Quotes by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Elyse Fitzpatrick (b. 1950) — Buchautorin, Referentin, biblische Seelsorgerin · evangelikal-reformiert · USA
Die US-amerikanische Buchautorin, Referentin und biblische Seelsorgerin Elyse Fitzpatrick (* 1950) wirkt seit den 1990er-Jahren im evangelikal-reformierten Raum. Bekannt wurde sie durch Veröffentlichungen zu Erziehung und Lebensführung, in denen sie die Gnade Gottes gegen moralistische Leistungsansprüche betont, was in konservativen Kreisen zu Kontroversen über Antinomismus und traditionelle Geschlechterrollen führte. Für Bibelleser verdeutlicht ihr Ansatz, wie biblische Texte zu Schuld, Gnade und Gehorsam konsequent von der reformatorischen Rechtfertigungslehre her verstanden werden können.
Era: Today
Recurring topics: Grace & Redemption, Meaning & Identity, Illness & Weakness, Guilt & Forgiveness, Suffering & the Question of God, God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit
Quotes by Elyse Fitzpatrick
In some ways, depression is a slow, painful death of desire, the heart-sickness that comes from repeatedly having hope deferred (Prov. 13:12). Hope that sustains the heart when pursuing a treasured desire has faded (or disappeared) in the depressed. What, then, do you treasure? What do you think would bring you happiness? Who or what are you worshiping? What would give your life meaning? Whose life do you covet? The joyous truth is that perhaps this painful depression is the Lord’s way of revealing false gods to you… Bathing our soul in the Gospel message will powerfully transform the locus of our treasure. Rather than cherishing success or self-approval, we can learn to cherish the Lord because He’s lavished such love upon the undeserving (1 John 4:7-10). All-satisfying treasure is found in this Gospel message.
Elyse Fitzpatrick
The depressed don’t simply need to feel better. They need a Redeemer who says, “Take heart, my son, my daughter; what you really need has been supplied. Life no longer need be about your goodness, success, righteousness, or failure. I’ve given you something infinitely more valuable than good feelings: your sins are forgiven.”
Elyse Fitzpatrick
Most of us have never really understood that Christianity is not a self-help religion meant to enable moral people to become more moral. We don’t need a self-help book; we need a Savior. We don’t need to get our collective act together; we need death and resurrection and the life-transforming truths of the gospel. And we don’t need them just once, at the beginning of our Christian life; we need them every moment of every day.
Elyse Fitzpatrick
The counter-intuitive truth that the depressed person needs to hear isn’t “you’re really a wonderful person,” but rather, “you’re more sinful and flawed than you ever dared believe.” When he bemoans that he’s “such a failure,” we should agree with him, at least on one level. We should all agree that we’re all failures to the point that the perfect Son of God had to die before we would be able to have fellowship with Him… In a nutshell, we have to intentionally consider Jesus, especially during those dark hours we’re tempted to think only of ourselves. And although every one of us needs a daily dose of Gospel-recapitulation, those of us who feels the blows of Giant Despair need it even more.
Elyse Fitzpatrick
Sources: desiringgod.org, focusonthefamily.com, elysefitzpatrick.com, blogspot.com
All quotes · lumen.bible