--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Church has been trying to preach…" description: "\"“The Church has been trying to preach morality and ethics without the Gospel as a basis; it has been preaching morality without godliness; and it simpl..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/d-martyn-lloyd-jones-13096_character_the-church-has-been-trying-to-preach-mor_2953564.jpg" --- # The Church has been trying to preach morality and ethics… ![“The Church has been trying to preach morality and ethics without the Gospel as a basis; it has been preaching morality without godliness; and it simply does not work. It never has done, and it never will. And the result is that the Church, having abandoned her real task, has left humanity more or…” quote by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/d-martyn-lloyd-jones-13096_character_the-church-has-been-trying-to-preach-mor_2953564.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/d-martyn-lloyd-jones-13096_character_the-church-has-been-trying-to-preach-mor_2953564.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d14/d-martyn-lloyd-jones-13096_character_the-church-has-been-trying-to-preach-mor_2953564.jpg) > ““The Church has been trying to preach morality and ethics without the Gospel as a basis; it has been preaching morality without godliness; and it simply does not work. It never has done, and it never will. And the result is that the Church, having abandoned her real task, has left humanity more or less to its own devices.”” [D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-martyn-lloyd-jones/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Church’s moral teaching fails without a biblical foundation; without God, morality lacks effectiveness and purpose. **In simple terms:** Morality needs a divine basis. Key Takeaway Ground ethics in spiritual truth. Themes theology morality church doctrine Mood serious thoughtful Type theological ethical When to use this quote - preaching - education - community leadership - policy making Key Concepts religious ethics philosophy of law Questions to Reflect On - How can societies uphold ethics without religion? - What role does personal conscience play? A Different Perspective Secular morality can also be effective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Church Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-trying-1693052/) [Ethics Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics-gospel-4462868/) [Morality and ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/morality-and-ethics/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Preach Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preach-morality-2899848/) [Preaching Morality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preaching-morality-4462867/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Trying Preach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying-preach-4104583/) ## Related quotes > [Sportsmanship...what a load of crap, don't preach your morality to me. Steve Austin doesn't have any mercy... you want mercy? 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Ayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-j-ayer/) ## More by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones > [“Religion is that which a man does with his own solitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-martyn-lloyd-jones/religion-is-that-which-a-man-does-with-his-own-solitude/) [D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-martyn-lloyd-jones/) > [“Anyone who thinks that he can live the Christian life himself is proclaiming that he is not a Christian.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-martyn-lloyd-jones/anyone-who-thinks-that-he-can-live-the-christian-life-himself-is/) [D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-martyn-lloyd-jones/) > [“this life is a kind of preparatory school for the great life that is awaiting us beyond death and time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-martyn-lloyd-jones/this-life-is-a-kind-of-preparatory-school-for-the-great-life-that-is/) [D. 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