--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we do not die to ourselves, we cannot…" description: "\"If we do not die to ourselves, we cannot live to God, andhe that does not live to God, is dead.\" — George MacDonald" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/george-macdonald-295_christian-life_if-we-do-not-die-to-ourselves-we-cannot_2076396.png" --- # If we do not die to ourselves, we cannot live to God… ![“If we do not die to ourselves, we cannot live to God, andhe that does not live to God, is dead.” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/george-macdonald-295_christian-life_if-we-do-not-die-to-ourselves-we-cannot_2076396.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/george-macdonald-295_christian-life_if-we-do-not-die-to-ourselves-we-cannot_2076396.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/george-macdonald-295_christian-life_if-we-do-not-die-to-ourselves-we-cannot_2076396.png) > “If we do not die to ourselves, we cannot live to God, andhe that does not live to God, is dead.” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spiritual growth requires surrendering self‑centeredness to align with divine purpose **In simple terms:** Dying to self lets you live for God Key Takeaway Prioritize spiritual humility Themes faith self‑sacrifice spirituality Mood hopeful serious inspirational Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - prayer - service - ethical decisions - life crises - personal reflection Key Concepts theology self‑transcendence Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance self‑care with self‑sacrifice? - What does “living to God” look like in daily life? A Different Perspective Self‑denial may lead to loss of personal identity if not balanced ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-life/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead/) [Die Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/die-live-273243/) [Dies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dies/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [God Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-dead-367261/) [God is dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-is-dead/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Live](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live/) [Live God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/live-god-285891/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [“God is dead! Only the IT department can help you now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-smegger-p-79-in-maryjanice-davidson-s-i-super-girl-i/god-is-dead-only-the-it-department-can-help-you-now/) [Edward Smegger p. 79 in MaryJanice Davidson's i Super Girl i](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-smegger-p-79-in-maryjanice-davidson-s-i-super-girl-i/) > [PROCTOR, his mind wild, breathless: I say--I say--God is dead!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/proctor-his-mind-wild-breathless-i-say-i-say-god-is-dead/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [God is dead!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-rard-de-nerval/god-is-dead/) [Gerard De Nerval](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-rard-de-nerval/) > [God is dead, and there is an actor playing his part](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-charnin/god-is-dead-and-there-is-an-actor-playing-his-part/) [Martin Charnin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-charnin/) > [“But what is the philosophy of this generation? Not God is dead, that point was passed long ago. Perhaps it should be stated Death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-bellow/but-what-is-the-philosophy-of-this-generation-not-god-is-dead-that/) [Saul Bellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-bellow/) > [God is dead,' Nick said. 'They found his carcass in 2019. Floating in space near Alpha.' 'They found the remains of an organism advanced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-k-dick/god-is-dead-nick-said-they-found-his-carcass-in-2019-floating-in/) [Philip K. Dick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-k-dick/) > [God is dead, but considering the state the species man is in, there will perhaps be caves, for ages yet, in which his shadow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/god-is-dead-but-considering-the-state-the-species-man-is-in-there/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Men to whom God is dead worship one another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-crews/men-to-whom-god-is-dead-worship-one-another/) [Harry Crews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-crews/) > [God is dead, God remains dead, and we have killed him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/god-is-dead-god-remains-dead-and-we-have-killed-him/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [God is dead. Let us not understand by this that he does not exist or even that he no longer exists. He is dead.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/god-is-dead-let-us-not-understand-by-this-that-he-does-not-exist-or/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“Gods too decompose. God is dead. God remains dead. We have killed him.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/gods-too-decompose-god-is-dead-god-remains-dead-we-have-killed-him/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“God is dead," said Maneck. "That's what a German philosopher wrote." She was shocked. "Trust the Germans to say such things," she frowned. "And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohinton-mistry/god-is-dead-said-maneck-that-s-what-a-german-philosopher-wrote-she/) [Rohinton Mistry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohinton-mistry/) > [“So God is dead, at least as a swearword, but hate and feces keep going strong. Le roi est mort, vive le fucking roi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/so-god-is-dead-at-least-as-a-swearword-but-hate-and-feces-keep-going/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [“Morning” “God is dead.” “Coffee?” “Fuck you.” “Again?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-hodkin/morning-god-is-dead-coffee-fuck-you-again/) [Michelle Hodkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-hodkin/) > [There never was a God. 'God is dead' is a halfway measure I won't go with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/there-never-was-a-god-god-is-dead-is-a-halfway-measure-i-won-t-go-with/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) ## More by George MacDonald > [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More Christian life quotes > [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/) > [“Life is but a prayer.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/life-is-but-a-prayer/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“The point of this work and the Christian life as a whole is not burden and drudgery, but joy. Jesus”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-j-chaput/the-point-of-this-work-and-the-christian-life-as-a-whole-is-not/) [Charles J. Chaput](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-j-chaput/) > [“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/) > [In order to the attaining of all useful knowledge this is most necessary, that we fear God; we are not qualified to profit by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/in-order-to-the-attaining-of-all-useful-knowledge-this-is-most/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“If you want to know how Jesus understands the Christian life, the place to begin is with what he means by kingdom of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scot-mcknight/if-you-want-to-know-how-jesus-understands-the-christian-life-the/) [Scot McKnight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scot-mcknight/) > [“I travel to know the life of great souls in the pages of a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/i-travel-to-know-the-life-of-great-souls-in-the-pages-of-a-book/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Let weak Christians know that a spark from heaven, though kindled under green wood that sobs and smokes, yet it will consume all at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sibbes/let-weak-christians-know-that-a-spark-from-heaven-though-kindled/) [Richard Sibbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sibbes/) > [“Be patient and wait for God to direct your path. God loves you. He has a plan and a purpose for your life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-marshall/be-patient-and-wait-for-god-to-direct-your-path-god-loves-you-he-has/) [Lydia Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-marshall/) > [I could, of course, have done no more if no less than affiliated myself in one way or another with a particular church, could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/i-could-of-course-have-done-no-more-if-no-less-than-affiliated-myself/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“There is an overflowing grace, for every great work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/there-is-an-overflowing-grace-for-every-great-work/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“As those of you with children know, rational parenting is like the Loch Ness Monster. We all hope it's out there somewhere, but we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-sprink/as-those-of-you-with-children-know-rational-parenting-is-like-the/) [Holly Sprink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-sprink/) > [I have not suffered a lot for Christ, but I want to tell you that those times that I have suffered and I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-rogers/i-have-not-suffered-a-lot-for-christ-but-i-want-to-tell-you-that/) [Adrian Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-rogers/) > [We are not being true to the artist as a man if we consider his art work junk simply because we differ with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-are-not-being-true-to-the-artist-as-a-man-if-we-consider-his-art/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Christian life, then, is a battle, so sharp and full of danger that effort can nowhere be relaxed without loss.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huldrych-zwingli/the-christian-life-then-is-a-battle-so-sharp-and-full-of-danger-that/) [Huldrych Zwingli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huldrych-zwingli/) [Browse all 787 Christian life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we do not die to ourselves, we cannot live to God, andhe that does not live to God, is dead.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/if-we-do-not-die-to-ourselves-we-cannot-live-to-god-andhe-that-does/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christian life" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/if-we-do-not-die-to-ourselves-we-cannot-live-to-god-andhe-that-does/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/george-macdonald-295_christian-life_if-we-do-not-die-to-ourselves-we-cannot_2076396.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/george-macdonald-295_christian-life_if-we-do-not-die-to-ourselves-we-cannot_2076396.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f4e/george-macdonald-295_christian-life_if-we-do-not-die-to-ourselves-we-cannot_2076396.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we do not die to ourselves, we cannot live to God, andhe that does not live to God, is dead.” — George MacDonald", "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": "George MacDonald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If we do not die to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/if-we-do-not-die-to-ourselves-we-cannot-live-to-god-andhe-that-does/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/if-we-do-not-die-to-ourselves-we-cannot-live-to-god-andhe-that-does/#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 } } ] } ```