--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A virtuous heretic shall be saved before…" description: "\"A virtuous heretic shall be saved before a wicked Christian\" — Benjamin Franklin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/benjamin-franklin-65_christian_a-virtuous-heretic-shall-be-saved-before_1991786.png" --- # A virtuous heretic shall be saved before a wicked Christian ![“A virtuous heretic shall be saved before a wicked Christian” quote by Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/benjamin-franklin-65_christian_a-virtuous-heretic-shall-be-saved-before_1991786.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/benjamin-franklin-65_christian_a-virtuous-heretic-shall-be-saved-before_1991786.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/benjamin-franklin-65_christian_a-virtuous-heretic-shall-be-saved-before_1991786.png) > “A virtuous heretic shall be saved before a wicked Christian” [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A morally good nonbeliever may be saved before a corrupt believer. **In simple terms:** A virtuous heretic can be saved before a wicked Christian. Key Takeaway Moral character matters more than label. Themes morality religion hypocrisy Mood thoughtful questioning Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - religious debate - personal integrity - social judgment Key Concepts ethics theology Questions to Reflect On - What defines true virtue? - Can belief be separated from behavior? A Different Perspective Labeling can oversimplify complex moral realities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Heretic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heretic/) ## Related quotes > ['tis his honesty that brought upon him the character of a heretic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/tis-his-honesty-that-brought-upon-him-the-character-of-a-heretic/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Do not, however, mistake me. It is not to my good friend's heresy that I impute his honesty. On the contrary, 'tis his honesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/do-not-however-mistake-me-it-is-not-to-my-good-friend-s-heresy-that-i/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Whoever shall call on God, shall be saved.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whoever-shall-call-on-god-shall-be-saved/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [We therefore need to know the gifts given us by God, so that we may use them, for by these we shall be saved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-hilton/we-therefore-need-to-know-the-gifts-given-us-by-god-so-that-we-may/) [Walter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-hilton/) > [“ROM5.9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 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He died for us so that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goddey-wilson/for-god-did-not-appoint-us-to-suffer-wrath-but-to-receive-salvation/) [GODDEY WILSON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goddey-wilson/) > [For God So Loved The World, He Gave His Only Begottten Son, And Whomever Shall Believe In Him, Shall Be Saved. -John 3:16](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-bible/for-god-so-loved-the-world-he-gave-his-only-begottten-son-and/) [The Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-bible/) > [When you are under the power of sexual desire, anger and worldly attachment, or a greedy miser in love with your wealth; if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-guru-granth-sahib/when-you-are-under-the-power-of-sexual-desire-anger-and-worldly/) [Sri Guru Granth Sahib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-guru-granth-sahib/) > [“ROM10.9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rom10-9-that-if-thou-shalt-confess-with-thy-mouth-the-lord-jesus-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“If God absolutely and pretemporally decrees that particular persons shall be saved and others damned, apart from any cooperation of human freedom, then God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-c-oden/if-god-absolutely-and-pretemporally-decrees-that-particular-persons/) [Thomas C. 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Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moncure-d-conway/) > [If I die prematurely I shall be saved from being bored to death at my own success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-butler/if-i-die-prematurely-i-shall-be-saved-from-being-bored-to-death-at-my/) [Samuel Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-butler/) > [“ACT15.11 But we believe that through the grace of the LORD Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/act15-11-but-we-believe-that-through-the-grace-of-the-lord-jesus/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Benjamin Franklin > [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. 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Nobody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/who-is-rich-he-that-is-content-who-is-that-nobody/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“But on the whole, though I never arrived at the perfection I had been so ambitious of obtaining, but fell far short of it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/but-on-the-whole-though-i-never-arrived-at-the-perfection-i-had-been/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [The good particular men may do separately, in relieving the sick, is small, compared with what they may do collectively.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-good-particular-men-may-do-separately-in-relieving-the-sick-is/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Love your Neighbour; yet don't pull down your Hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/love-your-neighbour-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Take counsel in wine, but resolve afterwards in water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/take-counsel-in-wine-but-resolve-afterwards-in-water/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [He that's secure is not safe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/he-that-s-secure-is-not-safe/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) [Explore all 1,692 Benjamin Franklin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) ## More Christian quotes > [I need a bath." 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Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A virtuous heretic shall be saved before a wicked Christian", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Benjamin Franklin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-virtuous-heretic-shall-be-saved-before-a-wicked-christian/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-virtuous-heretic-shall-be-saved-before-a-wicked-christian/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/benjamin-franklin-65_christian_a-virtuous-heretic-shall-be-saved-before_1991786.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/benjamin-franklin-65_christian_a-virtuous-heretic-shall-be-saved-before_1991786.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ab8/benjamin-franklin-65_christian_a-virtuous-heretic-shall-be-saved-before_1991786.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A virtuous heretic shall be saved before a wicked Christian” — Benjamin Franklin", "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": "Benjamin Franklin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A virtuous heretic shall be saved...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-virtuous-heretic-shall-be-saved-before-a-wicked-christian/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/a-virtuous-heretic-shall-be-saved-before-a-wicked-christian/#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 } } ] } ```