--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Faith has to come to birth as a free act…" description: "\"“Faith has to come to birth as a free act, not a forced one. Otherwise it has no meaning.”\" — Jacques Ellul" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/jacques-ellul-4407_quote_faith-has-to-come-to-birth-as-a-free-act_1116594.jpg" --- # Faith has to come to birth as a free act, not a forced… ![“Faith has to come to birth as a free act, not a forced one. Otherwise it has no meaning.” quote by Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/jacques-ellul-4407_quote_faith-has-to-come-to-birth-as-a-free-act_1116594.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/jacques-ellul-4407_quote_faith-has-to-come-to-birth-as-a-free-act_1116594.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e22/jacques-ellul-4407_quote_faith-has-to-come-to-birth-as-a-free-act_1116594.jpg) > ““Faith has to come to birth as a free act, not a forced one. Otherwise it has no meaning.”” [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Faith must be chosen freely, not imposed, to hold true significance. **In simple terms:** Faith must be a free choice. Key Takeaway Choose belief voluntarily. Themes freedom faith meaning Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal decisions - spiritual practice - public policy - education Key Concepts existentialism autonomy Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever feel compelled to believe? - How does freedom affect the depth of faith? A Different Perspective Forced belief can become hollow and ineffective. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Meaning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/meaning/) ## Related quotes > [We'll keep on being re-born because for the law of action and reaction: "What-so-ever a man soweth, that shall he also reap;" you reap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/we-ll-keep-on-being-re-born-because-for-the-law-of-action-and/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [She's as plastic as you are. 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Dagba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-yaovi-m-dagba/) > [“He was free, free for everything, free to act like an animal or like a machine.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre-2/he-was-free-free-for-everything-free-to-act-like-an-animal-or-like-a/) [Jean Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre-2/) > [How can an act done under compulsion have any moral element in it, seeing that what is moral is the free act of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/auberon-herbert/how-can-an-act-done-under-compulsion-have-any-moral-element-in-it/) [Auberon Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/auberon-herbert/) > [the touchstone of a free act - from the decision to get out of bed in the morning or take a walk in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/the-touchstone-of-a-free-act-from-the-decision-to-get-out-of-bed-in/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [All the world is full of inscape and chance left free to act falls into an order as well as purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-manley-hopkins/all-the-world-is-full-of-inscape-and-chance-left-free-to-act-falls/) [Gerard Manley Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-manley-hopkins/) > [God gave us our agency. He taught us a way. He showed us what to do. But he gave us our agency and left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/god-gave-us-our-agency-he-taught-us-a-way-he-showed-us-what-to-do-but/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [You will not make a man wiser by taking freedom of action from him. 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But I have a certain amount of faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edie-sedgwick/i-had-fun-but-i-didn-t-really-have-anyone-i-particularly-loved-except/) [Edie Sedgwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edie-sedgwick/) > [Faith is the leading grace in all our spiritual warfare and conflict; but all along while we live, it hath faithful company that adheres…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/faith-is-the-leading-grace-in-all-our-spiritual-warfare-and-conflict/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) ## More by Jacques Ellul > [The individual, by means of the discipline imposed on him by sport, not only plays and finds relaxation from the various compulsions to which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-individual-by-means-of-the-discipline-imposed-on-him-by-sport-not/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Propaganda begins when dialogue ends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/propaganda-begins-when-dialogue-ends/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Christians were never meant to be normal. We’ve always been holy troublemakers, we’ve always been creators of uncertainty, agents of dimension that’s incompatible with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/christians-were-never-meant-to-be-normal-we-ve-always-been-holy/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [It is inconceivable that the God who gives Himself in His Son to save us, should have created some people ordained to evil and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/it-is-inconceivable-that-the-god-who-gives-himself-in-his-son-to-save/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Technological society leads to increasing numbers of people who cannot adapt to the inhuman rhythm of modern life with its emphasis on specialization. A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/technological-society-leads-to-increasing-numbers-of-people-who/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [It is the multiplication of men who are exluded from working which provokes war. We ought at least to bear this in mind when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/it-is-the-multiplication-of-men-who-are-exluded-from-working-which/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [The orchestration of press, radio and television to create a continuous, lasting and total environment renders the influence of propaganda virtually unnoticed precisely because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-orchestration-of-press-radio-and-television-to-create-a/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [“No society can last in conditions of anarchy. This is self-evident and I am in full agreement. But my aim is not the establishment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/no-society-can-last-in-conditions-of-anarchy-this-is-self-evident-and/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [The qualities which technique requires for its advance are precisely those characteristics of a technical order which do not represent indivisual intelligence...The individual, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-qualities-which-technique-requires-for-its-advance-are-precisely/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Education no longer has a humanist end or any value in itself; it has only one goal, to create technicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/education-no-longer-has-a-humanist-end-or-any-value-in-itself-it-has/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [The goal of modern propaganda is no longer to transform opinion but to arouse an active and mythical belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/the-goal-of-modern-propaganda-is-no-longer-to-transform-opinion-but/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [Freedom is completely without meaning unless it is related to necessity, unless it represents victory over necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/freedom-is-completely-without-meaning-unless-it-is-related-to/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [When there is propaganda, we are no longer able to evaluate certain questions, or even to discuss them](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/when-there-is-propaganda-we-are-no-longer-able-to-evaluate-certain/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [True technique will know how to maintain the illusion of liberty, choice, and individuality; but these will have been carefully calculated so that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/true-technique-will-know-how-to-maintain-the-illusion-of-liberty/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) > [No one knows where we are going, the aim of life has been forgotten, the end has been left behind. Man has set out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-ellul/no-one-knows-where-we-are-going-the-aim-of-life-has-been-forgotten/) [Jacques Ellul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) [Explore all 106 Jacques Ellul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-ellul/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) Matt Morris (1 > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. 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