--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Penitence is a temporary thing. We’re all…" description: "\"“Penitence is a temporary thing. We’re all thieves by nature and saints only by grace.”\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/anonymous-1_nature_penitence-is-a-temporary-thing-we-re-all_2957334.jpg" --- # Penitence is a temporary thing. We’re all thieves by… ![“Penitence is a temporary thing. We’re all thieves by nature and saints only by grace.” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/anonymous-1_nature_penitence-is-a-temporary-thing-we-re-all_2957334.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/anonymous-1_nature_penitence-is-a-temporary-thing-we-re-all_2957334.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/anonymous-1_nature_penitence-is-a-temporary-thing-we-re-all_2957334.jpg) > ““Penitence is a temporary thing. We’re all thieves by nature and saints only by grace.”” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human nature is inherently flawed; redemption comes only through grace. **In simple terms:** We’re all imperfect, saved by grace. Key Takeaway Seek humility and grace. Themes humanity flaw redemption Mood somber hopeful Type spiritual philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - spiritual practice - community service - counseling Key Concepts theology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance accountability with grace? - What practices foster genuine humility? A Different Perspective Grace may be misunderstood as excuse. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Penitence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/penitence/) [Thieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thieves/) ## Related quotes > [The Christian churches and Christianity have nothing in common save in name: they are utterly hostile opposites. The churches are arrogance, violence, usurpation, rigidity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-christian-churches-and-christianity-have-nothing-in-common-save/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Patriotism means unqualified and unwavering love for the nation, which implies not uncritical eagerness to serve, not support for unjust claims, but frank assessment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/patriotism-means-unqualified-and-unwavering-love-for-the-nation-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Man approaches God most nearly when he is in one sense least like God. For what can be more unlike than fullness and need,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/man-approaches-god-most-nearly-when-he-is-in-one-sense-least-like-god/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In all ages the people have honored those who dishonored them. They have worshiped their destroyers; they have canonized the most gigantic liars, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-all-ages-the-people-have-honored-those-who-dishonored-them-they/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [4. Enter stranger, but take heed Of what awaits the sin of greed, For those who take, but do not earn Must pay most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/4-enter-stranger-but-take-heed-of-what-awaits-the-sin-of-greed-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but first impressions are often entirely wrong. You can look at a painting for the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-know-if-you-ve-ever-noticed-this-but-first-impressions-are-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-i-thank-you-that-i-am-not-like-other-people-thieves-rogues/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A greedy father has thieves for children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-greedy-father-has-thieves-for-children/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [On this earth everyone has his cross. But we must act in such a way that we be not the bad, but the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/on-this-earth-everyone-has-his-cross-but-we-must-act-in-such-a-way/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Thief, thief, thief! Baggins! We hates it, we hates it, we hates it forever!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/thief-thief-thief-baggins-we-hates-it-we-hates-it-we-hates-it-forever/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The day is for honest men, the night for thieves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-day-is-for-honest-men-the-night-for-thieves/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [While the parts change, the whole always remains the same. For every thief who departs this world, a new one is born. And every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/while-the-parts-change-the-whole-always-remains-the-same-for-every/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [For if you suffer your people to be ill-educated, and their manners to be corrupted from their infancy, and then punish them for those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/for-if-you-suffer-your-people-to-be-ill-educated-and-their-manners-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Out of the closets and into the museums, libraries, architectural monuments, concert halls, bookstores, recording studios and film studios of the world. Everything belongs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/out-of-the-closets-and-into-the-museums-libraries-architectural/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Choose your leaders with wisdom and forethought. To be led by a coward is to be controlled by all that the coward fears. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/choose-your-leaders-with-wisdom-and-forethought-to-be-led-by-a-coward/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Nature quotes > [It is indeed a surprising and fortunate fact that nature can be expressed by relatively low-order mathematical functions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-carnap/it-is-indeed-a-surprising-and-fortunate-fact-that-nature-can-be/) [Rudolf Carnap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-carnap/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“Men mistook measurement for understanding. And they always had to put themselves at the center of everything. That was their greatest conceit. The earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-harris/men-mistook-measurement-for-understanding-and-they-always-had-to-put/) [Robert Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-harris/) > [“She was, he knew- and had known very early, he supposed- one of those rare and always lovely humans whose moral nature was so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-williams/she-was-he-knew-and-had-known-very-early-he-supposed-one-of-those/) [John Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-williams/) > [“When the water covers the earth the sun will vanish the darkess and the cold will come.When the last dragon and the last Elf…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silvana-de-mari/when-the-water-covers-the-earth-the-sun-will-vanish-the-darkess-and/) [Silvana de Mari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silvana-de-mari/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [“It is not the force of the wind, but the depth of the roots.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/it-is-not-the-force-of-the-wind-but-the-depth-of-the-roots/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Sing like no one's listening, love like you've never been hurt, dance like nobody's watching, and live like its heaven on earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/sing-like-no-one-s-listening-love-like-you-ve-never-been-hurt-dance/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) [Browse all 47,383 Nature quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Penitence is a temporary thing. We’re all thieves by nature and saints only by grace.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/penitence-is-a-temporary-thing-we-re-all-thieves-by-nature-and-saints/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Nature" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/penitence-is-a-temporary-thing-we-re-all-thieves-by-nature-and-saints/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/anonymous-1_nature_penitence-is-a-temporary-thing-we-re-all_2957334.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/anonymous-1_nature_penitence-is-a-temporary-thing-we-re-all_2957334.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/733/anonymous-1_nature_penitence-is-a-temporary-thing-we-re-all_2957334.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Penitence is a temporary thing. We’re all thieves by nature and saints only by grace.” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Penitence is a temporary thing. We’re...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/penitence-is-a-temporary-thing-we-re-all-thieves-by-nature-and-saints/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/penitence-is-a-temporary-thing-we-re-all-thieves-by-nature-and-saints/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```