--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is only by living completely in this…" description: "\"It is only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith.\" — Dietrich Bonhoeffer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c39/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_faith_it-is-only-by-living-completely-in-this_870779.jpg" --- # It is only by living completely in this world that one… ![“It is only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith.” quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c39/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_faith_it-is-only-by-living-completely-in-this_870779.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c39/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_faith_it-is-only-by-living-completely-in-this_870779.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c39/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_faith_it-is-only-by-living-completely-in-this_870779.jpg) > “It is only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith.” [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True faith emerges from fully engaging with the world, not from abstract belief alone. **In simple terms:** Live fully to develop genuine faith. Key Takeaway Engage actively with life’s realities. Themes faith existence authenticity Mood reflective serious Type theological motivational When to use this quote - daily work - community service - personal trials Key Concepts existentialism theology practical spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How does daily work shape your beliefs? - What does “living in this world” mean to you? A Different Perspective Faith without experience may become empty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Worldliness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worldliness/) ## Related quotes > [“I'm still discovering, right up to this moment, that it is only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/i-m-still-discovering-right-up-to-this-moment-that-it-is-only-by/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I discovered later, and I'm still discovering right up to this moment, that is it only by living completely in this world that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/i-discovered-later-and-i-m-still-discovering-right-up-to-this-moment/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Wherever it pleases God to put man in this world, the Christian must be ready for martyrdom and death. It is only in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/wherever-it-pleases-god-to-put-man-in-this-world-the-christian-must/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [The more completely we give of ourselves, the more completely the world gives back to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/the-more-completely-we-give-of-ourselves-the-more-completely-the/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [When you trance out properly, when you're completely in that world, there is no other world, so there's no conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-sondheim/when-you-trance-out-properly-when-you-re-completely-in-that-world/) [Stephen Sondheim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-sondheim/) > [The open road is the school of doubt in which man learns faith in man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pico-iyer/the-open-road-is-the-school-of-doubt-in-which-man-learns-faith-in-man/) [Pico Iyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pico-iyer/) > [Living in L.A., I was completely lost - and I enjoyed it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-marling/living-in-l-a-i-was-completely-lost-and-i-enjoyed-it/) [Laura Marling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-marling/) > [If you're living completely on your own, break out of solitary confinement. Seek to understand others, and help them understand you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/if-you-re-living-completely-on-your-own-break-out-of-solitary/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [She seems to have had the ability to stand firmly on the rock of her past while living completely and unregretfully in the present.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/she-seems-to-have-had-the-ability-to-stand-firmly-on-the-rock-of-her/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [True freedom is living as if you had completely chosen whatever you feel or experience in this moment. This inner alignment with the Now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/true-freedom-is-living-as-if-you-had-completely-chosen-whatever-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [“Devote yourself to living completely and sharing your unique brilliance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/devote-yourself-to-living-completely-and-sharing-your-unique/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [There's only two ways to be completely alone in this world, lost in a crowd or in total isolation...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-lemire/there-s-only-two-ways-to-be-completely-alone-in-this-world-lost-in-a/) [Jeff Lemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-lemire/) > [Staten Island is set off completely by itself in its own world, and that's one of the fascinating things about it, dramatically.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-o-donnell/staten-island-is-set-off-completely-by-itself-in-its-own-world-and/) [Lawrence O'Donnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-o-donnell/) > [“No, she had no belief--none. She was completely alone with herself. The world was empty for her, but she didn't know it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madison-smartt-bell/no-she-had-no-belief-none-she-was-completely-alone-with-herself-the/) [Madison Smartt Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madison-smartt-bell/) > [“Only after beggary (bhikh) goes away completely, can one see this world ‘as it is’.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/only-after-beggary-bhikh-goes-away-completely-can-one-see-this-world/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) ## More by Dietrich Bonhoeffer > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [...Gratitude transforms the torment of memory of good things now gone into silent joy. One bears what was lovely in the past not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/gratitude-transforms-the-torment-of-memory-of-good-things-now-gone/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Only he who believes is obedient and only he who is obedient believes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/only-he-who-believes-is-obedient-and-only-he-who-is-obedient-believes/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Who can really be faithful in great things if he has not learned to be faithful in the things of daily life?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/who-can-really-be-faithful-in-great-things-if-he-has-not-learned-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The church can only defend its own space by fighting, not for space, but for the salvation of the world. Otherwise the church becomes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-church-can-only-defend-its-own-space-by-fighting-not-for-space/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There remains an experience of incomparable value . . . to see the great events of world history from below; from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-remains-an-experience-of-incomparable-value-to-see-the-great/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“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/) > [“There is only one church, the church of faith ruled by the word of Jesus Christ alone. This is the true catholic church that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/there-is-only-one-church-the-church-of-faith-ruled-by-the-word-of/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“As Christians, we needn’t be at all ashamed of some impatience, longing, opposition to what is unnatural, and our full share of desire for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/as-christians-we-needn-t-be-at-all-ashamed-of-some-impatience-longing/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Those who love their dream of a Christian community more than the Christian community itself become destroyers of that Christian community even though their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/those-who-love-their-dream-of-a-christian-community-more-than-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“From now on there can be no more wars of faith. The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/from-now-on-there-can-be-no-more-wars-of-faith-the-only-way-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“The scriptures do not present us with a series of Christian types to be imitated according to choice; they preach to us in every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/the-scriptures-do-not-present-us-with-a-series-of-christian-types-to/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [We are not to simply bandage the wounds of victims beneath the wheels of injustice, we are to drive a spoke into the wheel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/we-are-not-to-simply-bandage-the-wounds-of-victims-beneath-the-wheels/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) [Explore all 711 Dietrich Bonhoeffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## More Completely quotes > [Life is not a cliche - everything that's happening is completely original. No refunds, no exchange.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-not-a-cliche-everything-that-s-happening-is-completely/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Because I was, and I remain, utterly and completely and totally…in love with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/because-i-was-and-i-remain-utterly-and-completely-and-totally-in-love/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [“But with Dimitri, I never felt like I had to be anything more what I already was. I didn't have to entertain him or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/but-with-dimitri-i-never-felt-like-i-had-to-be-anything-more-what-i/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“I don’t know if i’ll ever get you out of my system, not completely. I have… this feeling. That you’ll always be there. Here.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-han/i-don-t-know-if-i-ll-ever-get-you-out-of-my-system-not-completely-i/) [Jenny Han](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-han/) > [The place where I had freedom most was when I painted. I was completely and utterly myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-neel/the-place-where-i-had-freedom-most-was-when-i-painted-i-was/) [Alice Neel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-neel/) > [Rubina and I have been together since so long, and she understands me completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhinav-shukla/rubina-and-i-have-been-together-since-so-long-and-she-understands-me/) [Abhinav Shukla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhinav-shukla/) > [“Your life is like a book you decide what to write on it or erase from it; But you might not be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/topsy-gift/your-life-is-like-a-book-you-decide-what-to-write-on-it-or-erase-from/) [Topsy Gift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/topsy-gift/) > [“As long as you have a dream your never completely broke”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rashaad-lee/as-long-as-you-have-a-dream-your-never-completely-broke/) [Rashaad Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rashaad-lee/) > [I am completely happy with my life. I love everything about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-roberts/i-am-completely-happy-with-my-life-i-love-everything-about-it/) [Julia Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-roberts/) > [Me being happy with someone else means I have to let go of you completely and I don't know if I can do that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-being-happy-with-someone-else-means-i-have-to-let-go-of-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“When I am completely united to you, there will be no more sorrow or trials; entirely full of you, my life will be complete”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-catholic-church/when-i-am-completely-united-to-you-there-will-be-no-more-sorrow-or/) [The Catholic Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-catholic-church/) > [When I like something, I love it, but then I'll let it go completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-hoult/when-i-like-something-i-love-it-but-then-i-ll-let-it-go-completely/) [Nicholas Hoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-hoult/) > [“And I’d have you know, through all of it, I still had perfect nails! Because I am completely swell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-scheele/and-i-d-have-you-know-through-all-of-it-i-still-had-perfect-nails/) [Sarah Scheele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-scheele/) > [I've had a lot of plastic surgery, and I'm completely honest about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anitta/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-plastic-surgery-and-i-m-completely-honest-about-it/) [Anitta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anitta/) > [“With one kiss, he can completely disarm me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-proby/with-one-kiss-he-can-completely-disarm-me/) [Kristen Proby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-proby/) Browse all 416 Completely quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dietrich Bonhoeffer" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/it-is-only-by-living-completely-in-this-world-that-one-learns-to-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Completely" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/it-is-only-by-living-completely-in-this-world-that-one-learns-to-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c39/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_faith_it-is-only-by-living-completely-in-this_870779.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c39/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_faith_it-is-only-by-living-completely-in-this_870779.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c39/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_faith_it-is-only-by-living-completely-in-this_870779.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is only by living completely in this world that one learns to have faith.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer", "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": "Dietrich Bonhoeffer", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is only by living completely...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/it-is-only-by-living-completely-in-this-world-that-one-learns-to-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/it-is-only-by-living-completely-in-this-world-that-one-learns-to-have/#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 } } ] } ```