A man may love another as his own soul, yet his love may not be able to help him. He may pity him in prison, but not relieve him, bemoan him in misery, but not help him, suffer with him in trouble, but not ease him. We cannot love grace into a child, nor mercy into a friend; we cannot love them into heaven, though it may be the greatest desire of our soul… But the love of Christ, being the love of God, is effective and fruitful in producing all the good things which He wills for His beloved. He loves life, grace and holiness into us; He loves us into covenant, loves us into heaven.
— John Owen (1616–1683), Theologe
Topics: Love, Grace & Redemption
Occasions: For Reflection
John Owen
John Owen (1616–1683) war ein englischer puritanischer Theologe, Prediger und Vizekanzler der Universität Oxford. Er profilierte sich durch einflussreiche Schriften zur reformierten Sühnelehre und praktischen Heiligung, während seine Unterstützung der Parlamentspartei und die Rolle als Berater Oliver Cromwells historisch umstritten blieben. Heutigen Bibellesern vermittelt sein Werk eine streng dogmatische Schriftauslegung und eine tiefgründige theologische Beschäftigung mit dem geistlichen Kampf gegen die Sünde.
If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
Mother Teresa
I am the prodigal son every time I search for unconditional love where it cannot be found.
Henri Nouwen
It wasn't the nails that held Jesus to the cross. It was love.
Max Lucado
To love a person means to see them as God meant them to be.
Fyodor Dostoevsky
I ask myself: what does hell mean? I maintain: it is the inability to love.
Fyodor Dostoevsky
A drop of love is worth more than an ocean of reason.
Blaise Pascal
Love keeps no record of wrongs, but bitterness keeps detailed accounts.
Craig Groeschel
The world consists of nothing but opportunities for love.
Søren Kierkegaard