---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Men, even the elect, have too many…"
description: "\"Men, even the elect, have too many infirmities to come to Christ without help from heaven; inviting will not do.\" — John Bunyan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0d/john-bunyan-1055_christ_men-even-the-elect-have-too-many-infirmi_308678.jpg"
---

#  Men, even the elect, have too many infirmities to come to…

![“Men, even the elect, have too many infirmities to come to Christ without help from heaven; inviting will not do.” quote by John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0d/john-bunyan-1055_christ_men-even-the-elect-have-too-many-infirmi_308678.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0d/john-bunyan-1055_christ_men-even-the-elect-have-too-many-infirmi_308678.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0d/john-bunyan-1055_christ_men-even-the-elect-have-too-many-infirmi_308678.jpg)

> “Men, even the elect, have too many infirmities to come to Christ without help from heaven; inviting will not do.”

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Human frailty means even the chosen cannot reach Christ unaided; divine assistance is essential.

**In simple terms:** Even the chosen need help to reach Christ.

Key Takeaway

Seek spiritual help.

Themes

faith human frailty divine assistance

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

theological inspirational

When to use this quote

- personal prayer
- church community
- spiritual counseling
- faith retreats

Key Concepts

theology grace spiritual dependence

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you recognize when you need divine help?
- What practices connect you to that assistance?

A Different Perspective

Reliance on personal effort may overlook the need for communal support.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Heaven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heaven/) [Infirmities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infirmities/) [Infirmity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/infirmity/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/)

## Related quotes

> [A friend should bear his friend's infirmities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-friend-should-bear-his-friend-s-infirmities/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [God has administered to us of the present age, a bitter draught and a harsh physician, on account of our abounding infirmities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/god-has-administered-to-us-of-the-present-age-a-bitter-draught-and-a/)

[Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/)

> [Age, that acquaints us with infirmities in ourselves, should make us tender in our reprehension of weakness elsewhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-nestell-bovee/age-that-acquaints-us-with-infirmities-in-ourselves-should-make-us/)

[Christian Nestell Bovee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-nestell-bovee/)

> [Let us often think of our own infirmities, and we shall become indulgent toward those of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-fenelon/let-us-often-think-of-our-own-infirmities-and-we-shall-become/)

[Francois Fenelon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-fenelon/)

> [Others proclaim the infirmities of a great man with satisfaction and complacence, if they discover none of the like in themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/others-proclaim-the-infirmities-of-a-great-man-with-satisfaction-and/)

[Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/)

> [Every Christian has the power to heal infirmities-not of others, but his own, and not of the body, but of the soul-that is, sins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theophan-the-recluse/every-christian-has-the-power-to-heal-infirmities-not-of-others-but/)

[Theophan the Recluse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theophan-the-recluse/)

> [Our prejudices are like physical infirmities — we cannot do what they prevent us from doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/our-prejudices-are-like-physical-infirmities-we-cannot-do-what-they/)

[John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/)

> [And one of the things I find most moving is the way people with infirmities manage to embrace Life, and from the cool flowers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/and-one-of-the-things-i-find-most-moving-is-the-way-people-with/)

[Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/)

> [Endeavor to be patient in bearing with the defects and infirmities of others, of what sort 'soever they be; for that thyself also has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/endeavor-to-be-patient-in-bearing-with-the-defects-and-infirmities-of/)

[Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/)

> [“It is one thing to be sick of your own infirmities and another to understand that the people you love most are sick of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leif-enger/it-is-one-thing-to-be-sick-of-your-own-infirmities-and-another-to/)

[Leif Enger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leif-enger/)

> [If we manage to last in spite of everything, it is because our infirmities are so many and so contradictory that they cancel each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/if-we-manage-to-last-in-spite-of-everything-it-is-because-our/)

[Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/)

> [The believer is sensible of his infirmities, for it is supposed that he is wrestling under them. He sees, he feels, that he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boston/the-believer-is-sensible-of-his-infirmities-for-it-is-supposed-that/)

[Thomas Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boston/)

> [The infirmities of genius are often mistaken for its privileges.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-gardiner-countess-of-blessington/the-infirmities-of-genius-are-often-mistaken-for-its-privileges/)

[Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-gardiner-countess-of-blessington/)

> [Come down, O Christ, and help me! reach thy hand, For I am drowning in a stormier sea Than Simon on thy lake of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/come-down-o-christ-and-help-me-reach-thy-hand-for-i-am-drowning-in-a/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [“Here is another thing that used to puzzle me. Is it not frightfully unfair that this new life should be confined to people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haddon-w-robinson/here-is-another-thing-that-used-to-puzzle-me-is-it-not-frightfully/)

[Haddon W. Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haddon-w-robinson/)

## More by John Bunyan

> [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [To seek yourself in this world is to be lost; and to be humble is to be exalted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/to-seek-yourself-in-this-world-is-to-be-lost-and-to-be-humble-is-to/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [“it is common for those that have called themselves His servants, after awhile to give Him the slip, and return again to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/it-is-common-for-those-that-have-called-themselves-his-servants-after/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [A comely sight indeed it is to see, a world of blossoms on an apple tree.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/a-comely-sight-indeed-it-is-to-see-a-world-of-blossoms-on-an-apple/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [“The preeminent job of the church is to equip Christian for life's challenges. This requires the emphasis on being fitted with tested armor. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-preeminent-job-of-the-church-is-to-equip-christian-for-life-s/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [“So he had them into the slaughter house, where was a butcher killing a sheep. And behold, the sheep was quiet and took her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/so-he-had-them-into-the-slaughter-house-where-was-a-butcher-killing-a/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [I will stay in prison till the moss grows on my eye lids rather than disobey God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/i-will-stay-in-prison-till-the-moss-grows-on-my-eye-lids-rather-than/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [“...I am for going on, and venturing my eternal state with Christ, whether I have comfort here or no; if God doth not come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/i-am-for-going-on-and-venturing-my-eternal-state-with-christ-whether/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [“Evangelist spoke from his heart with great passion. “You cannot be justified by the works of the law, because it isn’t how one follows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/evangelist-spoke-from-his-heart-with-great-passion-you-cannot-be/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [God speaks once, yea twice, yet Man perceiveth it not, in a Dream, in a Vision of the night, when deep Sleep falleth upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/god-speaks-once-yea-twice-yet-man-perceiveth-it-not-in-a-dream-in-a/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [No man, without trials and temptations, can attain a true understanding of the Holy Scriptures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/no-man-without-trials-and-temptations-can-attain-a-true-understanding/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [Afflictions make the heart more deep, more experimental, more knowing and profound, and so, more able to hold, to contain, and beat more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/afflictions-make-the-heart-more-deep-more-experimental-more-knowing/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [“It is the glory of the next world that will never wear out, while the good things of this world will vanish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/it-is-the-glory-of-the-next-world-that-will-never-wear-out-while-the/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [It is possible to learn all about the mysteries of the Bible and never be affected by it in one's soul. Great knowledge is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/it-is-possible-to-learn-all-about-the-mysteries-of-the-bible-and/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [“This hill, though high, I covet to ascend; The difficulty will not me offend. For I perceive the way to life lies here. Come,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/this-hill-though-high-i-covet-to-ascend-the-difficulty-will-not-me/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

[Explore all 299 John Bunyan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

## 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! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/)

[Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/)

> [Whoever does not seek the cross of Christ doesn't seek the glory of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-the-cross/whoever-does-not-seek-the-cross-of-christ-doesn-t-seek-the-glory-of/)

[John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-the-cross/)

> [It was no accident, no coincidence, that the seasons came round and round year after year. It was the Lord speaking to us all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francine-rivers/it-was-no-accident-no-coincidence-that-the-seasons-came-round-and/)

[Francine Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francine-rivers/)

> [Christ never preached any funeral sermons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/christ-never-preached-any-funeral-sermons/)

[Dwight L. Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-l-moody/)

> [The emerging church movement has come to believe that the ultimate context of the spiritual aspirations of a follower of Jesus Christ is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samir-selmanovic/the-emerging-church-movement-has-come-to-believe-that-the-ultimate/)

[Samir Selmanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samir-selmanovic/)

> [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. 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. Take what I cannot give: my heart, body, thoughts, time, abilities, money, health, strength,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-prentiss/bring-into-captivity-every-thought-to-the-obedience-of-christ-take/)

[Elizabeth Prentiss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-prentiss/)

> [One thing the young Christian should be taught as quickly as possible after his conversion is that Jesus Christ is all he needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/one-thing-the-young-christian-should-be-taught-as-quickly-as-possible/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [If you don't plan to live the Christian life totally committed to knowing your God and to walking in obedience to Him, then don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kay-arthur/if-you-don-t-plan-to-live-the-christian-life-totally-committed-to/)

[Kay Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kay-arthur/)

> [Lord, send Your life throughout the entire church. 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": "Men, even the elect, have too many infirmities to come to Christ without help from heaven; inviting will not do.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Bunyan"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/men-even-the-elect-have-too-many-infirmities-to-come-to-christ/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Christ"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/men-even-the-elect-have-too-many-infirmities-to-come-to-christ/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0d/john-bunyan-1055_christ_men-even-the-elect-have-too-many-infirmi_308678.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0d/john-bunyan-1055_christ_men-even-the-elect-have-too-many-infirmi_308678.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b0d/john-bunyan-1055_christ_men-even-the-elect-have-too-many-infirmi_308678.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Men, even the elect, have too many infirmities to come to Christ without help from heaven; inviting will not…” — John Bunyan",
                "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": "John Bunyan",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Men, even the elect, have too...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/men-even-the-elect-have-too-many-infirmities-to-come-to-christ/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/men-even-the-elect-have-too-many-infirmities-to-come-to-christ/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
