--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The main thing between you and God is not…" description: "\"The main thing between you and God is not so much your sins; it's your damnable good works.\" — John Gerstner" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/john-gerstner-51159_good-work_the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-no_583109.png" --- # The main thing between you and God is not so much your… ![“The main thing between you and God is not so much your sins; it's your damnable good works.” quote by John Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/john-gerstner-51159_good-work_the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-no_583109.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/john-gerstner-51159_good-work_the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-no_583109.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/john-gerstner-51159_good-work_the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-no_583109.png) > “The main thing between you and God is not so much your sins; it's your damnable good works.” [John Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerstner/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True spirituality emphasizes humility and reliance on divine grace, not merely good deeds that can become self‑righteous. **In simple terms:** Good works aren't enough without humility before God. Key Takeaway Cultivate humility alongside good deeds. Themes faith humility grace Mood contemplative serious Type theological motivational When to use this quote - church service - personal prayer - charitable work - daily moral choices Key Concepts theology spirituality moral psychology Questions to Reflect On - Are your good works motivated by pride? - How can you balance action with humility? A Different Perspective Good works can become a substitute for genuine faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [God Sins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-sins-720300/) [Good work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-work/) [Good works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-works/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Sins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sins/) [Sins Damnable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sins-damnable-4788620/) [Thing God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing-god-750596/) ## Related quotes > [Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God. No one sins out of duty. We sin because it holds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/sin-is-what-you-do-when-your-heart-is-not-satisfied-with-god-no-one-3/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [God is not against us for our sins. God is for us against our sins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-seamands/god-is-not-against-us-for-our-sins-god-is-for-us-against-our-sins/) [David Seamands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-seamands/) > [No child of God sins to that degree as to make himself incapable of forgiveness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/no-child-of-god-sins-to-that-degree-as-to-make-himself-incapable-of/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God. No one sins out of duty. We sin because it holds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/sin-is-what-you-do-when-your-heart-is-not-satisfied-with-god-no-one/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Sin is what you do when your heart is not satisfied with God. No one sins out of duty. We sin because it holds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/sin-is-what-you-do-when-your-heart-is-not-satisfied-with-god-no-one-2/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [It's time that we move from good words to good works, from sound bites to sound solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-s-time-that-we-move-from-good-words-to-good-works-from-sound-bites/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [God does not need your good works, but your neighbor does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-does-not-need-your-good-works-but-your-neighbor-does/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Charity is the root of all good works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/charity-is-the-root-of-all-good-works/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Abhor all idea of being saved by good works, but O, be as full of good works as if you were to be saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/abhor-all-idea-of-being-saved-by-good-works-but-o-be-as-full-of-good/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [We ought first to know that there are no good works except those which God has commanded, even as there is no sin except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/we-ought-first-to-know-that-there-are-no-good-works-except-those/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [I want to be necessary and do good works. I ain't here to waste nobody's time, because I don't want you to waste mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mos-def/i-want-to-be-necessary-and-do-good-works-i-ain-t-here-to-waste-nobody/) [Mos Def](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mos-def/) > [If you could work your way to heaven, you would said look what I did, I got myself here by my good works. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/if-you-could-work-your-way-to-heaven-you-would-said-look-what-i-did-i/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > ["Otherwise grace is no more grace," since it is bestowed on us, not because we have done good works, but that we may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/otherwise-grace-is-no-more-grace-since-it-is-bestowed-on-us-not/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/good-works-do-not-make-a-good-man-but-a-good-man-does-good-works/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [This world needs more than good works. It needs good news. Good works come out of the good news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/this-world-needs-more-than-good-works-it-needs-good-news-good-works/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) ## More by John Gerstner > [So when we call pain a problem, we claim we do not deserve it. We are even prepared to scuttle God to maintain our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/so-when-we-call-pain-a-problem-we-claim-we-do-not-deserve-it-we-are/) [John Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerstner/) > [We have already shown that there is no such thing as free will. That's a will-o'-the-wisp. You never make choices without reasons, not as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/we-have-already-shown-that-there-is-no-such-thing-as-free-will-that-s/) [John Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerstner/) > [To the artist He is the one altogether lovely, and to the educator He is the master teacher. To the philosopher He is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/to-the-artist-he-is-the-one-altogether-lovely-and-to-the-educator-he/) [John Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerstner/) > [The idea of a hell that involves some kind of eternal punishment at the hands of a just and holy God is so profoundly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/the-idea-of-a-hell-that-involves-some-kind-of-eternal-punishment-at/) [John Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerstner/) > [Alongside getting faith out of a heart that is utterly hostile and unbelieving, making a silk purse out of a sow's ear or getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/alongside-getting-faith-out-of-a-heart-that-is-utterly-hostile-and/) [John Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerstner/) > [If the perfect Son of God is unattractive to you, then obviously you are an unattractive person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/if-the-perfect-son-of-god-is-unattractive-to-you-then-obviously-you/) [John Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerstner/) [Explore all 7 John Gerstner quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerstner/) ## More Good work quotes > [I think I am against stereotype. Generally, Asian guys are more quiet - they study and have a good work ethic. Generally, I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bobby-lee/i-think-i-am-against-stereotype-generally-asian-guys-are-more-quiet/) [Bobby Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bobby-lee/) > [Right now I'm doing four shows at a time, trying to read four outlines every week, four scripts every week, and watching four rough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-spelling/right-now-i-m-doing-four-shows-at-a-time-trying-to-read-four-outlines/) [Aaron Spelling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-spelling/) > [ Girded with faith and the performance of good works, let us follow in his \[Jesus\] paths by the guidance of the Gospel. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-of-nursia/girded-with-faith-and-the-performance-of-good-works-let-us-follow-in/) [Benedict of Nursia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-of-nursia/) > [Sometimes I am a collector of data, and only a collector, and am likely to be gross and miserly, piling up notes, pleased with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/sometimes-i-am-a-collector-of-data-and-only-a-collector-and-am-likely/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) > [You just have to keep trying to do good work, and hope that it leads to more good work. I want to look back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-stewart/you-just-have-to-keep-trying-to-do-good-work-and-hope-that-it-leads/) [Jon Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-stewart/) > [NGOs have a complicated space in neoliberal politics. They are supposed to mop up the anger. Even when they are doing good work, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/ngos-have-a-complicated-space-in-neoliberal-politics-they-are/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) > [A Christian should always remember that the value of his good works is not based on their number and excellence, but on the love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-the-cross/a-christian-should-always-remember-that-the-value-of-his-good-works/) [John of the Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-the-cross/) > [“Living in the middle of beauty like this, we've no call to have puny ideas about God. Why do you suppose His world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-marshall/living-in-the-middle-of-beauty-like-this-we-ve-no-call-to-have-puny/) [Catherine Marshall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-marshall/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [The debut show, “Second Lives: Remixing the Ordinary,” is supposed to be about how artists reuse humble or unusual materials. There’s good work here,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-saltz/the-debut-show-second-lives-remixing-the-ordinary-is-supposed-to-be/) [Jerry Saltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-saltz/) > [We always want to live in an environment where there's no artificial block to good work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/we-always-want-to-live-in-an-environment-where-there-s-no-artificial/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I produced some very good work at 'New York' magazine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-wolf/i-produced-some-very-good-work-at-new-york-magazine/) [Michael Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-wolf/) > [French wines may be said but to pickle meat in the stomach, but this is the wine that digests, and doth not only breed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/french-wines-may-be-said-but-to-pickle-meat-in-the-stomach-but-this/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [It's good work that keeps you alive and going.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-fricker/it-s-good-work-that-keeps-you-alive-and-going/) [Brenda Fricker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-fricker/) > [Because knowledge is not for showing off. If I do good work, people should notice me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chetan-bhagat/because-knowledge-is-not-for-showing-off-if-i-do-good-work-people/) [Chetan Bhagat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chetan-bhagat/) [Browse all 861 Good work quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-work/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The main thing between you and God is not so much your sins; it's your damnable good works.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Gerstner" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-not-so-much-your-sins-it-s-your/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Good work" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-not-so-much-your-sins-it-s-your/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/john-gerstner-51159_good-work_the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-no_583109.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/john-gerstner-51159_good-work_the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-no_583109.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/784/john-gerstner-51159_good-work_the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-no_583109.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The main thing between you and God is not so much your sins; it's your damnable good works.” — John Gerstner", "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 Gerstner", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerstner/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The main thing between you and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-not-so-much-your-sins-it-s-your/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-not-so-much-your-sins-it-s-your/#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 } } ] } ```