--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The person who loves his life will lose…" description: "\"The person who loves his life will lose it: it could not be otherwise, for to love one's life is a fundamental denial of God's sovereignty, of God's ri..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/d-a-carson-4044_brazen_the-person-who-loves-his-life-will-lose_2308896.jpg" --- # The person who loves his life will lose it: it could not… ![“The person who loves his life will lose it: it could not be otherwise, for to love one's life is a fundamental denial of God's sovereignty, of God's rights, and a brazen elevation of self to the apogee of one's perception, and therefore an idolatrous focus on self, which is the heart of all sin” quote by D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/d-a-carson-4044_brazen_the-person-who-loves-his-life-will-lose_2308896.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/d-a-carson-4044_brazen_the-person-who-loves-his-life-will-lose_2308896.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70f/d-a-carson-4044_brazen_the-person-who-loves-his-life-will-lose_2308896.jpg) > “The person who loves his life will lose it: it could not be otherwise, for to love one's life is a fundamental denial of God's sovereignty, of God's rights, and a brazen elevation of self to the apogee of one's perception, and therefore an idolatrous focus on self, which is the heart of all sin” [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Loving life selfishly denies God's authority and becomes idolatry, leading to sin. **In simple terms:** Self‑love can become idolatry. Key Takeaway Guard humility and recognize God's sovereignty. Themes humility spirituality idolatry sin authority Mood reflective serious Type theological ethical When to use this quote - personal devotion - church teaching - spiritual counseling Key Concepts theology anthropology ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self‑care with reverence for God? - What signs show love of self becoming idolatry? A Different Perspective Self‑love may be misinterpreted as rebellion against divine order. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brazen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brazen/) [Denial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial/) [Denial God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/denial-god-322359/) [Elevation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elevation/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Focus On Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus-on-self-226188/) [Fundamentals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fundamentals/) [God's Sovereignty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gods-sovereignty/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Heart Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart-sin-1071840/) [Idolatrous Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idolatrous-focus-5475895/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Loses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loses/) [Perception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception/) [Perception Idolatrous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perception-idolatrous-5475894/) [Persons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/persons/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Sovereignty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sovereignty/) [Sovereignty God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sovereignty-god-524222/) [Sovereignty of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sovereignty-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [“If we want to live perfectly happy lives...we must drive out selfish character tendencies such as pride, ego, vanity, jealousy, lusts, envy and worry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-versey/if-we-want-to-live-perfectly-happy-lives-we-must-drive-out-selfish/) [Jason Versey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-versey/) > [Even within the context of the alternative scene I was a part of, within punk and hardcore and the alt scene, there was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/davey-havok/even-within-the-context-of-the-alternative-scene-i-was-a-part-of/) [Davey Havok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/davey-havok/) > [The greatest force of personal liberation is the decision to widen our circle of compassion, moving from focus on self to focus on service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-greatest-force-of-personal-liberation-is-the-decision-to-widen/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“Rise from those dumps of depression! Bury those personal regrets deep inside! Focus on self-healing, self-love Only trust can keep you alive. Miniscule moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/balroop-singh/rise-from-those-dumps-of-depression-bury-those-personal-regrets-deep/) [Balroop Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/balroop-singh/) > [You life changes when you focus on self-love, self-esteem, and self-confidence. Only your opinions of self matter. Respect yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-life-changes-when-you-focus-on-self-love-self-esteem-and-self/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Let go of rejections and focus on self-reflection. For it is within that you will find the light you seek.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-leigh-mercree/let-go-of-rejections-and-focus-on-self-reflection-for-it-is-within/) [Amy Leigh Mercree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-leigh-mercree/) > [There is no need to identify with something that is irrelevant. Neither is it more important to waste valuable time on folly quarreling. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thaddeus-gatling/there-is-no-need-to-identify-with-something-that-is-irrelevant/) [Thaddeus Gatling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thaddeus-gatling/) > [As the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, so the denial of God is the height of foolishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-the-fear-of-god-is-the-beginning-of-wisdom-so-the-denial-of-god-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [More consequences for thought and action follow the affirmation or denial of God than from answering any other basic question.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-adler/more-consequences-for-thought-and-action-follow-the-affirmation-or/) [Mortimer Adler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mortimer-adler/) > [“Yet, Step 2 and AA spirituality is about nothing if it isn’t about faith in God. Many good reasons exist why AA makes a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-a/yet-step-2-and-aa-spirituality-is-about-nothing-if-it-isn-t-about/) [Ray A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-a/) > [Neither of us can come to either a knowledge of God, or a denial of God by our scientific research.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-coyne/neither-of-us-can-come-to-either-a-knowledge-of-god-or-a-denial-of/) [George Coyne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-coyne/) > [Sin is basically a denial of God's right of possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-louis-cole/sin-is-basically-a-denial-of-god-s-right-of-possession/) [Edwin Louis Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-louis-cole/) > [“HELL THUS NO ONE CHOOSES in the abstract to go to hell or even to be the kind of person who belongs there. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/hell-thus-no-one-chooses-in-the-abstract-to-go-to-hell-or-even-to-be/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [There can only be two basic loves... the love of God unto the forgetfulness of self, or the love of self unto the forgetfulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-can-only-be-two-basic-loves-the-love-of-god-unto-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Atheist’s denial of God’s existence needs just as much substantiation as does the theist’s claim; the atheist must give plausible reasons for rejecting God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-copan/atheist-s-denial-of-god-s-existence-needs-just-as-much-substantiation/) [Paul Copan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-copan/) ## More by D. A. Carson > [Unchecked, the new tolerance will sooner or later put many people in chains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/unchecked-the-new-tolerance-will-sooner-or-later-put-many-people-in/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [God's wrath is not an implacable, blind rage. However emotional it may be, it is an entirely reasonable and willed response to offenses against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/god-s-wrath-is-not-an-implacable-blind-rage-however-emotional-it-may/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Others have questions about how it is that God and human beings can both be speaking through the one document such that you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/others-have-questions-about-how-it-is-that-god-and-human-beings-can/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The New Testament writers did not invent a doctrine of Scripture they inherited it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-new-testament-writers-did-not-invent-a-doctrine-of-scripture-they/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The Bible is not interested in precisionism unless the context indicates that precision is particularly important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-bible-is-not-interested-in-precisionism-unless-the-context/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Effectiveness in teaching the Bible is purchased at the price of much study, some of it lonely, all of it tiring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/effectiveness-in-teaching-the-bible-is-purchased-at-the-price-of-much/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Do you wish to see God's love? Look at the cross. Do you wish to see God's wrath? Look at the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/do-you-wish-to-see-god-s-love-look-at-the-cross-do-you-wish-to-see/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [The notion of the enduring authority focuses on the fact that some people think that notions like authority of Scripture's is passé, while others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/the-notion-of-the-enduring-authority-focuses-on-the-fact-that-some/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Many of us in our praying are like nasty little boys who ring front door bells and run away before anyone answers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/many-of-us-in-our-praying-are-like-nasty-little-boys-who-ring-front/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Christians have learned that when there seems to be no other evidence of God's love, they cannot escape the cross.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/christians-have-learned-that-when-there-seems-to-be-no-other-evidence/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Love the church because Jesus loves it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/love-the-church-because-jesus-loves-it/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > ["Biblical theology" refers to something more precise than theology that is faithful to the Bible. It might be helpful to draw a contrast: at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/biblical-theology-refers-to-something-more-precise-than-theology-that/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [We treat the Bible, not as if it's a magic book that has to be handled like a piece of abracadabra, make sure it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/we-treat-the-bible-not-as-if-it-s-a-magic-book-that-has-to-be-handled/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Most good evangelical Study Bibles have more in common than people sometimes realize. All of them are committed to explaining the Bible to lay…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/most-good-evangelical-study-bibles-have-more-in-common-than-people/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) > [Not all Scripture is propositional, some of it is asking questions, some of it's rhetorical, but where Scripture is stating something, asserting something, making…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-a-carson/not-all-scripture-is-propositional-some-of-it-is-asking-questions/) [D. A. Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) [Explore all 117 D. A. Carson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-a-carson/) ## More Brazen quotes > [I had rather be a Kitten, and cry mew, Than one of these same Meeter Ballad-mongers: I had rather heare a Brazen Candlestick turn'd,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-had-rather-be-a-kitten-and-cry-mew-than-one-of-these-same-meeter/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“This is laid down with a groove funkier and blacker than anything Prince of Michael Jackson--or any other black artist of the recent years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-easton-ellis/this-is-laid-down-with-a-groove-funkier-and-blacker-than-anything/) [Bret Easton Ellis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-easton-ellis/) > [“You want a wild ride, J.J.? I'll give it to you, hard and slow until you scream my name.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joya-ryan/you-want-a-wild-ride-j-j-i-ll-give-it-to-you-hard-and-slow-until-you/) [Joya Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joya-ryan/) > [I know of no sentence that can induce such immediate and brazen lying as the one that begins, 'Have you read - .'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilson-mizner/i-know-of-no-sentence-that-can-induce-such-immediate-and-brazen-lying/) [Wilson Mizner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilson-mizner/) > [One side thinks the president'€™s request for war-making powers is too brazen and even reckless. The other side thinks it is too spineless and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-baker/one-side-thinks-the-president-s-request-for-war-making-powers-is-too/) [Peter Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-baker/) > [Not like the brazen giant of Greek fame, With conquering limbs astride from land to land; Here at our sea-washed, sunset gates shall stand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-lazarus/not-like-the-brazen-giant-of-greek-fame-with-conquering-limbs-astride/) [Emma Lazarus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-lazarus/) > [So much of the way a singer physically damages their voice could be caused by stress or nerves. I would never be so brazen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandi-carlile/so-much-of-the-way-a-singer-physically-damages-their-voice-could-be/) [Brandi Carlile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandi-carlile/) > [In short, it is not that evolutionary naturalists have been less brazen than the scientific creationists in holding science hostage, but rather that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/in-short-it-is-not-that-evolutionary-naturalists-have-been-less/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [Peace! and no longer from its brazen portals The blast of War's great organ shakes the skies! But beautiful as songs of the immortals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/peace-and-no-longer-from-its-brazen-portals-the-blast-of-war-s-great/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Be this thy brazen bulwark, to keep a clear conscience, and never turn pale with guilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/be-this-thy-brazen-bulwark-to-keep-a-clear-conscience-and-never-turn/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“Renfield, my ass. What I had on my hands was a Van Helsing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-castillo-price/renfield-my-ass-what-i-had-on-my-hands-was-a-van-helsing/) [Jordan Castillo Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jordan-castillo-price/) > [Xenophon wrote with a swan's quill, Plato with a pen of gold, and Thucydides with a brazen stylus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joubert/xenophon-wrote-with-a-swan-s-quill-plato-with-a-pen-of-gold-and/) [Joseph Joubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-joubert/) > [Modern civilization has taught us to convert night into day and golden silence into brazen din and noise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/modern-civilization-has-taught-us-to-convert-night-into-day-and/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [I have always been brazen. That's why I can't tolerate corruption.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roopa-ganguly/i-have-always-been-brazen-that-s-why-i-can-t-tolerate-corruption/) [Roopa Ganguly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roopa-ganguly/) > [Magnificent autumn! He comes not like a pilgrim, clad in russet weeds; not like a hermit, clad in gray; but like a warrior with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/magnificent-autumn-he-comes-not-like-a-pilgrim-clad-in-russet-weeds/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) [Browse all 66 Brazen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brazen/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The person who loves his life will lose it: it could not be otherwise, for to love one's life is a fundamental denial of God's sovereignty, of God's rights, and a brazen elevation of self to the apogee of one's perception, and therefore an idolatrous focus on self, which is the heart of all sin", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "D. A. 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