--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If people mean that man has in himself…" description: "\"If people mean that man has in himself the power to work in partnership with God's grace they are most wretchedly deluding themselves.\" — John Calvin" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/john-calvin-490_god-s-grace_if-people-mean-that-man-has-in-himself-t_1047440.jpg" --- # If people mean that man has in himself the power to work… ![“If people mean that man has in himself the power to work in partnership with God's grace they are most wretchedly deluding themselves.” quote by John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/john-calvin-490_god-s-grace_if-people-mean-that-man-has-in-himself-t_1047440.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/john-calvin-490_god-s-grace_if-people-mean-that-man-has-in-himself-t_1047440.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/john-calvin-490_god-s-grace_if-people-mean-that-man-has-in-himself-t_1047440.jpg) > “If people mean that man has in himself the power to work in partnership with God's grace they are most wretchedly deluding themselves.” [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human beings cannot rely on their own abilities to cooperate with divine grace; they are deluded if they think they can. **In simple terms:** We need God's help, not our own power. Key Takeaway Trust God's grace, not self‑reliance. Themes theity grace human limitation Mood humble reflective Type theological didactic When to use this quote - personal prayer - church teaching - ethical decision‑making - spiritual counseling Key Concepts Theology divine sovereignty self‑deception Questions to Reflect On - Do you see your successes as divine gifts? - How does this view affect personal responsibility? A Different Perspective Some argue human effort matters in faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deluding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deluding-1921453/) [God 's grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-grace-2/) [God grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-grace/) [God'S Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-grace/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Grace Wretchedly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace-wretchedly-2484534/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Partnership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partnership/) [Partnership God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/partnership-god-2303586/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Wretchedly Deluding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wretchedly-deluding-2484533/) ## Related quotes > [Our assurance, our glory, and the sole anchor of our salvation are that Christ the Son of God is ours, and we in turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/our-assurance-our-glory-and-the-sole-anchor-of-our-salvation-are-that/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Prayer is partnership with God in His planet-sized purposes, and includes the "all things" beside, as an important detail of the whole.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-d-gordon/prayer-is-partnership-with-god-in-his-planet-sized-purposes-and/) [S. D Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-d-gordon/) > [“THERE is a view of the Christian life that regards it as a sort of partnership, in which God and man have each to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/there-is-a-view-of-the-christian-life-that-regards-it-as-a-sort-of/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [There is, by God's grace, an immeasurable distance between late and too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-swetchine/there-is-by-god-s-grace-an-immeasurable-distance-between-late-and-too/) [Sophie Swetchine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-swetchine/) > [The slightest cooperation with God's grace can provoke a massive spiritual change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/the-slightest-cooperation-with-god-s-grace-can-provoke-a-massive/) [Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/) > [I’m writing this in part to tell you that if you ever wonder what you’ve done in your life, and everyone does wonder sooner…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/i-m-writing-this-in-part-to-tell-you-that-if-you-ever-wonder-what-you/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [God's grace is the oil that fills the lamp of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/god-s-grace-is-the-oil-that-fills-the-lamp-of-love/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [If you aren't constantly astonished at God's grace in your solitude, there's no way it can happen in public.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-aren-t-constantly-astonished-at-god-s-grace-in-your-solitude/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [When your humanness is confronted by the magnificence and holiness of God, you are made SO aware of your need for God’s grace...Romans 12:1…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darlene-zschech/when-your-humanness-is-confronted-by-the-magnificence-and-holiness-of/) [Darlene Zschech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darlene-zschech/) > [No matter how good you are, you still need grace to get out of the material world. You can be a yogi or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/no-matter-how-good-you-are-you-still-need-grace-to-get-out-of-the/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) > [I have, by God’s grace, learned as a member of the Christian community what is the nature of God’s mercy, which does not leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/i-have-by-god-s-grace-learned-as-a-member-of-the-christian-community/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [While our sin reaches far, God's grace reaches farther. God came after us not to strip away our freedom but to strip away our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/while-our-sin-reaches-far-god-s-grace-reaches-farther-god-came-after/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Well actually I don't think it's a bunch of bad things that send us to hell. I think it is rejection of God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/well-actually-i-don-t-think-it-s-a-bunch-of-bad-things-that-send-us/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [frustration, complication and misery are available in abundance, but so is God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/frustration-complication-and-misery-are-available-in-abundance-but-so/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [God's grace is not infinite. God is infinite, and God is gracious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/god-s-grace-is-not-infinite-god-is-infinite-and-god-is-gracious/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) ## More by John Calvin > [I have never seen either a drop of piety or a grain of truth or ingenuousness - nay, I have never found common sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/i-have-never-seen-either-a-drop-of-piety-or-a-grain-of-truth-or/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [But a most pernicious error widely prevails that Scripture has only so much weight as is conceded to it by the consent of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/but-a-most-pernicious-error-widely-prevails-that-scripture-has-only/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-earthly-princes-lay-aside-their-power-when-they-rise-up-against/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [It is no small honour that God for our sake has so magnificently adorned the world, in order that we may not only be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/it-is-no-small-honour-that-god-for-our-sake-has-so-magnificently/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The word "hope" I take for faith; and indeed hope is nothing else but the constancy of faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-word-hope-i-take-for-faith-and-indeed-hope-is-nothing-else-but/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [No man can come to God but by an extraordinary revelation of the Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/no-man-can-come-to-god-but-by-an-extraordinary-revelation-of-the/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [There is nothing in afflictions which ought to disturb our joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-is-nothing-in-afflictions-which-ought-to-disturb-our-joy/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [There cannot be a surer rule, nor a stronger exhortation to the observance of it, than when we are taught that all the endowments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/there-cannot-be-a-surer-rule-nor-a-stronger-exhortation-to-the/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The surest source of destruction to men is to obey themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-surest-source-of-destruction-to-men-is-to-obey-themselves/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [The whole gospel is contained in Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/the-whole-gospel-is-contained-in-christ/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [For Scripture is the school of the Holy Spirit, in which, as nothing is omitted that is both necessary and useful to know, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-scripture-is-the-school-of-the-holy-spirit-in-which-as-nothing-is/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [“For earthly princes lay aside their power when they rise up against God, and are unworthy to be reckoned among the number of mankind.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/for-earthly-princes-lay-aside-their-power-when-they-rise-up-against-2/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [If a preacher is not first preaching to himself, better that he falls on the steps of the pulpit and breaks his neck than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/if-a-preacher-is-not-first-preaching-to-himself-better-that-he-falls/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Again I ask whence it happened that the fall of Adam involved, without remedy, in eternal death so many nations, together with their infant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/again-i-ask-whence-it-happened-that-the-fall-of-adam-involved-without/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [Unless God's Word illumine the way, the whole life of men is wrapped in darkness and mist, so that they cannot but miserably stray.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/unless-god-s-word-illumine-the-way-the-whole-life-of-men-is-wrapped/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) [Explore all 520 John Calvin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) ## More God grace quotes > [God's grace is not infinite. God is infinite, and God is gracious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/god-s-grace-is-not-infinite-god-is-infinite-and-god-is-gracious/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [“In this life, only one thing is needful ; God's grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/in-this-life-only-one-thing-is-needful-god-s-grace/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [frustration, complication and misery are available in abundance, but so is God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/frustration-complication-and-misery-are-available-in-abundance-but-so/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [“The mercy of God's grace guides me in the right path.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-mercy-of-god-s-grace-guides-me-in-the-right-path/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“In the midst of our failed attempts at loving Jesus, His grace covers us. Each of us has lukewarm elements and practices in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/in-the-midst-of-our-failed-attempts-at-loving-jesus-his-grace-covers/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [Due to God's grace and a good director, I became successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajinikanth/due-to-god-s-grace-and-a-good-director-i-became-successful/) [Rajinikanth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajinikanth/) > [Were God to show grace to all of Adam's descendants, men would at once conclude that He was righteously compelled to take them to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/were-god-to-show-grace-to-all-of-adam-s-descendants-men-would-at-once/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [Well actually I don't think it's a bunch of bad things that send us to hell. I think it is rejection of God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/well-actually-i-don-t-think-it-s-a-bunch-of-bad-things-that-send-us/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [While our sin reaches far, God's grace reaches farther. God came after us not to strip away our freedom but to strip away our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/while-our-sin-reaches-far-god-s-grace-reaches-farther-god-came-after/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [“We preach grace, but we don’t always practice it. We talk about God’s mercy, but we don’t always want the people who need it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronnie-mcbrayer/we-preach-grace-but-we-don-t-always-practice-it-we-talk-about-god-s/) [Ronnie McBrayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronnie-mcbrayer/) > [I have to be so thankful. I have two kids, my beautiful wife, I'm just blown away at God's grace and God's faithfulness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-camp/i-have-to-be-so-thankful-i-have-two-kids-my-beautiful-wife-i-m-just/) [Jeremy Camp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-camp/) > [“Without God's grace, the soul is dead in sin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/without-god-s-grace-the-soul-is-dead-in-sin/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Ah! Gentle, gracious Dove, And art thou grieved in me, That sinners should restrain thy love, And say, “It is not free: It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/ah-gentle-gracious-dove-and-art-thou-grieved-in-me-that-sinners/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [I have, by God’s grace, learned as a member of the Christian community what is the nature of God’s mercy, which does not leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/i-have-by-god-s-grace-learned-as-a-member-of-the-christian-community/) [Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/) > [No matter how good you are, you still need grace to get out of the material world. You can be a yogi or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/no-matter-how-good-you-are-you-still-need-grace-to-get-out-of-the/) [George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/) [Browse all 432 God grace quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-grace/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If people mean that man has in himself the power to work in partnership with God's grace they are most wretchedly deluding themselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Calvin" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/if-people-mean-that-man-has-in-himself-the-power-to-work-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "God grace" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/if-people-mean-that-man-has-in-himself-the-power-to-work-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/john-calvin-490_god-s-grace_if-people-mean-that-man-has-in-himself-t_1047440.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/john-calvin-490_god-s-grace_if-people-mean-that-man-has-in-himself-t_1047440.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/892/john-calvin-490_god-s-grace_if-people-mean-that-man-has-in-himself-t_1047440.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If people mean that man has in himself the power to work in partnership with God's grace they are most…” — John Calvin", "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 Calvin", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If people mean that man has...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/if-people-mean-that-man-has-in-himself-the-power-to-work-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/if-people-mean-that-man-has-in-himself-the-power-to-work-in/#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 } } ] } ```