--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God’s wisdom, not God’s justice, forms…" description: "\"“God’s wisdom, not God’s justice, forms the basis of God’s activity in the world. Faith trusts that God is wise and that therefore his purposes are goo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/john-h-walton-28906_faith_god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the_1589448.jpg" --- # God’s wisdom, not God’s justice, forms the basis of God’s… ![“God’s wisdom, not God’s justice, forms the basis of God’s activity in the world. Faith trusts that God is wise and that therefore his purposes are good, even if they don’t seem that way to any system we can understand. God does not need to be defended; he wants to be trusted.” quote by John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/john-h-walton-28906_faith_god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the_1589448.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/john-h-walton-28906_faith_god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the_1589448.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/john-h-walton-28906_faith_god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the_1589448.jpg) > ““God’s wisdom, not God’s justice, forms the basis of God’s activity in the world. Faith trusts that God is wise and that therefore his purposes are good, even if they don’t seem that way to any system we can understand. God does not need to be defended; he wants to be trusted.”” [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine activity is guided by wisdom rather than human notions of justice; faith trusts in the goodness of God's purposes even when they are incomprehensible. **In simple terms:** God acts wisely, not just justly; trust His plans. Key Takeaway Trust God's wisdom over our limited understanding. Themes faith theology trust divine purpose Mood contemplative hopeful Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - ethical decision making - counseling - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts wisdom justice faith trust divine activity Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile unseen divine wisdom with observable injustice? - When does trusting God become passive acceptance? A Different Perspective Faith may clash with empirical evidence, causing doubt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [“I understand why King Solomon asked for wisdom from God. For wisdom is like oil to a lamp, what would be the essence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gift-gugu-mona/i-understand-why-king-solomon-asked-for-wisdom-from-god-for-wisdom-is/) [Gift Gugu Mona](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gift-gugu-mona/) > [A truly humble man is sensible of his natural distance from God; of his dependence on Him; of the insufficiency of his own power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/a-truly-humble-man-is-sensible-of-his-natural-distance-from-god-of/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [The foolishness of the cross is the wisdom of God and the wisdom of God is powerful in its impact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alistair-begg/the-foolishness-of-the-cross-is-the-wisdom-of-god-and-the-wisdom-of/) [Alistair Begg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alistair-begg/) > [Chance and change are busy ever;Man decays, and ages move;But His mercy waneth never;God is wisdom, God is love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bowring/chance-and-change-are-busy-ever-man-decays-and-ages-move-but-his/) [John Bowring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bowring/) > [“A society that is fearful of self-examination and exploration can't believably say that it trusts in God. Nor can it believably say that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zenju-earthlyn-manuel/a-society-that-is-fearful-of-self-examination-and-exploration-can-t/) [Zenju Earthlyn Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zenju-earthlyn-manuel/) > [So long as we believe in our heart of hearts that our capacity is limited and we grow anxious and unhappy, we are lacking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paramahansa-yogananda/so-long-as-we-believe-in-our-heart-of-hearts-that-our-capacity-is/) [Paramahansa Yogananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paramahansa-yogananda/) > [Faith and works are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God trusts God; and he that trusts God obeys God. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/faith-and-works-are-bound-up-in-the-same-bundle-he-that-obeys-god/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [He that sowes trusts in God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/he-that-sowes-trusts-in-god/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [“There is power in a Lady who trusts in God-a lady who has put all her eggs in God’s basket. Women possess some gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-maina/there-is-power-in-a-lady-who-trusts-in-god-a-lady-who-has-put-all-her/) Mary Maina > [“He who trusts himself is lost. He who trusts God can do all things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-who-trusts-himself-is-lost-he-who-trusts-god-can-do-all-things/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Courage is simply fear that trusts in God”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/courage-is-simply-fear-that-trusts-in-god/) [Shannon L. Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-l-alder/) > [With this honor devolves upon you also a corresponding responsibility. As the country herein trusts you, so under God it will sustain you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-this-honor-devolves-upon-you-also-a-corresponding-responsibility/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [“True peace is the condition of the heart that trusts God regardless of the circumstances.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-joyner/true-peace-is-the-condition-of-the-heart-that-trusts-god-regardless/) [Rick Joyner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-joyner/) > [“Heroism is found in the person willing to do what is right, who lets go of the opinions of others and trusts in God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-moorehead/heroism-is-found-in-the-person-willing-to-do-what-is-right-who-lets/) [Kate Moorehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-moorehead/) > [We are not perfectly free until we live in pure hope. For when our hope is pure, it no longer trusts exclusively in human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/we-are-not-perfectly-free-until-we-live-in-pure-hope-for-when-our/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) ## More by John H. Walton > [“THERE IS GOOD REASON why Christian theologians consider theodicy the unsolvable theological issue. The reason is this: It is unsolvable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/there-is-good-reason-why-christian-theologians-consider-theodicy-the/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“Though we cannot expect to be able to think like they thought, or read their minds, or penetrate very deeply into so much that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/though-we-cannot-expect-to-be-able-to-think-like-they-thought-or-read/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“If we follow the sense of the literature and its ideas of creation, we find that people in the ancient Near East did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/if-we-follow-the-sense-of-the-literature-and-its-ideas-of-creation-we/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [Our point, however, is not to worship the Bible; we worship the God of the Bible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/our-point-however-is-not-to-worship-the-bible-we-worship-the-god-of/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [The most central truth to the creation account is that this world is a place for God's presence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/the-most-central-truth-to-the-creation-account-is-that-this-world-is/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“The Bible's message must not be subjected to cultural imperialism. Its message transcends the culture in which it originated, but the form in which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/the-bible-s-message-must-not-be-subjected-to-cultural-imperialism-its/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“The Old World science found in the Bible would not be considered “wrong” or “false” as much as it would just offer a perspective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/the-old-world-science-found-in-the-bible-would-not-be-considered/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“In response, God appears to Job and compels him to live in mystery, not giving an answer to his suffering but asserting his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/in-response-god-appears-to-job-and-compels-him-to-live-in-mystery-not/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“Art that is based on scenes from the Bible is not better than art that is based on scenes from, say, Shakespeare or Homer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/art-that-is-based-on-scenes-from-the-bible-is-not-better-than-art/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“impose our own cultural ideas on the text without thinking. The Bible’s message must not be subjected to cultural imperialism. Its message transcends the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/impose-our-own-cultural-ideas-on-the-text-without-thinking-the-bible/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [Since all people are in the image of God, all deserve to be treated with the dignity the image affords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/since-all-people-are-in-the-image-of-god-all-deserve-to-be-treated/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“We cannot have all the answers, Job; we don’t even know all the questions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/we-cannot-have-all-the-answers-job-we-don-t-even-know-all-the/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“Though we recognize distinct cultural differences across time and place, the commonalities warrant our attention. To think about how these ancient commonalities need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/though-we-recognize-distinct-cultural-differences-across-time-and/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“THE RETRIBUTION PRINCIPLE (RP) is the conviction that the righteous will prosper and the wicked will suffer, both in proportion to their respective righteousness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/the-retribution-principle-rp-is-the-conviction-that-the-righteous/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) > [“It seems to many that they have to make a choice: either believe the Bible and hold to a young earth, or abandon the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/it-seems-to-many-that-they-have-to-make-a-choice-either-believe-the/) [John H. Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) [Explore all 19 John H. Walton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/) ## More Faith quotes > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/) [Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/) > [Eternal Trinity... mystery deep as the sea, You could give me no greater gift than the gift of Yourself. For You are a fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-catherine-of-siena/eternal-trinity-mystery-deep-as-the-sea-you-could-give-me-no-greater/) [St. Catherine of Siena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-catherine-of-siena/) > [Keep the faith, and keep going strong!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/keep-the-faith-and-keep-going-strong/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [It’s so important to create in your own voice, to hold onto what makes you unique, and have faith in your vision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lasseter/it-s-so-important-to-create-in-your-own-voice-to-hold-onto-what-makes/) [John Lasseter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lasseter/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) Riffat Hassan > [Democracy is based on the conviction that man has the moral and intellectual capacity, as well as the inalienable right, to govern himself with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/democracy-is-based-on-the-conviction-that-man-has-the-moral-and/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [“No man is prejudiced in favour of a thing, knowing it to be wrong. He is attached to it on the belief of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/no-man-is-prejudiced-in-favour-of-a-thing-knowing-it-to-be-wrong-he/) [Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/) > [Let me tell you that atheism has never painted a masterpiece. Atheism has never dispelled fear. Atheism has never healed a disease; faith in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hagee/let-me-tell-you-that-atheism-has-never-painted-a-masterpiece-atheism/) [John Hagee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hagee/) > [Holiness sincerity, and faith.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/holiness-sincerity-and-faith/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“The only limitations for your life are the limiting beliefs in your mind. —Matt Morris”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-morris-1/the-only-limitations-for-your-life-are-the-limiting-beliefs-in-your/) Matt Morris (1 > [“Just because your faith is shaken doesn’t mean the faith is shaken. The eternal truths of the Kingdom aren’t altered or affected by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/just-because-your-faith-is-shaken-doesn-t-mean-the-faith-is-shaken/) [Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/) > [Grit, determination, the right amount of crazy, self belief - everything it takes to be a champion. I have that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-poirier/grit-determination-the-right-amount-of-crazy-self-belief-everything/) [Dustin Poirier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-poirier/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Once you pull the trigger, you've got to throw balls aggressively and with conviction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-smith/once-you-pull-the-trigger-you-ve-got-to-throw-balls-aggressively-and/) [Alex Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-smith/) [Browse all 37,796 Faith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“God’s wisdom, not God’s justice, forms the basis of God’s activity in the world. Faith trusts that God is wise and that therefore his purposes are good, even if they don’t seem that way to any system we can understand. God does not need to be defended; he wants to be trusted.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John H. Walton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the-basis-of-god-s-activity-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Faith" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the-basis-of-god-s-activity-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/john-h-walton-28906_faith_god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the_1589448.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/john-h-walton-28906_faith_god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the_1589448.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/547/john-h-walton-28906_faith_god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the_1589448.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“God’s wisdom, not God’s justice, forms the basis of God’s activity in the world. Faith trusts that God is…” — John H. Walton", "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 H. Walton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-h-walton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“God’s wisdom, not God’s justice, forms...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the-basis-of-god-s-activity-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-walton/god-s-wisdom-not-god-s-justice-forms-the-basis-of-god-s-activity-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 } } ] } ```