--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Seeking Heaven through righteousness is…" description: "\"Seeking Heaven through righteousness is not seeking righteousness, but something else;--it is not loving goodness for goodness' sake, but for its rewar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/edwin-hubbel-chapin-1652_goodness_seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is_673157.png" --- # Seeking Heaven through righteousness is not seeking… ![“Seeking Heaven through righteousness is not seeking righteousness, but something else;--it is not loving goodness for goodness' sake, but for its rewards.” quote by Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/edwin-hubbel-chapin-1652_goodness_seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is_673157.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/edwin-hubbel-chapin-1652_goodness_seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is_673157.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/edwin-hubbel-chapin-1652_goodness_seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is_673157.png) > “Seeking Heaven through righteousness is not seeking righteousness, but something else;--it is not loving goodness for goodness' sake, but for its rewards.” [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True righteousness is not pursued for its own sake but for the benefits it yields; seeking goodness for reward, not merely for goodness itself. **In simple terms:** Righteousness pursued for reward, not just goodness. Key Takeaway Recognize motives behind moral actions. Themes ethics motivation reward goodness Mood reflective critical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - religious teachings - ethical decision making - personal moral reflection Key Concepts theology philosophy human nature Questions to Reflect On - Why do we seek moral reward? - Can actions be truly selfless? A Different Perspective Reward‑based morality can become self‑serving. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) [Righteousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteousness/) ## Related quotes > [“What conceivable reason could one have for seeking after righteousness in a world which so hated righteousness?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sinclair-lewis/what-conceivable-reason-could-one-have-for-seeking-after/) [Sinclair Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sinclair-lewis/) > [“Some people spend their whole lives seeking heaven, when all they needed to do was look about them, and embrace that which was already…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-althouse/some-people-spend-their-whole-lives-seeking-heaven-when-all-they/) [Tom Althouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-althouse/) > [“Going to church, giving money to worthy causes, and moral goodness is commendable, but beware; you can be a good person and still be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-dulmage/going-to-church-giving-money-to-worthy-causes-and-moral-goodness-is/) Joseph Dulmage > [“Experiences are the gifts from God, but we never seek those directly. You and I are to be seeking. You and I are to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-richardson/experiences-are-the-gifts-from-god-but-we-never-seek-those-directly/) [Brian Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-richardson/) > [Trust wholly in Christ; rely altogether on His sufferings; beware of seeking to be justified in any other way than by His righteousness. Faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/trust-wholly-in-christ-rely-altogether-on-his-sufferings-beware-of/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [“Righteousness is faith in motion. It is the work of faith. The faith we have is expressed by the things we do. When we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-houge/righteousness-is-faith-in-motion-it-is-the-work-of-faith-the-faith-we/) [Adam Houge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-houge/) > [“Jesus came to give his righteousness not to condemn the unrighteous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-canoza/jesus-came-to-give-his-righteousness-not-to-condemn-the-unrighteous/) [Mac Canoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-canoza/) > [“Saint Hilary saith these words plainly in the ninth canon upon Matthew: ‘Faith only justifieth.’ 14 And Saint Basil, a Greek author, writeth thus:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerald-bray/saint-hilary-saith-these-words-plainly-in-the-ninth-canon-upon/) Gerald Bray > [Daily simple, sincere, and mighty prayers lift our lives to a higher spiritual altitude. In our prayers we praise God, give thanks to Him,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/daily-simple-sincere-and-mighty-prayers-lift-our-lives-to-a-higher/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [“Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-faith-in-christ-does-not-free-us-from-works-but-from-false/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Two Things that measure Righteousness: The Way You Manage when You Have Nothing & Way You Behave when You Have Everything!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sultan/two-things-that-measure-righteousness-the-way-you-manage-when-you/) [Sultan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sultan/) > [Righteousness and faith certainly are instrumental in moving mountains - if moving mountains accomplishes God's purposes and is in accordance with His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-bednar/righteousness-and-faith-certainly-are-instrumental-in-moving/) [David A. Bednar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-bednar/) > [Not simply the righteousness of our Saviour, not simply the beauty of His holiness or the graces of His character, are we to put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adoniram-judson-gordon/not-simply-the-righteousness-of-our-saviour-not-simply-the-beauty-of/) [Adoniram Judson Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adoniram-judson-gordon/) > [The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david/the-lord-is-my-shepherd-i-shall-not-want-he-maketh-me-to-lie-down-in/) [David](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) ## More by Edwin Hubbel Chapin > [In the history of man it has been very generally the case that when evils have grown insufferable they have touched the point of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/in-the-history-of-man-it-has-been-very-generally-the-case-that-when/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [Life, whether in this world or any other, is the sum of our attainment, our experience, our character. The conditions are secondary. In what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/life-whether-in-this-world-or-any-other-is-the-sum-of-our-attainment/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [No man knows the genuineness of his convictions until he has sacrificed something for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/no-man-knows-the-genuineness-of-his-convictions-until-he-has/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [Our life is what we make it. An insignificant game or a noble trial; a dream or a reality; a play of the senses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/our-life-is-what-we-make-it-an-insignificant-game-or-a-noble-trial-a/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [Setting is preliminary to brighter rising; decay is a process of advancement; death is the condition of higher and more fruitful life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/setting-is-preliminary-to-brighter-rising-decay-is-a-process-of/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [Life itself suggests a higher good than life itself can yield.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/life-itself-suggests-a-higher-good-than-life-itself-can-yield/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [A true man never frets about his place in the world, but just slides into it by the gravitation of his nature, and swings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/a-true-man-never-frets-about-his-place-in-the-world-but-just-slides/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [There is but a slight difference between the man who may be said to know nothing and him who thinks he knows everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/there-is-but-a-slight-difference-between-the-man-who-may-be-said-to/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [The bosom can ache beneath diamond brooches; and many a blithe heart dances under coarse wool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/the-bosom-can-ache-beneath-diamond-brooches-and-many-a-blithe-heart/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [Can you conceive of anything that so represents the glory, and truth, and marvelousness of God's nature as the idea of peace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/can-you-conceive-of-anything-that-so-represents-the-glory-and-truth/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [The gospel has but a forced alliance with war. Its doctrine of human brotherhood would ring strangely between the opposed ranks. The bellowing speech…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/the-gospel-has-but-a-forced-alliance-with-war-its-doctrine-of-human/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [No language can express the power, and beauty, and heroism, and majesty of a mother's love. It shrinks not where man cowers, and grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/no-language-can-express-the-power-and-beauty-and-heroism-and-majesty/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [It is not enjoined upon us to forget, but we are told to forgive, our enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/it-is-not-enjoined-upon-us-to-forget-but-we-are-told-to-forgive-our/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [Think for a moment of the great agents and engines of our civilization, and then think what shadowy ideas they all once were. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/think-for-a-moment-of-the-great-agents-and-engines-of-our/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) > [There is a sweet anguish springing up in our bosoms when a child's face brightens under the shadow of the waiting angel. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/there-is-a-sweet-anguish-springing-up-in-our-bosoms-when-a-child-s/) [Edwin Hubbel Chapin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) [Explore all 219 Edwin Hubbel Chapin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/) ## More Goodness quotes > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) Daniel K Judd > [Love reacts with goodness towards those who ill-treat it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/love-reacts-with-goodness-towards-those-who-ill-treat-it/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [For the glory born of Goodness Never dies, And its flag is not half-masted In the skies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bret-harte/for-the-glory-born-of-goodness-never-dies-and-its-flag-is-not-half/) [Bret Harte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bret-harte/) > [One may not doubt that, somehow Good Shall come of Water and of Mud; And sure, the reverent eye must see A purpose in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-brooke/one-may-not-doubt-that-somehow-good-shall-come-of-water-and-of-mud/) [Rupert Brooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-brooke/) > [I've never had any desire to be good. I don't like goodness particularly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanif-kureishi/i-ve-never-had-any-desire-to-be-good-i-don-t-like-goodness/) [Hanif Kureishi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanif-kureishi/) > [the path of goodness had a name it is called Love in it we find the key to every hope and has it's root…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-john-paul-ii/the-path-of-goodness-had-a-name-it-is-called-love-in-it-we-find-the/) [Pope John Paul II](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-john-paul-ii/) > [The family remains the basic unit of society and the first school in which children learn the human, spiritual and moral values which enable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/the-family-remains-the-basic-unit-of-society-and-the-first-school-in/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [To make one good action succeed another, is the perfection of goodness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ali-ibn-abi-talib/to-make-one-good-action-succeed-another-is-the-perfection-of-goodness/) [Ali ibn Abi Talib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ali-ibn-abi-talib/) > [The living can't quit living because the world has turned terrible and people they love and need are killed. They can't because they don't.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wendell-berry/the-living-can-t-quit-living-because-the-world-has-turned-terrible/) [Wendell Berry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wendell-berry/) > [The future teachers I try to recruit are those show have refused to let themselves be neutered in this way, either in their private…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-kozol/the-future-teachers-i-try-to-recruit-are-those-show-have-refused-to/) [Jonathan Kozol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-kozol/) > [A good man therefore is a standing lesson to us all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-fielding/a-good-man-therefore-is-a-standing-lesson-to-us-all/) [Henry Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-fielding/) > [And if thy heart be straight with God then every creature shall be to thee a mirror of life and a book of holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/and-if-thy-heart-be-straight-with-god-then-every-creature-shall-be-to/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“Sometimes resilience arrives in the moment you discover your own unshakeable goodness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-boyle/sometimes-resilience-arrives-in-the-moment-you-discover-your-own/) [Gregory Boyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-boyle/) > [What is sin? It is the glory of God not honored. The holiness of God not reverenced. The greatness of God not admired. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/what-is-sin-it-is-the-glory-of-god-not-honored-the-holiness-of-god/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) [Browse all 3,129 Goodness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Seeking Heaven through righteousness is not seeking righteousness, but something else;--it is not loving goodness for goodness' sake, but for its rewards.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edwin Hubbel Chapin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is-not-seeking-righteousness-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Goodness" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is-not-seeking-righteousness-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/edwin-hubbel-chapin-1652_goodness_seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is_673157.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/edwin-hubbel-chapin-1652_goodness_seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is_673157.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/814/edwin-hubbel-chapin-1652_goodness_seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is_673157.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Seeking Heaven through righteousness is not seeking righteousness, but something else;--it is not loving…” — Edwin Hubbel Chapin", "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": "Edwin Hubbel Chapin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-hubbel-chapin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Seeking Heaven through righteousness is not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is-not-seeking-righteousness-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-hubbel-chapin/seeking-heaven-through-righteousness-is-not-seeking-righteousness-but/#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 } } ] } ```