power and its limits. They can insist on certain outward behavior but cannot change inner attitudes. They can require obedience but not goodness - and certainly not love.
Philip YanceyRead
Prayer is to the skeptic a delusion, a waste of time. To the believer it represents perhaps the most important use of time.
Philip YanceyRead
We grow up hungry for love, and in ways so deep as to remain unexpressed we long for our Maker to love us.
Philip YanceyRead
Similar quotes
It is labor that has made the world a fit habitation for the human race.
Robert Green IngersollRead
Human history began with an act of disobedience and it is not unlikely that it will be terminated by an act of obedience.
Erich FrommRead
Some men get the world, some men get ex-hookers and a trip to Arizona. You're in with the former, but my God I don't envy the blood on your conscience.
James EllroyRead
You have freedom when you're easy in your harness.
Robert FrostRead
They say people can think for themselves? Do you honestly believe that the chap who can’t pass primary six knows the consequence of his choice when he answers a question viscerally, on language, culture and religion? But we knew the consequences. We would starve, we would have race riots. We would disintegrate.
Lee Kuan YewRead
Most of what we know about human life we know from asking people to remember the past, and as we know, hindsight is anything but 20/20. We forget vast amounts of what happens to us in life, and sometimes memory is downright creative.
Robert J. WaldingerRead