--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Works? Works? A man get to heaven by…" description: "\"Works? Works? A man get to heaven by works? I would as soon think of climbing to the moon on a rope of sand!\" — George Whitefield" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfe/george-whitefield-3091_christianity_works-works-a-man-get-to-heaven-by-works_288198.jpg" --- # Works? Works? A man get to heaven by works? I would as… ![“Works? Works? A man get to heaven by works? I would as soon think of climbing to the moon on a rope of sand!” quote by George Whitefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfe/george-whitefield-3091_christianity_works-works-a-man-get-to-heaven-by-works_288198.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfe/george-whitefield-3091_christianity_works-works-a-man-get-to-heaven-by-works_288198.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dfe/george-whitefield-3091_christianity_works-works-a-man-get-to-heaven-by-works_288198.jpg) > “Works? Works? A man get to heaven by works? I would as soon think of climbing to the moon on a rope of sand!” [George Whitefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-whitefield/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker mocks the idea that works alone can earn salvation, comparing it to an absurd, impossible climb. **In simple terms:** Works alone can't guarantee heaven; faith matters. Key Takeaway Prioritize faith over mere deeds. Themes faith salvation skepticism Mood thoughtful critical Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - theological debate - spiritual counseling - ethical decision-making Key Concepts works vs. grace religious critique Questions to Reflect On - Do you balance faith and action? - What defines “works” for you? A Different Perspective Some traditions emphasize works as part of salvation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Climbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbing/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Moon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moon/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [“This is how Heaven works. They're practical. We are always looking for rays of light. For lightning bolts or burning bushes. But God is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-alberto-urrea/this-is-how-heaven-works-they-re-practical-we-are-always-looking-for/) [Luis Alberto Urrea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-alberto-urrea/) > [on the instant clamorous eaves, A climbing moon upon an empty sky, And all that lamentation of the leaves, Could but compose man's image…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/on-the-instant-clamorous-eaves-a-climbing-moon-upon-an-empty-sky-and/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [Men are climbing to the moon, but they don’t seem interested in the beating human heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-monroe/men-are-climbing-to-the-moon-but-they-don-t-seem-interested-in-the/) [Marilyn Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-monroe/) > [I think climbing mountains or buildings or whatever has been a really good metaphor for finishing my work. Because no matter how tired you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-butler/i-think-climbing-mountains-or-buildings-or-whatever-has-been-a-really/) [Octavia Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-butler/) > [I think climbing is less a sport and more a hobby, and as such, I think everybody's a beginning climber.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-lowe/i-think-climbing-is-less-a-sport-and-more-a-hobby-and-as-such-i-think/) [Alex Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-lowe/) > [I have done a fair bit of meditation practice, but I think through climbing it's definitely an easier way for me to tap into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-sharma/i-have-done-a-fair-bit-of-meditation-practice-but-i-think-through/) [Chris Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-sharma/) > [“When you think you are descending, you are climbing, but you do not know it. When you think you are climbing, in reality you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhu-xiao-mei/when-you-think-you-are-descending-you-are-climbing-but-you-do-not/) [Zhu Xiao-Mei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhu-xiao-mei/) > [Think about climbing a mountain. If you decide you're going up Everest, you don't start with a sprint. You'll never make it out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/think-about-climbing-a-mountain-if-you-decide-you-re-going-up-everest/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [I think climbing deserves to be an Olympic sport, as it is one of the few natural movements - like swimming or running, things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ondra/i-think-climbing-deserves-to-be-an-olympic-sport-as-it-is-one-of-the/) [Adam Ondra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ondra/) > [... to keep moving up ... , you have to abandon the security of that ledge and reach for another hold. Letting go of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-vujicic/to-keep-moving-up-you-have-to-abandon-the-security-of-that-ledge-and/) [Nick Vujicic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-vujicic/) > [God works,and so man should work.The christian will be diligent in good woks all the time,for a man is to be judged by his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christianity/god-works-and-so-man-should-work-the-christian-will-be-diligent-in/) CHRISTIANITY > [Among the works of man, which human life is rightly employed in perfecting, the first in importance surely is man himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/among-the-works-of-man-which-human-life-is-rightly-employed-in/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [In the works of man, everything is as poor as its author; vision is confined, means are limited, scope is restricted, movements are labored,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-de-maistre/in-the-works-of-man-everything-is-as-poor-as-its-author-vision-is/) [Joseph de Maistre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-de-maistre/) > [God works for man through man and seldom, if at all, in any other way. He asks for our voices to speak His truth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fort-newton/god-works-for-man-through-man-and-seldom-if-at-all-in-any-other-way/) [Joseph Fort Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fort-newton/) > [“Get a man who works for nothing and you get a man who just likes to hang around. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/get-a-man-who-works-for-nothing-and-you-get-a-man-who-just-likes-to/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) ## More by George Whitefield > [O poor New England! There is a deep laid plot against your civil and religious liberties, and they will be lost. Your golden days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-whitefield/o-poor-new-england-there-is-a-deep-laid-plot-against-your-civil-and/) [George Whitefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-whitefield/) > [I found by daily experience, the more I did, the more I might do for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-whitefield/i-found-by-daily-experience-the-more-i-did-the-more-i-might-do-for-god/) [George Whitefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-whitefield/) > [The Lord Jesus sits in heaven, ruling over all, and causing all things to work for his children's good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-whitefield/the-lord-jesus-sits-in-heaven-ruling-over-all-and-causing-all-things/) [George Whitefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-whitefield/) > [I say salvation is the free gift of God. It is God's free grace, I preach unto you, not of works, lest anyone should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-whitefield/i-say-salvation-is-the-free-gift-of-god-it-is-god-s-free-grace-i/) [George Whitefield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-whitefield/) > [John Wesley tells of a dream he had. In the dream, he was ushered to the gates of Hell. 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He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“some of my good Baptist brethren in Georgia had done a little preaching from the pulpit against the KKK, I would have a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-moss/some-of-my-good-baptist-brethren-in-georgia-had-done-a-little/) [Norman Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-moss/) > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Why do Christians sing when they are together? 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