--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: People love sin. Sin hardens their…" description: "\"“People love sin. Sin hardens their hearts. Therefore, they will not receive the gospel of the kingdom of God when it is preached to them.”\" — James Mo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/james-montgomery-boice-19227_christianity_people-love-sin-sin-hardens-their-hearts_1030451.jpg" --- # People love sin. Sin hardens their hearts. Therefore, they… ![“People love sin. Sin hardens their hearts. Therefore, they will not receive the gospel of the kingdom of God when it is preached to them.” quote by James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/james-montgomery-boice-19227_christianity_people-love-sin-sin-hardens-their-hearts_1030451.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/james-montgomery-boice-19227_christianity_people-love-sin-sin-hardens-their-hearts_1030451.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/james-montgomery-boice-19227_christianity_people-love-sin-sin-hardens-their-hearts_1030451.jpg) > ““People love sin. Sin hardens their hearts. Therefore, they will not receive the gospel of the kingdom of God when it is preached to them.”” [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Sin hardens hearts, blocking people from accepting the gospel when it is shared. **In simple terms:** Sin prevents hearing the gospel. Key Takeaway Recognize and address hardened hearts. Themes faith spirituality obedience Mood concerned hopeful Type theological exhortational When to use this quote - preaching - personal evangelism - counseling - church outreach Key Concepts sin heart gospel Questions to Reflect On - How can we gently confront sin without alienating listeners? - What practices soften a hardened heart? A Different Perspective Even hardened hearts can be softened with love and patience. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel/) [Kingdom of god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kingdom-of-god/) ## Related quotes > [“But Jesus’ own gospel of the kingdom was not that the kingdom was about to come, or had recently come, into existence. If we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/but-jesus-own-gospel-of-the-kingdom-was-not-that-the-kingdom-was/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“Another vindication I had is the fact that I believed the Christian message and the gospel of the kingdom is good enough to fix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/another-vindication-i-had-is-the-fact-that-i-believed-the-christian/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [Sunday morning, before we go to hear the Word of God preached...let us not rush into God’s presence careless, reckless, and unprepared, as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/sunday-morning-before-we-go-to-hear-the-word-of-god-preached-let-us/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [The spirit is what guides my life, and I'm humbly on my knees in thanks for guidance and direction every day. But God is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-harper/the-spirit-is-what-guides-my-life-and-i-m-humbly-on-my-knees-in/) [Ben Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-harper/) > [“It matters to God what is preached. And it matters to Him how it is preached. No man is free to preach whatever and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-j-lawson-2/it-matters-to-god-what-is-preached-and-it-matters-to-him-how-it-is/) [Steven J. Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-j-lawson-2/) > [“And yet, rather than this I know that my Lord is different from the God that is preached in the churches.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shusaku-endo/and-yet-rather-than-this-i-know-that-my-lord-is-different-from-the/) [Shūsaku Endō](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shusaku-endo/) > [The great hope, and for the propagating and advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bradford/the-great-hope-and-for-the-propagating-and-advancing-the-gospel-of/) [William Bradford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bradford/) > [“It also explains why the gospel of the kingdom has such transforming power in human life. For that gospel opens the kingdom to everyone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallas-willard/it-also-explains-why-the-gospel-of-the-kingdom-has-such-transforming/) [Dallas Willard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallas-willard/) > [“Believers must step out of the four walls of the church and take the gospel of the kingdom into every sphere of life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/believers-must-step-out-of-the-four-walls-of-the-church-and-take-the/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“The gospel of the kingdom is an invitation to a different reality, a different way of living. The kingdom is a new way of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-moreland/the-gospel-of-the-kingdom-is-an-invitation-to-a-different-reality-a/) [J.P. Moreland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-p-moreland/) > [The child is essentially alien to this society of men and might express his position in the words of the Gospel: My kingdom is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-montessori/the-child-is-essentially-alien-to-this-society-of-men-and-might/) [Maria Montessori](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-montessori/) > [The gospel of the kingdom must be preached with evidence; it must be preached as a witness.This can only be done by christians who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-l-osborn/the-gospel-of-the-kingdom-must-be-preached-with-evidence-it-must-be/) [T.L. Osborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-l-osborn/) > [“If in the middle of an air raid God sends out the gospel call to his kingdom in baptism, it will be quite clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/if-in-the-middle-of-an-air-raid-god-sends-out-the-gospel-call-to-his/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [“When Jesus came preaching the kingdom of God, He came preaching God’s right to rule over the minds and hearts of all people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/when-jesus-came-preaching-the-kingdom-of-god-he-came-preaching-god-s/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“The objective, according to Jesus, was not to get people inside of heaven, but to get heaven inside of people. An understanding of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-mcbrayer/the-objective-according-to-jesus-was-not-to-get-people-inside-of/) [Ronnie McBrayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-mcbrayer/) ## More by James Montgomery Boice > [“if we are justified we will have that nature of God that will increasingly and inevitably express itself in forgiveness, just as God for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/if-we-are-justified-we-will-have-that-nature-of-god-that-will/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“Many who begin early will lose their reward (or not even actually come to a true faith in Christ and salvation) because they are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/many-who-begin-early-will-lose-their-reward-or-not-even-actually-come/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [Bible study is the most essential ingredient in the believer's spiritual life, because it is only in study of the Bible as that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/bible-study-is-the-most-essential-ingredient-in-the-believer-s/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“in election and “irresistible” grace God does not disregard or act contrary to the will of any man or woman, as implied above. Rather,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/in-election-and-irresistible-grace-god-does-not-disregard-or-act/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [We are to believe and follow Christ in all things, including his words about Scripture. And this means that Scripture is to be for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/we-are-to-believe-and-follow-christ-in-all-things-including-his-words/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“A parable is a story taken from real life (or a real-life situation) from which a moral or spiritual truth is drawn. Examples are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/a-parable-is-a-story-taken-from-real-life-or-a-real-life-situation/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [The doctrines of grace stand or fall together, and together they point to one central truth: salvation is all of grace because it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/the-doctrines-of-grace-stand-or-fall-together-and-together-they-point/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“When Jesus came preaching the kingdom of God, He came preaching God’s right to rule over the minds and hearts of all people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/when-jesus-came-preaching-the-kingdom-of-god-he-came-preaching-god-s/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“The true Calvinist is someone whose whole life is devoted to the glory of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/the-true-calvinist-is-someone-whose-whole-life-is-devoted-to-the/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“Finally, you must sell off your sinful pleasures and practices, too. It is not pleasure itself that must be sold off. There are holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/finally-you-must-sell-off-your-sinful-pleasures-and-practices-too-it/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [The chief problem with television is that, for those who watch it consistently, it undermines and eventually destroys the ability to think. This is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/the-chief-problem-with-television-is-that-for-those-who-watch-it/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“The world's theology The world's theology is easy to define. It is the view . . . that human beings are basically good, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/the-world-s-theology-the-world-s-theology-is-easy-to-define-it-is-the/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“When Jesus came preaching the kingdom of God, He came preaching God’s right to rule over the minds and hearts of all people. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/when-jesus-came-preaching-the-kingdom-of-god-he-came-preaching-god-s-2/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“So rather than repent of sin and turn for mercy to a God who is altogether sovereign, holy, knowing, and unchangeable, men and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/so-rather-than-repent-of-sin-and-turn-for-mercy-to-a-god-who-is/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) > [“The thief on the cross had to be the luckiest man alive. He was nothing more than a low-life criminal, a loser. He had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/the-thief-on-the-cross-had-to-be-the-luckiest-man-alive-he-was/) [James Montgomery Boice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) [Explore all 33 James Montgomery Boice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/) ## 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": "“People love sin. Sin hardens their hearts. Therefore, they will not receive the gospel of the kingdom of God when it is preached to them.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "James Montgomery Boice" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/people-love-sin-sin-hardens-their-hearts-therefore-they-will-not/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christianity" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/people-love-sin-sin-hardens-their-hearts-therefore-they-will-not/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/james-montgomery-boice-19227_christianity_people-love-sin-sin-hardens-their-hearts_1030451.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/james-montgomery-boice-19227_christianity_people-love-sin-sin-hardens-their-hearts_1030451.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6ab/james-montgomery-boice-19227_christianity_people-love-sin-sin-hardens-their-hearts_1030451.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“People love sin. Sin hardens their hearts. Therefore, they will not receive the gospel of the kingdom of God…” — James Montgomery Boice", "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": "James Montgomery Boice", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-montgomery-boice/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“People love sin. Sin hardens their...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/people-love-sin-sin-hardens-their-hearts-therefore-they-will-not/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-montgomery-boice/people-love-sin-sin-hardens-their-hearts-therefore-they-will-not/#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 } } ] } ```