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Dietrich Bonhoeffer Quotes - Page 13

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Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this.

Christianity means community through Jesus Christ and in Jesus Christ. No Christian community is more or less than this.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Christian, Jesus, Mean
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Samuel Wells (2015). “Life Together”, p.10, SCM Press

One who loves his community destroys community; one who loves its members builds community.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Community, Members

It is a dangerous error, surely very widespread among Christians, to think that the heart can pray by itself.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Christian, Heart, Thinking
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Eberhard Bethge (1974). “Psalms: The Prayer Book of the Bible”, p.9, Augsburg Books

God has reserved to Himself the right to determine the end of life, because He alone knows the goal to which it is His will to lead it. It is for Him alone to justify a life or to cast it away.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Goal, End Of Life, Ends
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2012). “Ethics”, p.167, Simon and Schuster

In Jesus Christ we have been chosen from eternity, accepted in time, and united for eternity.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Jesus, Christ, Eternity
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Samuel Wells (2015). “Life Together”, p.11, SCM Press

Every sermon must contain a certain shot of heresy.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Shots, Certain, Heresy

So the Christian, too, belongs not in the seclusion of a cloistered life but in the thick of foes. There is his commission, his work.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Christian, Foe, Thick
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Samuel Wells (2015). “Life Together”, p.7, SCM Press

The future of modern society depends much more on the quiet heroism of the very few who are inspired by God. These few will greatly enjoy the divine inspiration and will be prepared to stand for the dignity of Man and true freedom and to keep the Law of God, even of it means martyrdom or death.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Inspiration, Mean, Men
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2015). “The Cost of Discipleship”, p.29, SCM Press

The church must share in the secular problems of ordinary human life, not dominating, but helping and serving.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Church, Ordinary, Helping
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2011). “Letters Papers from Prison”, p.162, Simon and Schuster

Every wedding must be an occasion of joy that human beings can do such great things, that they have been given such immense freedom and power to take the helm in their life's journey.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Marriage, Journey, Joy
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2001). “Letters and Papers from Prison”, p.6, Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd

Desires to which we cling closely can easily prevent us from being what we ought to be and can be; and on the other hand, desires repeatedly mastered for the sake of present duty make us richer.Lack of desire is poverty.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Hands, Desire, Sake
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2001). “Letters and Papers from Prison”, p.77, Hymns Ancient and Modern Ltd

As Christ bore and received us as sinners so we in his fellowship may bear and receive sinners into the fellowship of Christ through the forgiving of sins.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Forgiving, May, Fellowship
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Samuel Wells (2015). “Life Together”, p.79, SCM Press

When all is said and done, the life of faith is nothing if not an unending struggle of the spirit with every available weapon against the flesh.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Struggle, Done, Flesh
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2015). “The Cost of Discipleship”, p.116, SCM Press

If there is no element of asceticism in our lives, if we give free rein to the desires of the flesh (taking care of course to keep within the limits of what seems permissible to the world), we shall find it hard to train for the service of Christ. When the flesh is satisfied it is hard to pray with cheerfulness or to devote oneself to a life of service which calls for much self-renunciation.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Thanksgiving, Self, Desire
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2015). “The Cost of Discipleship”, p.115, SCM Press

God has willed that we should seek and find God's living Word in the testimony of other Christians, in the mouths of human beings.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Life, Christian, Mouths
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1996). “Life Together: Prayerbook of the Bible”, Fortress Pr

What we are in ourselves, and what we owe to others makes us a complete whole.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Whole

There is no kindness more cruel than the kindness which consigns another person to their sin.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Kindness, Religion, Sin

Bless them that persecute you.' If our enemy cannot put up with us any longer and takes to cursing us, our immediate reaction must be to lift up our hands and bless him. Our enemies are the blessed of the Lord. Their curse can do us no harm. May their poverty be enriched with all the riches of God, with the blessing of Him whom they seek to oppose in vain. We are ready to endure their curses so long as they redound to their blessing.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Blessed, Blessing, Hands
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2015). “The Cost of Discipleship”, p.97, SCM Press

My past life is abundantly full of God's mercy, and, above all sin, stands the forgiving love of the Crucified.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Past, Forgiving, Life Is
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2015). “The Cost of Discipleship”, p.17, SCM Press

How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Littles, Little Things, Christian Thanksgiving
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Samuel Wells (2015). “Life Together”, p.17, SCM Press

...Gratitude transforms the torment of memory of good things now gone into silent joy. One bears what was lovely in the past not as a thorn but as a precious gift deep within, a hidden treasure of which one can always be certain.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Gratitude, Memories, Past

True prayer is done in secret, but this does not rule out the fellowship of prayer altogether, however clearly we may be aware of its dangers. In the last resort it is immaterial whether we pray in the open street or in the secrecy of our chambers, whether briefly or lenghtily, in the Litany of the Church, or with the sigh of one who knows not what he should pray for. True prayer does not depend either on the individual or the whole body of the faithful, but solely upon the knowledge that our Heavenly Father knows our needs.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Prayer, Father, Faithful
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2015). “The Cost of Discipleship”, p.111, SCM Press

There is no worse sin than unbelief toward the gospel.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Sin, Unbelief

The Lord stands above the new day, for God has made it. All restlessness, all worry, and anxiety flee before him.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Worry, New Day, Anxiety

A community of Jesus which seeks to hide itself has ceased to follow him.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Jesus, Community
Dietrich Bonhoeffer (2015). “The Cost of Discipleship”, p.70, SCM Press

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