--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: While urgently pressing the importance of…" description: "\"“While urgently pressing the importance of our diligent pursuit of holiness, Calvin is realistic about our meager attainments. He acknowledges that the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/burk-parsons-63711_christianity_while-urgently-pressing-the-importance-o_352780.jpg" --- # While urgently pressing the importance of our diligent… ![“While urgently pressing the importance of our diligent pursuit of holiness, Calvin is realistic about our meager attainments. He acknowledges that the vast majority of Christians make only slight progress. But this is not to excuse us. Rather, he writes, "Let us not cease to do the utmost; that we…” quote by Burk Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/burk-parsons-63711_christianity_while-urgently-pressing-the-importance-o_352780.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/burk-parsons-63711_christianity_while-urgently-pressing-the-importance-o_352780.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/66e/burk-parsons-63711_christianity_while-urgently-pressing-the-importance-o_352780.jpg) > ““While urgently pressing the importance of our diligent pursuit of holiness, Calvin is realistic about our meager attainments. He acknowledges that the vast majority of Christians make only slight progress. But this is not to excuse us. Rather, he writes, "Let us not cease to do the utmost; that we may incessantly go forward in the way of the Lord; and let us not despair because of the smallness of our accomplishment."9”” [Burk Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burk-parsons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Calvin urges persistent effort in spiritual growth despite modest progress, rejecting complacency and despair. **In simple terms:** Keep striving in faith even if progress seems small. Key Takeaway Never stop doing your best in the Lord’s path. Themes faith perseverance humility spiritual growth Mood hopeful determined reflective Type inspirational motivational theological When to use this quote - personal prayer - church service - daily scripture study - mentoring others Key Concepts theology motivation self‑discipline Questions to Reflect On - How can you measure spiritual growth beyond visible results? - What habits keep you motivated when progress feels minimal? A Different Perspective Progress may be slow and can feel discouraging, risking burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calvin/) [Calvin Realistic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calvin-realistic-3254181/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Holiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiness/) [Holiness Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holiness-calvin-3254180/) [Pursuit Holiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit-holiness-360342/) ## Related quotes > [“The pursuit of holiness is not a quixotic effort to do just what Jesus did. It’s the fight to live out the life that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/the-pursuit-of-holiness-is-not-a-quixotic-effort-to-do-just-what/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [The more we devote ourselves to the pursuit of holiness and happiness, the less likely we will be on a path to regrets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/the-more-we-devote-ourselves-to-the-pursuit-of-holiness-and-happiness/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [The pursuit of holiness is a joint venture between God and the Christian. No one can attain any degree of holiness without God working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/the-pursuit-of-holiness-is-a-joint-venture-between-god-and-the/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [“... the pursuit of holiness must bre anchored in grace; otherwise it is doomed to failure.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/the-pursuit-of-holiness-must-bre-anchored-in-grace-otherwise-it-is/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [Discipleship is the pursuit of holiness and happiness. It is the path to our best and happiest self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/discipleship-is-the-pursuit-of-holiness-and-happiness-it-is-the-path/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [“if the Holy One of Israel is in the business of making a holy people for himself—then why does it seem unlikely that any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/if-the-holy-one-of-israel-is-in-the-business-of-making-a-holy-people/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [When we commit ourselves to the pursuit of holiness, we need to ensure that our commitment is actually to God, not simply to a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/when-we-commit-ourselves-to-the-pursuit-of-holiness-we-need-to-ensure/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [We could not take one step in the pursuit of holiness if God in His grace had not first delivered us from the dominion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/we-could-not-take-one-step-in-the-pursuit-of-holiness-if-god-in-his/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [We are 100 percent responsible for the pursuit of holiness, but at the same time we are 100 percent dependent upon the Holy Spirit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/we-are-100-percent-responsible-for-the-pursuit-of-holiness-but-at-the/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [“lot of Christians seem to think that the grace of God and the vigorous pursuit of holiness are antithetical — that is, in direct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/lot-of-christians-seem-to-think-that-the-grace-of-god-and-the/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [The pursuit of holiness is always on the path of obedience to the Word, never apart from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-lawson/the-pursuit-of-holiness-is-always-on-the-path-of-obedience-to-the/) [Steven J Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-j-lawson/) > [“antithetical — that is, in direct and unequivocal opposition to one another. To some, the pursuit of holiness sounds like legalism and man-made rules.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/antithetical-that-is-in-direct-and-unequivocal-opposition-to-one/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [“Apart from our union with Christ every effort to imitate Christ, no matter how noble and inspired at the outset, inevitably leads to legalism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-deyoung/apart-from-our-union-with-christ-every-effort-to-imitate-christ-no/) [Kevin DeYoung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-deyoung/) > [“The more we devote ourselves to the pursuit of holiness and happiness, the less likely we will be on a path to regrets. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/the-more-we-devote-ourselves-to-the-pursuit-of-holiness-and-happiness-2/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [The pursuit of holiness must be anchored in the grace of God; otherwise it is doomed to failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/the-pursuit-of-holiness-must-be-anchored-in-the-grace-of-god/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) ## More by Burk Parsons > [A person with an increasingly grateful heart is one with a decreasingly complaining mouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burk-parsons/a-person-with-an-increasingly-grateful-heart-is-one-with-a/) [Burk Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burk-parsons/) > [“• God has revealed Himself as a Father; therefore, we should behave as His children. • Christ has purified us through His blood; therefore,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burk-parsons/god-has-revealed-himself-as-a-father-therefore-we-should-behave-as/) [Burk Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burk-parsons/) > [“For Calvin, to accept compromise when Scripture has spoken is to affront the divine majesty of the Author. What”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burk-parsons/for-calvin-to-accept-compromise-when-scripture-has-spoken-is-to/) [Burk Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burk-parsons/) > [“Reformed theology isn't a sledgehammer with which to hit people, it's a pillow on which they can lay their weary heads.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burk-parsons/reformed-theology-isn-t-a-sledgehammer-with-which-to-hit-people-it-s/) [Burk Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burk-parsons/) [Explore all 5 Burk Parsons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burk-parsons/) ## More Calvin quotes > [ \[Calvin Trilllin\] is not writing about things that I can criticize. I can call these other people out for what I think they are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/calvin-trilllin-is-not-writing-about-things-that-i-can-criticize-i/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [Miss Wormwood: Calvin, your test was an absolute disgrace! 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Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“Though Calvin lived in the world of books and laws, his real home was in the corner of a stranger's eye.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-benjamin/though-calvin-lived-in-the-world-of-books-and-laws-his-real-home-was/) [Larry Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-benjamin/) > [Calvin: Trick or Treat! Adult: Where's your costume? What are you supposed to be? Calvin: I'm yet another resource-consuming kid in an overpopulated planet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/calvin-trick-or-treat-adult-where-s-your-costume-what-are-you/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [CALVIN: Our hero regains consciousness at the feet of a sarcastic alien.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/calvin-our-hero-regains-consciousness-at-the-feet-of-a-sarcastic-alien/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [Till 1782, I believed in the doctrine of Calvin: that is, that the majority of mankind were objects of divine condemnation and that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-godwin/till-1782-i-believed-in-the-doctrine-of-calvin-that-is-that-the/) [William Godwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-godwin/) > [“In a wonderful cartoon, Calvin creates a theology to counter his mother's insistence that he eat his chicken dinner. Calvin shouts: "What if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-a-wonderful-cartoon-calvin-creates-a-theology-to-counter-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Calvinism did not spring from Calvin. We believe that it sprang from the great Founder of all truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/calvinism-did-not-spring-from-calvin-we-believe-that-it-sprang-from/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [ Reading \[John\] Calvin is a breath of fresh air. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/reading-john-calvin-is-a-breath-of-fresh-air/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [CALVIN: As usual goodness hardly puts up a fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/calvin-as-usual-goodness-hardly-puts-up-a-fight/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) > [“No man that ever lived, not John Calvin himself, ever asserted either original sin, or justification by faith, in more strong, more clear and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/no-man-that-ever-lived-not-john-calvin-himself-ever-asserted-either/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [“Calvin sits up, jerking his guitar to stand on one thigh. “Mr. Okai.” He swallows. “I didn’t realize you were standing there.” “My niece…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-lauren/calvin-sits-up-jerking-his-guitar-to-stand-on-one-thigh-mr-okai-he/) [Christina Lauren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-lauren/) > [But Calvin is no kind and loving god! He's one of the old gods! He demands sacrifice!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-watterson/but-calvin-is-no-kind-and-loving-god-he-s-one-of-the-old-gods-he/) [Bill Watterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-watterson/) [Browse all 87 Calvin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/calvin/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“While urgently pressing the importance of our diligent pursuit of holiness, Calvin is realistic about our meager attainments. He acknowledges that the vast majority of Christians make only slight progress. But this is not to excuse us. 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