If we do wrong and no harm comes of it, we are not thereby…
“If we do wrong and no harm comes of it, we are not thereby justified. If we did evil and good came of it, the evil would be just as evil. It is not the result of the action, but the action itself which God weighs.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Moral actions are judged by their nature, not by outcomes; doing wrong is unjustified even if no harm follows.
In simple terms: Wrong actions stay wrong regardless of results.
Key Takeaway
Judge actions, not results.
Themes
morality
ethics
theology
Mood
reflective
serious
Type
ethical
theological
When to use this quote
- legal judgments
- personal decisions
- policy making
- ethical debates
Key Concepts
deontology
consequentialism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you assess actions when results are ambiguous?
- Can good outcomes ever excuse a bad act?
A Different Perspective
Outcomes can obscure moral truth.