--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you would know whether you have made a…" description: "\"If you would know whether you have made a good confession, ask yourself I you have resolved to abandon your sins.\" — Bernard of Clairvaux" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_abandon_if-you-would-know-whether-you-have-made_469422.jpg" --- # If you would know whether you have made a good confession… ![“If you would know whether you have made a good confession, ask yourself I you have resolved to abandon your sins.” quote by Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_abandon_if-you-would-know-whether-you-have-made_469422.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_abandon_if-you-would-know-whether-you-have-made_469422.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_abandon_if-you-would-know-whether-you-have-made_469422.jpg) > “If you would know whether you have made a good confession, ask yourself I you have resolved to abandon your sins.” [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A true confession is measured by the resolve to renounce past sins, not merely by words. **In simple terms:** Good confession means committing to change. Key Takeaway Check if you truly intend to abandon old faults. Themes morality spirituality self‑assessment Mood reflective serious Type ethical spiritual When to use this quote - confession - personal counseling - spiritual direction Key Concepts repentance integrity personal growth Questions to Reflect On - What habits will you change? - How will you ensure lasting commitment? A Different Perspective Resolution may be fleeting; sustained effort is needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Confession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confession/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) ## Related quotes > [Do you think my husband and his soldiers will be overly upset with me?" The priest broke into a wide grin. 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You've caused me considerable trouble and I've contemplated ending your life twice since I've known you." Valek's warm breath…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-v-snyder/yelena-you-ve-driven-me-crazy-you-ve-caused-me-considerable-trouble/) [Maria V. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-v-snyder/) > [“I was going to make a confession. Then I remembered I don't make them very well. We still need to see the monkeys." "You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/i-was-going-to-make-a-confession-then-i-remembered-i-don-t-make-them/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [A man does not have to feel less than human to realize his sin; oppositely, he has to realize that he gets no special…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/a-man-does-not-have-to-feel-less-than-human-to-realize-his-sin/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [In Confession, Jesus welcomes us with all our sinfulness, to give us a new heart, capable of loving as he loves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/in-confession-jesus-welcomes-us-with-all-our-sinfulness-to-give-us-a/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Notoriety and public confession in the literary form is a frazzler of the heart you were born with, believe me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kerouac/notoriety-and-public-confession-in-the-literary-form-is-a-frazzler-of/) [Jack Kerouac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kerouac/) > [The characters in my novels are my own unrealized possibilities. That is why I am equally fond of them all and equally horrified by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/the-characters-in-my-novels-are-my-own-unrealized-possibilities-that/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Boys say its great..boys say its fine... 9 months later boys say its not mine..!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simi-ngr/boys-say-its-great-boys-say-its-fine-9-months-later-boys-say-its-not/) [Simi Ngr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simi-ngr/) > [A love to Christ which is so cowardly and selfish that it is unwilling to proclaim by a public confession its faith in Him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbott-eliot-kittredge/a-love-to-christ-which-is-so-cowardly-and-selfish-that-it-is/) [Abbott Eliot Kittredge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbott-eliot-kittredge/) > [If You Love Someone, Be Brave Enough To Tell Them., Otherwise Be Brave Enough To Watch Them To Be Loved By Someone Else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bilal-zahoor/if-you-love-someone-be-brave-enough-to-tell-them-otherwise-be-brave/) [Bilal Zahoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bilal-zahoor/) ## More by Bernard of Clairvaux > [Slander is a poison which kills charity, both in the slanderer and the one who listens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/slander-is-a-poison-which-kills-charity-both-in-the-slanderer-and-the/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [If anyone makes himself his own master in the spiritual life, he makes himself scholar to a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/if-anyone-makes-himself-his-own-master-in-the-spiritual-life-he-makes/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [“To shame our sins He blushed in blood; He closed His eyes to show us God; Let all the world fall down and know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/to-shame-our-sins-he-blushed-in-blood-he-closed-his-eyes-to-show-us/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [I know by myself how incomprehensible God is, seeing I cannot comprehend the parts of my own being.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/i-know-by-myself-how-incomprehensible-god-is-seeing-i-cannot/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [The tears of those repenting are the wine of angels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/the-tears-of-those-repenting-are-the-wine-of-angels/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [The Christian glories in the death of a pagan, because thereby Christ himself is glorified](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/the-christian-glories-in-the-death-of-a-pagan-because-thereby-christ/) [Bernard Of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Let us then cast ourselves at the feet of this good Mother, and embracing them let us not depart until she blesses us, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/let-us-then-cast-ourselves-at-the-feet-of-this-good-mother-and/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [We are to love God for Himself, because of a twofold reason; nothing is more reasonable, nothing more profitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/we-are-to-love-god-for-himself-because-of-a-twofold-reason-nothing-is/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Who loves me will love my dog also.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/who-loves-me-will-love-my-dog-also/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Ingratitude is the soul's enemy... Ingratitude is a burning wind that dries up the source of love, the dew of mercy, the streams of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/ingratitude-is-the-soul-s-enemy-ingratitude-is-a-burning-wind-that/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Many appear full of mildness and sweetness as long as everything goes their own way; but the moment any contradiction or adversity arises, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/many-appear-full-of-mildness-and-sweetness-as-long-as-everything-goes/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [To serve Mary is a mark of eternal salvation to come.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/to-serve-mary-is-a-mark-of-eternal-salvation-to-come/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Inordinate love for the flesh is cruelty, because under the appearance of pleasing the body, we kill the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/inordinate-love-for-the-flesh-is-cruelty-because-under-the-appearance/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [What I know of the divine sciences and Holy Scriptures, I learned in woods and fields. I have no other masters than the beeches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/what-i-know-of-the-divine-sciences-and-holy-scriptures-i-learned-in/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) > [Humility in furs is better than pride in tunics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/humility-in-furs-is-better-than-pride-in-tunics/) [Bernard of Clairvaux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) [Explore all 120 Bernard of Clairvaux quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/) ## More Abandon quotes > [Humans are, as Sartre put it, 'condemned to be free'. To insist that science, or God, objectively defines moral values is to abandon our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenan-malik/humans-are-as-sartre-put-it-condemned-to-be-free-to-insist-that/) Kenan Malik > [The purpose of a spirit filled life is to demonstrate the supernatural power of our living God so that the unsaved multitudes will abandon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-osborn/the-purpose-of-a-spirit-filled-life-is-to-demonstrate-the/) [T.L. Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-osborn/) > [However, however, if the goal is to abandon America's free enterprise economy, if the goal is to convert America into a submissive member of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-rubio/however-however-if-the-goal-is-to-abandon-america-s-free-enterprise/) [Marco Rubio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-rubio/) > [I would leave at once, but it would be cruel to abandon a lady in a foreign land with a maniac.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-would-leave-at-once-but-it-would-be-cruel-to-abandon-a-lady-in-a/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [When we fall utterly, something gathers us up. But our falling must be without reservation, without expectation, without hope, though not hopeless. You cant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-housden/when-we-fall-utterly-something-gathers-us-up-but-our-falling-must-be/) [Roger Housden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-housden/) > [every subjective phenomenon is essentially connected with a single point of view, and it seems inevitable that an objective, physical theory will abandon that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-nagel/every-subjective-phenomenon-is-essentially-connected-with-a-single/) [Thomas Nagel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-nagel/) > [Can you dissolve your ego? Can you abandon the idea of self and other? Can you relinquish the notions of male and female, short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/can-you-dissolve-your-ego-can-you-abandon-the-idea-of-self-and-other/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Every great thing starts with an idea, followed by a doubt and finally a resolve to abandon or pursue. Victory is a treacherous journey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/every-great-thing-starts-with-an-idea-followed-by-a-doubt-and-finally/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [Those who have been once intoxicated with power, and have derived any kind of emolument from it, even though but for one year, never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/those-who-have-been-once-intoxicated-with-power-and-have-derived-any/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [Do not lose hope; St. Joseph also experienced moments of difficulty, but he never lost faith and was able to overcome them, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/do-not-lose-hope-st-joseph-also-experienced-moments-of-difficulty-but/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't give up because things are hard, but work harder, when you think of giving up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-liccione/don-t-give-up-because-things-are-hard-but-work-harder-when-you-think/) [Anthony Liccione](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-liccione/) > [Sex is not the ultimate high, but the ultimate high hangs out around sex. The ultimate high is the dance with another person, played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/sex-is-not-the-ultimate-high-but-the-ultimate-high-hangs-out-around/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I care so deeply about this matter that I'm willing to take on the legal penalties, to sit in this prison cell, to sacrifice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-care-so-deeply-about-this-matter-that-i-m-willing-to-take-on-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I've been to unpretty places with the roles I've played, and I'm attracted to reckless abandon. I like being taken to the edge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhys-ifans/i-ve-been-to-unpretty-places-with-the-roles-i-ve-played-and-i-m/) [Rhys Ifans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhys-ifans/) Browse all 1,142 Abandon quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you would know whether you have made a good confession, ask yourself I you have resolved to abandon your sins.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bernard of Clairvaux" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/if-you-would-know-whether-you-have-made-a-good-confession-ask/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abandon" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/if-you-would-know-whether-you-have-made-a-good-confession-ask/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_abandon_if-you-would-know-whether-you-have-made_469422.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_abandon_if-you-would-know-whether-you-have-made_469422.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57d/bernard-of-clairvaux-3845_abandon_if-you-would-know-whether-you-have-made_469422.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you would know whether you have made a good confession, ask yourself I you have resolved to abandon your…” — Bernard of Clairvaux", "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": "Bernard of Clairvaux", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-of-clairvaux/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you would know whether you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/if-you-would-know-whether-you-have-made-a-good-confession-ask/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-of-clairvaux/if-you-would-know-whether-you-have-made-a-good-confession-ask/#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 } } ] } ```