--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is certain that man never achieves a…" description: "\"It is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked upon God's face, and then descends from contemplating him..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/john-calvin-490_achieve_it-is-certain-that-man-never-achieves-a_1748754.jpg" --- # It is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of… ![“It is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked upon God's face, and then descends from contemplating him to scrutinize himself.” quote by John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/john-calvin-490_achieve_it-is-certain-that-man-never-achieves-a_1748754.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/john-calvin-490_achieve_it-is-certain-that-man-never-achieves-a_1748754.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8b6/john-calvin-490_achieve_it-is-certain-that-man-never-achieves-a_1748754.jpg) > “It is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked upon God's face, and then descends from contemplating him to scrutinize himself.” [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. Understanding oneself requires first experiencing the divine, then turning that insight inward for self‑examination. **In simple terms:** Know God, then know yourself. Key Takeaway Seek divine perspective before self‑analysis. Themes self‑knowledge spirituality humility Mood contemplative reflective Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - leadership - counseling Key Concepts theology introspection Questions to Reflect On - How does divine experience shape self‑understanding? - Can self‑knowledge be achieved without spiritual insight? A Different Perspective Divine focus may not be accessible to all, limiting applicability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Achieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/achieve/) [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Clear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clear/) [Contemplating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemplating/) [Contemplating Scrutinize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contemplating-scrutinize-1587399/) [Descends Contemplating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/descends-contemplating-1587400/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Looked God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/looked-god-860753/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Scrutinize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/scrutinize/) ## Related quotes > [...never go to look on man till you have first looked on your God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-go-to-look-on-man-till-you-have-first-looked-on-your-god/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought I saw you over there... I thought I heard you over here... I thought I felt you right here… But when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-rothschild/i-thought-i-saw-you-over-there-i-thought-i-heard-you-over-here-i/) [Eddie Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-rothschild/) > [WOW.WOW I WASENT SAYING WOW BECAUSE SHE LOOKED GOD I WAS SAYING WOW BECAUSE SHE TOE THE HELL UP](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-big-baller/wow-wow-i-wasent-saying-wow-because-she-looked-god-i-was-saying-wow/) [The Big Baller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-big-baller/) > [I looked around for God's judgments, but saw no signs of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/i-looked-around-for-god-s-judgments-but-saw-no-signs-of-them/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I looked at God and He looked at me, and we were one forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-looked-at-god-and-he-looked-at-me-and-we-were-one-forever/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Joy is a quiet gladness of heart as one contemplates the goodness of God's saving grace in Christ Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/joy-is-a-quiet-gladness-of-heart-as-one-contemplates-the-goodness-of/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [In the Great War, there is no room for the faint-hearted, the cowardly. 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and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lanza/perhaps-if-science-is-clever-enough-to-see-it-will-realize-that/) [Robert Lanza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lanza/) ## 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; 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