--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Christian life is not knowing or…" description: "\"The Christian life is not knowing or hearing, but doing.\" — Frederick William Robertson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/frederick-william-robertson-39_christian_the-christian-life-is-not-knowing-or-hea_2184889.png" --- # The Christian life is not knowing or hearing, but doing. ![“The Christian life is not knowing or hearing, but doing.” quote by Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/frederick-william-robertson-39_christian_the-christian-life-is-not-knowing-or-hea_2184889.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/frederick-william-robertson-39_christian_the-christian-life-is-not-knowing-or-hea_2184889.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/frederick-william-robertson-39_christian_the-christian-life-is-not-knowing-or-hea_2184889.png) > “The Christian life is not knowing or hearing, but doing.” [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Christianity is demonstrated through actions, not merely belief or hearing. **In simple terms:** Faith needs action. Key Takeaway Live out your beliefs daily. Themes faith action service Mood inspirational thoughtful Type spiritual practical When to use this quote - volunteering - charitable work - personal integrity Key Concepts practical theology moral duty Questions to Reflect On - What concrete step will you take today? - How do you measure genuine faith? A Different Perspective Actions alone may not reflect inner belief. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-life/) [Hearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearing/) [Hearing Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hearing-doing-4734861/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Life Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-knowing/) [Not knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-knowing/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) ## Related quotes > [The beauty of life is not knowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matisyahu/the-beauty-of-life-is-not-knowing/) [Matisyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matisyahu/) > [When I was 18, I went to the Soviet Union. I kept hearing that America was planning to bomb them - lots of bombs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/when-i-was-18-i-went-to-the-soviet-union-i-kept-hearing-that-america/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Perhaps the worst sin in life is knowing right and not doing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/perhaps-the-worst-sin-in-life-is-knowing-right-and-not-doing-it/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every day His servants are dying modestly and peacefully--not a word of victory on their lips; but Christ's deep triumph in their hearts--watching the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/every-day-his-servants-are-dying-modestly-and-peacefully-not-a-word/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [Did I want a dog? No. Did I need a dog? Also no. 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When you fully accept that you do not know, you give up struggling to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eckhart-tolle/there-are-situations-when-all-answers-and-explanations-fade-when-you/) [Eckhart Tolle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eckhart-tolle/) > [Despite my mother saying I have been destined to be an actress my whole life, I remember being the kid who grew up not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shantel-vansanten/despite-my-mother-saying-i-have-been-destined-to-be-an-actress-my/) [Shantel VanSanten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shantel-vansanten/) > [I wasted so many years just traveling and sitting in hotels, searching for things, not knowing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sergei-polunin/i-wasted-so-many-years-just-traveling-and-sitting-in-hotels-searching/) [Sergei Polunin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sergei-polunin/) > [I have been missing the point. The point is not knowing another person, or learning to love another person. The point is simply this:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-wells/i-have-been-missing-the-point-the-point-is-not-knowing-another-person/) [Rebecca Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-wells/) > [When you read the poem, you wonder, what might Grendel have been? Could it have been a person that was turned away? Someone that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kieran-bew/when-you-read-the-poem-you-wonder-what-might-grendel-have-been-could/) [Kieran Bew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kieran-bew/) > [I've always been afraid of who I am and not knowing what I can do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keala-settle/i-ve-always-been-afraid-of-who-i-am-and-not-knowing-what-i-can-do/) [Keala Settle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keala-settle/) > [Not knowing how to feed the spirit, we try to muffle its demands in distraction...What matters is that one be for a time inwardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/not-knowing-how-to-feed-the-spirit-we-try-to-muffle-its-demands-in/) [Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/) > [When you rest deeply in the Unknown without trying to escape, your experience becomes very vast. As the experience of the Unknown deepens, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adyashanti/when-you-rest-deeply-in-the-unknown-without-trying-to-escape-your/) [Adyashanti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adyashanti/) > [Those who are the most happy appear to know it the least; happiness is something that for the most part seems to mainly consist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-brothers/those-who-are-the-most-happy-appear-to-know-it-the-least-happiness-is/) [Joyce Brothers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-brothers/) > [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/) ## More by Frederick William Robertson > [Women and God are the two rocks on which a man must either anchor or be wrecked.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/women-and-god-are-the-two-rocks-on-which-a-man-must-either-anchor-or/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [By experience; by a sense of human frailty; by a perception of "the soul of goodness in things evil;" by a cheerful trust in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/by-experience-by-a-sense-of-human-frailty-by-a-perception-of-the-soul/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [This world is given as a prize for the men in earnest; and that which is true of this world is truer still of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/this-world-is-given-as-a-prize-for-the-men-in-earnest-and-that-which/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [Never does a man know the force that is in him till some mighty affliction or grief has humanized the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/never-does-a-man-know-the-force-that-is-in-him-till-some-mighty/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [In God's world, for those who are in earnest, there is no failure. No work truly done, no word earnestly spoken, no sacrifice freely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/in-god-s-world-for-those-who-are-in-earnest-there-is-no-failure-no/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [Now see what a Christian is, drawn by the hand of Christ. He is a man on whose clear and open brow God has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/now-see-what-a-christian-is-drawn-by-the-hand-of-christ-he-is-a-man/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [What we mean by sentimentalism is that state in which a man speaks deep and true sentiments not because he feels them strongly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/what-we-mean-by-sentimentalism-is-that-state-in-which-a-man-speaks/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [However dark and profitless, however painful and weary, existence may have become, life is not done, and our Christian character is not won, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/however-dark-and-profitless-however-painful-and-weary-existence-may/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [No man ever progressed to greatness and goodness but through great mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/no-man-ever-progressed-to-greatness-and-goodness-but-through-great/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [The man whom society will not forgive nor restore is driven into recklessness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/the-man-whom-society-will-not-forgive-nor-restore-is-driven-into/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [God's highest gifts--talent, beauty, feeling, imagination, power--they carry with them the possibility of the highest heaven and the lowest hell. Be sure that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/god-s-highest-gifts-talent-beauty-feeling-imagination-power-they/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [There is a mighty gulf between those who love and those who do not love God To the one class we owe civility, courtesy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/there-is-a-mighty-gulf-between-those-who-love-and-those-who-do-not/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [Through ages, through eternity, what you have done for Christ, that, and only that, you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/through-ages-through-eternity-what-you-have-done-for-christ-that-and/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [Brethren, happiness is not our being's end and aim. The Christian's aim is perfection, not happiness; and every one of the sons of God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/brethren-happiness-is-not-our-being-s-end-and-aim-the-christian-s-aim/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [What we are, and where we are, is God's providential arrange ment — God's doing, though it may be man's misdoing; and the manly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/what-we-are-and-where-we-are-is-god-s-providential-arrange-ment-god-s/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) [Explore all 119 Frederick William Robertson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) ## More Christian quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/) [Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [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/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/) [David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/) > [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/) [Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/) > [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/) [Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. 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Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Christian life is not knowing or hearing, but doing.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frederick William Robertson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/the-christian-life-is-not-knowing-or-hearing-but-doing/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/the-christian-life-is-not-knowing-or-hearing-but-doing/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/frederick-william-robertson-39_christian_the-christian-life-is-not-knowing-or-hea_2184889.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/frederick-william-robertson-39_christian_the-christian-life-is-not-knowing-or-hea_2184889.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6bd/frederick-william-robertson-39_christian_the-christian-life-is-not-knowing-or-hea_2184889.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Christian life is not knowing or hearing, but doing.” — Frederick William Robertson", "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": "Frederick William Robertson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Christian life is not knowing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/the-christian-life-is-not-knowing-or-hearing-but-doing/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/the-christian-life-is-not-knowing-or-hearing-but-doing/#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 } } ] } ```