--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Incarnation is the ultimate reason…" description: "\"The Incarnation is the ultimate reason why the service of God cannot be divorced from the service of man.\" — Dietrich Bonhoeffer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_divorced_the-incarnation-is-the-ultimate-reason-w_2107546.jpg" --- # The Incarnation is the ultimate reason why the service of… ![“The Incarnation is the ultimate reason why the service of God cannot be divorced from the service of man.” quote by Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_divorced_the-incarnation-is-the-ultimate-reason-w_2107546.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_divorced_the-incarnation-is-the-ultimate-reason-w_2107546.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a61/dietrich-bonhoeffer-303_divorced_the-incarnation-is-the-ultimate-reason-w_2107546.jpg) > “The Incarnation is the ultimate reason why the service of God cannot be divorced from the service of man.” [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. Divine service is inseparable from serving humanity; faith must manifest in action toward people. **In simple terms:** Serving God means serving humanity. Key Takeaway Integrate faith with compassionate service. Themes faith service humanity Mood contemplative hopeful Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - church work - volunteering - social justice - daily interactions Key Concepts theology ethics social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you serve others in your daily life? - What does serving humanity mean to you? A Different Perspective Practical constraints may limit service. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Divorced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/divorced/) [God Divorced](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-divorced-4240054/) [Incarnation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incarnation/) [Incarnation Ultimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incarnation-ultimate-4240053/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Service God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service-god/) [Ultimate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate/) [Ultimate Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate-reason-656660/) ## Related quotes > [In Jesus, the service of God and the service of the least of the brethren were one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/in-jesus-the-service-of-god-and-the-service-of-the-least-of-the/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [The ultimate reason for setting goals is to entice you to become the person it takes to achieve them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/the-ultimate-reason-for-setting-goals-is-to-entice-you-to-become-the/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) > [The ultimate reason of things must lie in a necessary substance, in which the differentiation of the changes only exists eminently as in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/the-ultimate-reason-of-things-must-lie-in-a-necessary-substance-in/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [“Our reason to pray for such spiritual benefits is a fairly obvious one—one that we have affirmed again and again in this book: “so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-macarthur/our-reason-to-pray-for-such-spiritual-benefits-is-a-fairly-obvious/) [John MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-macarthur/) > [The ultimate reason for meditating is to transform ourselves in order to be better able to transform the world or, to put it another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/the-ultimate-reason-for-meditating-is-to-transform-ourselves-in-order-2/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [“. If that which was figured out long ago was the ultimate, then there would be no reason for your existence today.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-hicks/if-that-which-was-figured-out-long-ago-was-the-ultimate-then-there/) [Esther Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-hicks/) > [“Purpose is the ultimate reason for your existence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-s-mashego/purpose-is-the-ultimate-reason-for-your-existence/) [D.S. Mashego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-s-mashego/) > [It is God who is the ultimate reason things, and the Knowledge of God is no less the beginning of science than his essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/it-is-god-who-is-the-ultimate-reason-things-and-the-knowledge-of-god/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [To consider the matter aright, reason is nothing but a wonderful and unintelligible instinct in our souls, which carries us along a certain train…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/to-consider-the-matter-aright-reason-is-nothing-but-a-wonderful-and/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“But the ultimate reason for our hope is not to be found at all in what we want, wish for and wait for; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-rgen-moltmann/but-the-ultimate-reason-for-our-hope-is-not-to-be-found-at-all-in/) [Jürgen Moltmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-rgen-moltmann/) > [The ultimate reason for meditating is to transform ourselves in order to be better able to transform the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthieu-ricard/the-ultimate-reason-for-meditating-is-to-transform-ourselves-in-order/) [Matthieu Ricard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthieu-ricard/) > [..This is why the ultimate reason of things must lie in a necessary substance, in which the differentiation of the changes only exists eminently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gottfried-leibniz/this-is-why-the-ultimate-reason-of-things-must-lie-in-a-necessary/) [Gottfried Leibniz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gottfried-leibniz/) > [“And in the Incarnation the whole human race recovers the dignity of the image of God. Henceforth, any attack even on the least of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/and-in-the-incarnation-the-whole-human-race-recovers-the-dignity-of/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“God sends his Son – here lies the only remedy. It is not enough to give man a new philosophy or better religion. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/god-sends-his-son-here-lies-the-only-remedy-it-is-not-enough-to-give/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“Christ took upon himself this human form of ours. He became Man even as we are men. In his humanity and his lowliness we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/christ-took-upon-himself-this-human-form-of-ours-he-became-man-even/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) ## 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 Divorced quotes > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. 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It comes in many forms: unease, worry, anxiety, nervousness, tension,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/the-psychological-condition-of-fear-is-divorced-from-any-concrete-and/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [My parents are divorced, and that was the last thing I wanted for myself. I waited until I was 36 to propose, and I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-duhamel/my-parents-are-divorced-and-that-was-the-last-thing-i-wanted-for/) [Josh Duhamel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-duhamel/) > [We're all divorced from reality; the only question is whether you're paying alimony or receiving it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-alejandro-king-aka-the-covert-comic/we-re-all-divorced-from-reality-the-only-question-is-whether-you-re/) [John Alejandro King Aka The Covert Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-alejandro-king-aka-the-covert-comic/) > [In 2011, I announced that I was going to retire, and my agent panicked. 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