--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Christ had no interest in gathering vast…" description: "\"Christ had no interest in gathering vast crowds of professed adherents who would melt away as soon as they found out what following Him actually demand..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/j-i-packer-1856_christ_christ-had-no-interest-in-gathering-vast_1434467.jpg" --- # Christ had no interest in gathering vast crowds of… ![“Christ had no interest in gathering vast crowds of professed adherents who would melt away as soon as they found out what following Him actually demanded of them. In our own presentation of Christ's gospel, therefore, we need to lay a similar stress on the cost of following Christ and make sinners…” quote by J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/j-i-packer-1856_christ_christ-had-no-interest-in-gathering-vast_1434467.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/j-i-packer-1856_christ_christ-had-no-interest-in-gathering-vast_1434467.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c23/j-i-packer-1856_christ_christ-had-no-interest-in-gathering-vast_1434467.jpg) > “Christ had no interest in gathering vast crowds of professed adherents who would melt away as soon as they found out what following Him actually demanded of them. In our own presentation of Christ's gospel, therefore, we need to lay a similar stress on the cost of following Christ and make sinners face it soberly before we urge them to respond to the message of free forgiveness. In common honesty, we must not conceal the fact that free forgiveness in one sense will cost everything.” [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Following Christ demands costly commitment; forgiveness is free but requires total surrender, not superficial belief. **In simple terms:** True discipleship costs everything. Key Takeaway Embrace the full cost of faith. Themes faith cost forgiveness commitment Mood reflective serious Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - church teaching - personal discipleship - missionary work Key Concepts theology spiritual discipline Questions to Reflect On - Are you willing to sacrifice for your beliefs? - What does “free forgiveness” truly mean? A Different Perspective Some may reject the high cost of true faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christ Gathering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ-gathering-5115370/) [Christ Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ-gospel-805330/) [Common](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/common/) [Cost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cost/) [Crowds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crowds/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Following](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following/) [Following christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/following-christ/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Found](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/found/) [Free Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-forgiveness-1447179/) [Gathering](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gathering/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Lays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lays/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Presentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presentation/) [Presentation Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presentation-christ-5115371/) [Sinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sinner/) [Stress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stress/) [Urges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/urges/) ## Related quotes > [In common honesty, we must not conceal the fact that free forgiveness in one sense will cost everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/in-common-honesty-we-must-not-conceal-the-fact-that-free-forgiveness/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [“the truth don't always set you free, forgiveness do!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-hudson-smith/the-truth-don-t-always-set-you-free-forgiveness-do/) [Linda Hudson-Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-hudson-smith/) > [“Forgiveness is what sets us free… Forgiveness= freedom”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-hitz/forgiveness-is-what-sets-us-free-forgiveness-freedom/) [Shelley Hitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-hitz/) > [Even to this day, grace remains hard to swallow. Religiosity and moralism go down easier than free forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/even-to-this-day-grace-remains-hard-to-swallow-religiosity-and/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [“Not only truth can set you free, but forgiveness as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-auliq-ice/not-only-truth-can-set-you-free-but-forgiveness-as-well/) [Oscar Auliq-Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-auliq-ice/) > [Love me, then, or hate me, as you will," I said at last, "you have my full and free forgiveness: ask now for God's,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/love-me-then-or-hate-me-as-you-will-i-said-at-last-you-have-my-full/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [“To Jesus it is inconceivable that someone would dare ask God for full and free forgiveness while remaining as an unforgiving person towards others.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-r-beck/to-jesus-it-is-inconceivable-that-someone-would-dare-ask-god-for-full/) [James R. Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-r-beck/) > [We have no cause to be ashamed of the Gospel of Christ; but the Gospel of Christ may justly be ashamed of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tillotson/we-have-no-cause-to-be-ashamed-of-the-gospel-of-christ-but-the-gospel/) [John Tillotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tillotson/) > [“The beauty of Christ and his gospel continues to captivate millions of believers all over the world and drive them to passionate worship while…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jared-c-wilson/the-beauty-of-christ-and-his-gospel-continues-to-captivate-millions/) [Jared C. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jared-c-wilson/) > [ “Christ and His Gospel will always be spoken against. If you know a gospel which is approved by the age and patronized\[6\] by the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/christ-and-his-gospel-will-always-be-spoken-against-if-you-know-a/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [“Seeing the glory of Jesus Christ in the gospel awakens joy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/seeing-the-glory-of-jesus-christ-in-the-gospel-awakens-joy/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“And to query and search out all such, as live not as becomes the truth of the gospel, and yet do profess it, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-fox/and-to-query-and-search-out-all-such-as-live-not-as-becomes-the-truth/) [George Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-fox/) > [What the members of the Church need, more than anything else, are strong testimonies of Jesus Christ and the gospel He restored. They need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bytheway/what-the-members-of-the-church-need-more-than-anything-else-are/) [John Bytheway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bytheway/) > ['Go ye' is as much a part of Christ's Gospel as 'Come unto Me.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stuart-holden/go-ye-is-as-much-a-part-of-christ-s-gospel-as-come-unto-me/) [Stuart Holden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stuart-holden/) > [Take Christ out of the gospel, and you take its very heart out. He has not only originated a system, but He has put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herrick-johnson/take-christ-out-of-the-gospel-and-you-take-its-very-heart-out-he-has/) [Herrick Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herrick-johnson/) ## More by J. I. Packer > [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [What matters supremely, therefore, is not, in the last analysis, the fact that I know God, but the larger fact which underlies it -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/what-matters-supremely-therefore-is-not-in-the-last-analysis-the-fact/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [For what higher, more exalted, and more compelling goal can there be than to know God?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/for-what-higher-more-exalted-and-more-compelling-goal-can-there-be/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Fanciful spiritualizing, so far from yielding God's meaning, actually obscured it. The literal sense is itself the spiritual sense, coming from God and leading…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/fanciful-spiritualizing-so-far-from-yielding-god-s-meaning-actually/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Grace means God sending his only Son to the cross to descend into hell so that we guilty ones might be reconciled to God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/grace-means-god-sending-his-only-son-to-the-cross-to-descend-into/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [God made life, and God alone can tell us its meaning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/god-made-life-and-god-alone-can-tell-us-its-meaning/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Revival is the visitation of God which brings to life Christians who have been sleeping and restores a deep sense of God's near presence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/revival-is-the-visitation-of-god-which-brings-to-life-christians-who/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Calvinism is the consistent endeavor to acknowledge the Creator as the Lord, working all things after the counsel of His will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/calvinism-is-the-consistent-endeavor-to-acknowledge-the-creator-as/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [There are few things stressed more strongly in the Bible than the reality of God's work as Judge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/there-are-few-things-stressed-more-strongly-in-the-bible-than-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Maturity is a compound of wisdom, goodwill, resilience, and creativity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/maturity-is-a-compound-of-wisdom-goodwill-resilience-and-creativity/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [The peace of God is first and foremost peace with God; it is the state of affairs in which God, instead of being against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/the-peace-of-god-is-first-and-foremost-peace-with-god-it-is-the-state/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [Today, on our own turf, we face pagan ignorance about God every bit as deep as that which the early church faced in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/today-on-our-own-turf-we-face-pagan-ignorance-about-god-every-bit-as/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [God is triune; there are within the Godhead three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit; and the work of salvation is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/god-is-triune-there-are-within-the-godhead-three-persons-the-father/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [It is often the case, as all the saints know, that fellowship with the Father and the Son is most vivid and sweet, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/it-is-often-the-case-as-all-the-saints-know-that-fellowship-with-the/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) > [A little knowledge OF God is worth more than a great deal of knowledge ABOUT him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/a-little-knowledge-of-god-is-worth-more-than-a-great-deal-of/) [J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Explore all 203 J. I. Packer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) ## More Christ quotes > [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/) > [“I would even go so far as to say that the mythical character of a life is just what expresses its universal human validity.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-g-jung/i-would-even-go-so-far-as-to-say-that-the-mythical-character-of-a/) [C.G. Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-g-jung/) > [Set NOT your hearts on the flowers of this world. They shall fade and die. Prize the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/set-not-your-hearts-on-the-flowers-of-this-world-they-shall-fade-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/) [Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/) > [It's going to be used in the last days to get people to come against Christ, and that's the issue: they come against the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-lahaye/it-s-going-to-be-used-in-the-last-days-to-get-people-to-come-against/) [Tim LaHaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-lahaye/) > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! 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It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [Bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. 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Visit Your church; restore sound doctrine and holy, earnest living. Take away from professing Christians their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/lord-send-your-life-throughout-the-entire-church-visit-your-church/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) [Browse all 9,006 Christ quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Christ had no interest in gathering vast crowds of professed adherents who would melt away as soon as they found out what following Him actually demanded of them. In our own presentation of Christ's gospel, therefore, we need to lay a similar stress on the cost of following Christ and make sinners face it soberly before we urge them to respond to the message of free forgiveness. 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