--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The gospel points us upward to a God who…" description: "\"The gospel points us upward to a God who gave himself for us, backward to the price he paid for our sin, and forward to what he’s making us into.\" — J...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/j-d-greear-2-26077_christianity_the-gospel-points-us-upward-to-a-god-who_376465.jpg" --- # The gospel points us upward to a God who gave himself for… ![“The gospel points us upward to a God who gave himself for us, backward to the price he paid for our sin, and forward to what he’s making us into.” quote by J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/j-d-greear-2-26077_christianity_the-gospel-points-us-upward-to-a-god-who_376465.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/j-d-greear-2-26077_christianity_the-gospel-points-us-upward-to-a-god-who_376465.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40c/j-d-greear-2-26077_christianity_the-gospel-points-us-upward-to-a-god-who_376465.jpg) > “The gospel points us upward to a God who gave himself for us, backward to the price he paid for our sin, and forward to what he’s making us into.” [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It describes the Christian narrative as moving forward—God’s sacrifice, our sin, and the transformation we become through faith. **In simple terms:** God’s love moves us from sin to transformation. Key Takeaway Embrace the journey of spiritual growth. Themes faith redemption transformation Mood hopeful reflective Type inspirational theological When to use this quote - personal prayer - church teaching - life decisions - community service Key Concepts theology spiritual progression Questions to Reflect On - How does this view shape your daily choices? - What transformation do you feel called toward? A Different Perspective It may overlook personal struggle and doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) ## Related quotes > [ The fact is that the more we take flight upward \[to God\], the more our words are confined to the ideas we are capable… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-dionysius/the-fact-is-that-the-more-we-take-flight-upward-to-god-the-more-our/) [Pope Dionysius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-dionysius/) > [“To harness your potentials,look inward,upward to God,then outward your environment”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ikechukwu-joseph/to-harness-your-potentials-look-inward-upward-to-god-then-outward/) [Ikechukwu Joseph](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ikechukwu-joseph/) > [Temptation provokes me to look upward to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/temptation-provokes-me-to-look-upward-to-god/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [The gospel has done its work in us when we crave God more than we crave everything else in life - more than money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/the-gospel-has-done-its-work-in-us-when-we-crave-god-more-than-we/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [This is the good and happy news, that Christ has paid for our sin, and through His suffering has redeemed us from eternal death.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/this-is-the-good-and-happy-news-that-christ-has-paid-for-our-sin-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“God gave me nothing i wanted, he gave me everything i needed”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-gave-me-nothing-i-wanted-he-gave-me-everything-i-needed/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was blessed with certain gifts and talents and God gave them to me to be the best person I can be and to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-clay/i-was-blessed-with-certain-gifts-and-talents-and-god-gave-them-to-me/) [Bryan Clay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-clay/) > [My friends have come to me unsought. The great God gave them to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/my-friends-have-come-to-me-unsought-the-great-god-gave-them-to-me/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Here is a man who was resigned to his fate, who was walking to the scaffold and about to die like a coward, that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/here-is-a-man-who-was-resigned-to-his-fate-who-was-walking-to-the/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [“Use whatever you have in tour hands because that is the only weapon that God gave you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludiah/use-whatever-you-have-in-tour-hands-because-that-is-the-only-weapon/) Ludiah > [God gave us the gift of life; it is up to us to give ourselves the gift of living well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/god-gave-us-the-gift-of-life-it-is-up-to-us-to-give-ourselves-the/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [When I Asked God for Strength He Gave Me Difficult Situations to Face When I Asked God for Brain & Brawn He Gave Me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-asked-god-for-strength-he-gave-me-difficult-situations-to-face/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“He tried. That's the big thing. He tried to do the best he could with what God gave him. He should get a nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/he-tried-that-s-the-big-thing-he-tried-to-do-the-best-he-could-with/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [God gave me eyes so that I might see you, and God gave you eyes, so that I might see myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-brown/god-gave-me-eyes-so-that-i-might-see-you-and-god-gave-you-eyes-so/) Brad Brown > [“ROM1.24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:  ROM1.25…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/rom1-24-wherefore-god-also-gave-them-up-to-uncleanness-through-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by J. D. Greear > [Don’t feel your way into your beliefs; believe your way into your feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/don-t-feel-your-way-into-your-beliefs-believe-your-way-into-your/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [If you want to be led by the Spirit of God, then devote yourself to the Word of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/if-you-want-to-be-led-by-the-spirit-of-god-then-devote-yourself-to/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [The gospel has done its work in us when we crave God more than we crave everything else in life - more than money,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/the-gospel-has-done-its-work-in-us-when-we-crave-god-more-than-we/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [Stop Asking Jesus Into Your Heart: How to Know for Sure You Are Saved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/stop-asking-jesus-into-your-heart-how-to-know-for-sure-you-are-saved/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [When we realize how great a debt we owe to God, we become willing servants, eager to be poured out for God and His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/when-we-realize-how-great-a-debt-we-owe-to-god-we-become-willing/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [Lord, as You have been to me, so I will be to others. As I pray, I'll measure Your compassion by the cross and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/lord-as-you-have-been-to-me-so-i-will-be-to-others-as-i-pray-i-ll/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [God calls us first... not to a platform, but to an altar!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/god-calls-us-first-not-to-a-platform-but-to-an-altar/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [Things like radical generosity and audacious faith are not produced when we focus on them, but when we focus on the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/things-like-radical-generosity-and-audacious-faith-are-not-produced/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [God sometimes answers our prayers by giving us what we would have asked for had we known what He knows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/god-sometimes-answers-our-prayers-by-giving-us-what-we-would-have/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [At your church, the week is more important than the weekend. Empower people and send them out for the week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/at-your-church-the-week-is-more-important-than-the-weekend-empower/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [Satan's most effective weapon is to take our eyes off of what God has declared over us in the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/satan-s-most-effective-weapon-is-to-take-our-eyes-off-of-what-god-has/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [Surveys show that more than 50 percent of people in the U.S. have prayed the sinner's prayer and think they're going to heaven because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/surveys-show-that-more-than-50-percent-of-people-in-the-u-s-have/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [The goal of the gospel is to produce a type of people consumed with passion for God an love for others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/the-goal-of-the-gospel-is-to-produce-a-type-of-people-consumed-with-2/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [Worry springs from not being convinced of a sovereign God's absolute love for you. Worry disappears when you realize that God loves you unfailingly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/worry-springs-from-not-being-convinced-of-a-sovereign-god-s-absolute/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) > [Satan's primary temptation strategy is to try and make us forget what God has said about us and to evaluate our standing before God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-greear-2/satan-s-primary-temptation-strategy-is-to-try-and-make-us-forget-what/) [J. D. Greear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) [Explore all 22 J. D. Greear quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-greear-2/) ## More Christianity quotes > [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/) [Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/) > [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/) > [“God hates Hell. 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? 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/) > [“every church can treat each discipleship class and each worship service as an opportunity for continual rehearsal of what the words, stories, symbols, rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/every-church-can-treat-each-discipleship-class-and-each-worship/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [“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/) > [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/) [Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/) > [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/) [Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/) > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/) [Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/) [Browse all 14,385 Christianity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The gospel points us upward to a God who gave himself for us, backward to the price he paid for our sin, and forward to what he’s making us into.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J. D. 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