--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We do not allow God to be Himself. We…" description: "\"“We do not allow God to be Himself. We have lost all sense of knowing God as He is, and consequently we try to make God out to be what He is not. Inste..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce0/a-w-tozer-1151_knowing-god_we-do-not-allow-god-to-be-himself-we-hav_3013543.jpg" --- # We do not allow God to be Himself. We have lost all sense… ![“We do not allow God to be Himself. We have lost all sense of knowing God as He is, and consequently we try to make God out to be what He is not. Instead of accepting the fact that we were created in His image, we have deteriorated to the point of believing that God has been created in our image.” quote by A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce0/a-w-tozer-1151_knowing-god_we-do-not-allow-god-to-be-himself-we-hav_3013543.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce0/a-w-tozer-1151_knowing-god_we-do-not-allow-god-to-be-himself-we-hav_3013543.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce0/a-w-tozer-1151_knowing-god_we-do-not-allow-god-to-be-himself-we-hav_3013543.jpg) > ““We do not allow God to be Himself. We have lost all sense of knowing God as He is, and consequently we try to make God out to be what He is not. Instead of accepting the fact that we were created in His image, we have deteriorated to the point of believing that God has been created in our image.”” [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that humans project their own ideas onto the divine, losing true understanding of God’s nature. **In simple terms:** We distort God by seeing Him as we want him to be. Key Takeaway Seek God’s true character, not our own image. Themes theology humility self‑deception Mood reflective humble Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal prayer - theological study - interfaith dialogue - spiritual counseling Key Concepts divine nature anthropomorphism spiritual perception Questions to Reflect On - How do your personal biases shape your view of God? - What practices help you see God beyond yourself? A Different Perspective It may overlook cultural contexts that shape how people experience the divine. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Believing God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believing-god/) [Knowing god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-god/) ## Related quotes > [When a man gets to despair he knows that all his thinking will never get him out. He will only get out by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/when-a-man-gets-to-despair-he-knows-that-all-his-thinking-will-never/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [...we'll first address our inaccurate view of God and, consequently of ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/we-ll-first-address-our-inaccurate-view-of-god-and-consequently-of/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [There's no believing in God...We either know God, or we don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/there-s-no-believing-in-god-we-either-know-god-or-we-don-t/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [Faith is not believing that God can. It is knowing that God will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-stein/faith-is-not-believing-that-god-can-it-is-knowing-that-god-will/) [Ben Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-stein/) > [“In himself, nothing; in God, everything. That is his motto. He knows well that the world will never see him as God sees him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/in-himself-nothing-in-god-everything-that-is-his-motto-he-knows-well/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“We should revel in the joy of believing that God is the sum of all patience and the true essence of kindly good will!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/we-should-revel-in-the-joy-of-believing-that-god-is-the-sum-of-all/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“In making Himself known to us He stays by the familiar pattern of personality. He communicates with us through the avenues of our minds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/in-making-himself-known-to-us-he-stays-by-the-familiar-pattern-of/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [Someone's opinion of you isn't reality... unless you decide to allow it!! You are who God says you are!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/someone-s-opinion-of-you-isn-t-reality-unless-you-decide-to-allow-it/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [Creativity means you have to disappear, you have to allow God to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/creativity-means-you-have-to-disappear-you-have-to-allow-god-to-be/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [“The highs and lows of life are equally important, for in the highest moments you know who admires you the most, and in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-sacredfire/the-highs-and-lows-of-life-are-equally-important-for-in-the-highest/) [Robin Sacredfire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-sacredfire/) > [“Sometimes it is one step at a time, and things don’t always work out the way we would like them to, but as you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-stevens/sometimes-it-is-one-step-at-a-time-and-things-don-t-always-work-out/) [Anna Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-stevens/) > [I am not fully forgiven until I allow God to write his new dream for my life on the blackboard of my mind. ..…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/i-am-not-fully-forgiven-until-i-allow-god-to-write-his-new-dream-for/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [“discover insights into these and other questions. Until then, let’s allow God to use our curiosity to keep us committed to our excursion”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-moore/discover-insights-into-these-and-other-questions-until-then-let-s/) [Beth Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beth-moore/) > [“Allow God into your impossibilities and follow His directions and He will turn it into possibilities.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-k-e-edumadze/allow-god-into-your-impossibilities-and-follow-his-directions-and-he/) John K.E. Edumadze > [Effective leaders allow God to shape them into the kind of people they need to be for each situation they encounter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-george/effective-leaders-allow-god-to-shape-them-into-the-kind-of-people/) [Jim George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-george/) ## More by A.W. Tozer > [“depth of the riches both”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/depth-of-the-riches-both/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“We should revel in the joy of believing that God is the sum of all patience and the true essence of kindly good will!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/we-should-revel-in-the-joy-of-believing-that-god-is-the-sum-of-all/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“History reveals that times of suffering for the church have also been times of looking upward. Tribulation has always sobered God’s people and encouraged…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/history-reveals-that-times-of-suffering-for-the-church-have-also-been/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“Whatever comes into your heart and mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/whatever-comes-into-your-heart-and-mind-when-you-think-about-god-is/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“Thus we dare not conclude that because we learn about the Spirit we for that reason actually know Him. Knowing Him comes only by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/thus-we-dare-not-conclude-that-because-we-learn-about-the-spirit-we/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“The whole Bible supports the idea. God is speaking. Not God spoke, but God is speaking. He is by His nature continuously articulate. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/the-whole-bible-supports-the-idea-god-is-speaking-not-god-spoke-but/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“The more my trust rests in God, the less I trust myself. If we truly desire to live the crucified life, we must get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/the-more-my-trust-rests-in-god-the-less-i-trust-myself-if-we-truly/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“We’re Marching to Zion Isaac Watts (1674–1748) Come, we that love the Lord, And let our joys be known; Join in a song with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/we-re-marching-to-zion-isaac-watts-1674-1748-come-we-that-love-the/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“With the veil removed by the rending of Jesus' flesh, with nothing on God's side to prevent us from entering, why do we tarry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/with-the-veil-removed-by-the-rending-of-jesus-flesh-with-nothing-on/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“The word of wisdom is missing,” he continued. “We need the gift of discernment again in our pulpits. It is not ability to predict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/the-word-of-wisdom-is-missing-he-continued-we-need-the-gift-of/) [a.w. tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“thereafter to crave any further revelation of God to our souls. We have been snared in the coils of a spurious logic which insists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/thereafter-to-crave-any-further-revelation-of-god-to-our-souls-we/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [ “\[Sadly\] the first thing we tell our young converts, the babes in Christ, is, 'Here is a handful of tracts- now get out and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/sadly-the-first-thing-we-tell-our-young-converts-the-babes-in-christ/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“We must invite the cross to do its deadly work within us. We must bring our self-sins to the cross for judgment. We must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/we-must-invite-the-cross-to-do-its-deadly-work-within-us-we-must/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“Here is a masterly study of the inner life by a heart thirsting after God, eager to grasp at least the outskirts of His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/here-is-a-masterly-study-of-the-inner-life-by-a-heart-thirsting-after/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) > [“The modern scientist has lost God amid the wonders of His world; we Christians are in real danger of losing God amid the wonders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-w-tozer/the-modern-scientist-has-lost-god-amid-the-wonders-of-his-world-we/) [A.W. Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) [Explore all 280 A.W. Tozer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-w-tozer/) ## More Knowing god quotes > [We should bathe our spirits in the deep, pure feeling that stirs within us when we gaze on the glories of His creation. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/we-should-bathe-our-spirits-in-the-deep-pure-feeling-that-stirs/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [“God seems to far away. Does He? Have you noted the splendid display of wildflowers? Have you listened to a child's laughter or watched…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diann-mills/god-seems-to-far-away-does-he-have-you-noted-the-splendid-display-of/) [DiAnn Mills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diann-mills/) > [Nothing feels better than knowing God loves you, that he is always there for you, and that he will always take care of you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-feels-better-than-knowing-god-loves-you-that-he-is-always/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/what-matters-supremely-therefore-is-not-in-the-last-analysis-the-fact/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [“One of the most challenging aspects for those who are seeking to find the God of their understanding for the first time is His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marta-mrotek/one-of-the-most-challenging-aspects-for-those-who-are-seeking-to-find/) [Marta Mrotek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marta-mrotek/) > [I want to know how God created this world. I am not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-want-to-know-how-god-created-this-world-i-am-not-interested-in-this/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I have never come to know God, to see God, to believe in God through doing science. He's not the conclusion of some sort…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-coyne/i-have-never-come-to-know-god-to-see-god-to-believe-in-god-through/) [George Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-coyne/) > [“God’s Anger at Sin 18 But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness.\* 19 They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-s-anger-at-sin-18-but-god-shows-his-anger-from-heaven-against-all/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/for-what-higher-more-exalted-and-more-compelling-goal-can-there-be/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [We cannot know God apart from His Word...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/we-cannot-know-god-apart-from-his-word/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [No God, no peace; know God, know peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/croft-m-pentz/no-god-no-peace-know-god-know-peace/) [Croft M. Pentz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/croft-m-pentz/) > [I don't think you can know God unless you're passionate about him so you're either screaming at him, enraptured with the idea of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-carrey/i-don-t-think-you-can-know-god-unless-you-re-passionate-about-him-so/) [Jim Carrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-carrey/) > [Whoever knows himself knows God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-muhammad/whoever-knows-himself-knows-god/) [Elijah Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-muhammad/) > [If you trust God, then you will trust every situation good or bad; knowing that God is working it out for your good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dearlisa/if-you-trust-god-then-you-will-trust-every-situation-good-or-bad/) [Dearlisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dearlisa/) > [Nothing feels better than knowing God loves you. He is always there for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nothing-feels-better-than-knowing-god-loves-you-he-is-always-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 478 Knowing god quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-god/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We do not allow God to be Himself. We have lost all sense of knowing God as He is, and consequently we try to make God out to be what He is not. Instead of accepting the fact that we were created in His image, we have deteriorated to the point of believing that God has been created in our image.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "A.W. 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