--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But a good many Christian people make…" description: "\"“But a good many Christian people make this mistake: they think the battle is already fought and won. They have an idea that all they have to do is to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/d-l-moody-4112_christian-life_but-a-good-many-christian-people-make-th_3124458.jpg" --- # But a good many Christian people make this mistake: they… ![“But a good many Christian people make this mistake: they think the battle is already fought and won. They have an idea that all they have to do is to put the oars down in the bottom of the boat, and the current will drift them into the ocean of God’s eternal love. But we have to cross the current…” quote by D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/d-l-moody-4112_christian-life_but-a-good-many-christian-people-make-th_3124458.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/d-l-moody-4112_christian-life_but-a-good-many-christian-people-make-th_3124458.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/28b/d-l-moody-4112_christian-life_but-a-good-many-christian-people-make-th_3124458.jpg) > ““But a good many Christian people make this mistake: they think the battle is already fought and won. They have an idea that all they have to do is to put the oars down in the bottom of the boat, and the current will drift them into the ocean of God’s eternal love. But we have to cross the current. We have to learn how to watch and fight, and how to overcome. The battle is only just commenced. The Christian life is a conflict and a warfare, and the quicker we find it out the better. There”” [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Christian journey requires active effort and vigilance, not passive waiting for divine intervention. **In simple terms:** Faith demands ongoing struggle and perseverance. Key Takeaway Stay alert and engage in spiritual growth. Themes faith spiritual warfare perseverance Mood determined reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - daily prayer - church service - mission work - personal trials Key Concepts Christian doctrine personal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you actively pursue spiritual growth? - What battles do you need to fight today? A Different Perspective Passive reliance can lead to stagnation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-life/) [Eternal love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal-love/) [Failure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failure/) [Good man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-man/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [To overcome in battle, and subdue Nations, and bring home spoils with infinite Man-slaughter, shall be held the highest pitch Of human glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-milton/to-overcome-in-battle-and-subdue-nations-and-bring-home-spoils-with/) [John Milton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-milton/) > [The age of ignorance commenced with the Christian system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/the-age-of-ignorance-commenced-with-the-christian-system/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [The surprise is half the battle. Many things are half the battle, losing is half the battle. Let's think about what's the whole battle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/the-surprise-is-half-the-battle-many-things-are-half-the-battle/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“Who wins when the saint stops growing? Who wins when the saint stops his fellowship? Who wins by keeping up to 40% of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-davis/who-wins-when-the-saint-stops-growing-who-wins-when-the-saint-stops/) [Patrick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-davis/) > [I think that battle that you have almost never goes away. You're always questioning and hoping that stuff goes a certain way, that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-cole/i-think-that-battle-that-you-have-almost-never-goes-away-you-re/) [Adam Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-cole/) > [“It says in another place, “Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you.” We would have a victorious Church if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/it-says-in-another-place-casting-all-your-care-upon-him-for-he-careth/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“My job as a Christian is not to get people to heaven when they die, it's to get heaven to people while they're alive”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-r-silva/my-job-as-a-christian-is-not-to-get-people-to-heaven-when-they-die-it/) [D.R. Silva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-r-silva/) > [The more ardent the love for the Eucharist in the hearts of the Christian people, the more clearly will they recognize the goal of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-more-ardent-the-love-for-the-eucharist-in-the-hearts-of-the/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [There's a mindset in other countries that if you're an American, you're a Christian. Well, those people are sadly misled; they don't know our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-conway/there-s-a-mindset-in-other-countries-that-if-you-re-an-american-you/) [Tim Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-conway/) > [If Christian people work together, they can succeed during this decade in winning back control of the institutions that have been taken from them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/if-christian-people-work-together-they-can-succeed-during-this-decade/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [I was getting tired about what the preacher called Christian. Anything he did was Christian, and the people in his church believed it, too.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kennedy-toole/i-was-getting-tired-about-what-the-preacher-called-christian-anything/) [John Kennedy Toole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kennedy-toole/) > [“Oenone had found the chapel by accident, and was not certain what kept drawing her back to it. She was not a Christian. Few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-reeve/oenone-had-found-the-chapel-by-accident-and-was-not-certain-what-kept/) [Philip Reeve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-reeve/) > [There are some Christian people who taste and see and enjoy religion in their own souls, and who get at a deeper knowledge of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-some-christian-people-who-taste-and-see-and-enjoy-religion/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [I maintain that some Jew wrote it who probably heard about Christian people but never encountered any.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/i-maintain-that-some-jew-wrote-it-who-probably-heard-about-christian/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [I think for far too long the Church has concluded that Christians don't need the gospel, it's simple what non-Christian people need in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/i-think-for-far-too-long-the-church-has-concluded-that-christians-don/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) ## More by D.L. Moody > [“I would not give much for a man’s Christianity if he is saved himself and is not willing to try and save others. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/i-would-not-give-much-for-a-man-s-christianity-if-he-is-saved-himself/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“Earth’s nobility are soon forgotten. John Bunyan, the Bedford tinker, has outlived the whole crowd of those who were the nobility in his day.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/earth-s-nobility-are-soon-forgotten-john-bunyan-the-bedford-tinker/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“good way is to study Bible characters—take them right from the cradle to the grave. You find that skeptics often take one particular part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/good-way-is-to-study-bible-characters-take-them-right-from-the-cradle/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“The greatest, strongest, mightiest plea for the Church of God in the world is the existence of the Spirit of God in its midst,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/the-greatest-strongest-mightiest-plea-for-the-church-of-god-in-the/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“If I take care of my character, my reputation will take care of itself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/if-i-take-care-of-my-character-my-reputation-will-take-care-of-itself/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“In 1857 a revival swept over this country in the east and on to the western cities, clear over to the Pacific coast. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/in-1857-a-revival-swept-over-this-country-in-the-east-and-on-to-the/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“Take the sin of covetousness. There is more said in the Bible against it than against drunkenness. I must get it out of me—destroy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/take-the-sin-of-covetousness-there-is-more-said-in-the-bible-against/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“I have made this discovery: that it takes more love and self-sacrifice for the father to give up the son than it does for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/i-have-made-this-discovery-that-it-takes-more-love-and-self-sacrifice/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith (1 John 5:4).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/for-whatsoever-is-born-of-god-overcomes-the-world-and-this-is-the/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“A man told me a while ago he could not believe a thing he had never seen. I said, “Man, did you ever see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/a-man-told-me-a-while-ago-he-could-not-believe-a-thing-he-had-never/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“In a few days she came back to me and said, “Mr. Moody, I understand all about that theater business now. I went the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/in-a-few-days-she-came-back-to-me-and-said-mr-moody-i-understand-all/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“Now, how are we to get the victory over all our enemies? Turn to Galatians, second chapter, verse twenty: “I am crucified with Christ;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/now-how-are-we-to-get-the-victory-over-all-our-enemies-turn-to/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“Mortify your pride by cultivating humility. “Put on, therefore,” says Paul, “as the elect of God, holy and beloved, . . . humbleness of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/mortify-your-pride-by-cultivating-humility-put-on-therefore-says-paul/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“The most glorious triumphs of the Church have been won in times of persecution. The early church was persecuted for about three hundred years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/the-most-glorious-triumphs-of-the-church-have-been-won-in-times-of/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) > [“And the little fellow smiled and said: “Well, father, I shall be with Jesus tonight, shan’t I?” “Yes, you will spend the night with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-l-moody/and-the-little-fellow-smiled-and-said-well-father-i-shall-be-with/) [D.L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) [Explore all 116 D.L. Moody quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-l-moody/) ## More Christian life quotes > [If you don't plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-arthur/if-you-don-t-plan-to-live-the-christian-life-totally-committed-to/) [Kay Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-arthur/) > [“Life is but a prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/life-is-but-a-prayer/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“The point of this work and the Christian life as a whole is not burden and drudgery, but joy. Jesus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-j-chaput/the-point-of-this-work-and-the-christian-life-as-a-whole-is-not/) [Charles J. Chaput](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-j-chaput/) > [“To endure the cross is not a tragedy; it is the suffering which is the fruit of an exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/to-endure-the-cross-is-not-a-tragedy-it-is-the-suffering-which-is-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [In order to the attaining of all useful knowledge this is most necessary, that we fear God; we are not qualified to profit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/in-order-to-the-attaining-of-all-useful-knowledge-this-is-most/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“If you want to know how Jesus understands the Christian life, the place to begin is with what he means by kingdom of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scot-mcknight/if-you-want-to-know-how-jesus-understands-the-christian-life-the/) [Scot McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scot-mcknight/) > [“I travel to know the life of great souls in the pages of a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/i-travel-to-know-the-life-of-great-souls-in-the-pages-of-a-book/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Let weak Christians know that a spark from heaven, though kindled under green wood that sobs and smokes, yet it will consume all at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sibbes/let-weak-christians-know-that-a-spark-from-heaven-though-kindled/) [Richard Sibbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sibbes/) > [“Be patient and wait for God to direct your path. God loves you. He has a plan and a purpose for your life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-marshall/be-patient-and-wait-for-god-to-direct-your-path-god-loves-you-he-has/) Lydia Marshall > [I could, of course, have done no more if no less than affiliated myself in one way or another with a particular church, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-could-of-course-have-done-no-more-if-no-less-than-affiliated-myself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“There is an overflowing grace, for every great work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/there-is-an-overflowing-grace-for-every-great-work/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“As those of you with children know, rational parenting is like the Loch Ness Monster. We all hope it's out there somewhere, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-sprink/as-those-of-you-with-children-know-rational-parenting-is-like-the/) [Holly Sprink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-sprink/) > [I have not suffered a lot for Christ, but I want to tell you that those times that I have suffered and I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/i-have-not-suffered-a-lot-for-christ-but-i-want-to-tell-you-that/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [We are not being true to the artist as a man if we consider his art work junk simply because we differ with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-not-being-true-to-the-artist-as-a-man-if-we-consider-his-art/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Christian life, then, is a battle, so sharp and full of danger that effort can nowhere be relaxed without loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huldrych-zwingli/the-christian-life-then-is-a-battle-so-sharp-and-full-of-danger-that/) [Huldrych Zwingli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huldrych-zwingli/) [Browse all 787 Christian life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But a good many Christian people make this mistake: they think the battle is already fought and won. 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