A dogmatic belief in objective value is necessary to the very idea of a rule which is not tyranny or an obedience which is not slavery.
C. S. LewisRead
It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Only those with a genuine and sincere desire can truly perceive divinity.
C. S. Lewis suggests that the ability to recognize or experience God is contingent upon the purity of one's heart. This implies that a sincere, untainted spirit desires spiritual truth and can connect with the divine, highlighting the importance of internal moral and ethical clarity in one's quest for understanding higher truths.
Themes
PurityHeartGodSpiritualityDesire
In practice
Example use cases
In a sermon about spiritual integrity, this quote can inspire listeners to reflect on their inner motives.
More from C. S. Lewis
All quotes βI enjoyed my breakfast this morning, and I think that was a good thing and do not think it was condemned by God. But I do not think myself a good man for enjoying it.
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Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.
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Forgiving and being forgiven are two names for the same thing. The important thing is that a discord has been resolved.
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I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. It doesn't change God - it changes me.
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The instrument through which you see God is your whole self. And if a man's self is not kept clean and bright, his glimpse of God will be blurred
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