---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is unbiblical and arrogant to try to…"
description: "\"It is unbiblical and arrogant to try to worship God for any other reason than the pleasure to be had in Him.\" — John Piper"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/john-piper-255_arrogant_it-is-unbiblical-and-arrogant-to-try-to_2059365.png"
---

#  It is unbiblical and arrogant to try to worship God for…

![“It is unbiblical and arrogant to try to worship God for any other reason than the pleasure to be had in Him.” quote by John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/john-piper-255_arrogant_it-is-unbiblical-and-arrogant-to-try-to_2059365.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/john-piper-255_arrogant_it-is-unbiblical-and-arrogant-to-try-to_2059365.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/john-piper-255_arrogant_it-is-unbiblical-and-arrogant-to-try-to_2059365.png)

> “It is unbiblical and arrogant to try to worship God for any other reason than the pleasure to be had in Him.”

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

## About This Quote

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

Worship should be motivated by joy in God, not by external reasons.

**In simple terms:** Worship for God's pleasure, not selfish motives.

Key Takeaway

Seek joy in God.

Themes

worship motivation humility

Mood

contemplative spiritual

Type

theological inspirational

When to use this quote

- personal prayer
- church services
- faith discussions

Key Concepts

theology spirituality

Questions to Reflect On

- What truly brings you joy in worship?
- How can you shift focus from self to God?

A Different Perspective

People may struggle to feel joy.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Arrogant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) [Arrogant Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant-try-1659537/) [Pleasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasure/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Try Worship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/try-worship-3921017/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Unbiblical Arrogant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unbiblical-arrogant-3921016/) [Worship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worship/) [Worship god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worship-god/)

## Related quotes

> [I certainly had an arrogant streak. And I certainly was defensive in certain cases. Maybe I'm still arrogant, but I try not to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bogdanovich/i-certainly-had-an-arrogant-streak-and-i-certainly-was-defensive-in/)

[Peter Bogdanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bogdanovich/)

> [The greatest stumbling block for children in worship is that their parents do not cherish the hour. Children can feel the difference between duty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-greatest-stumbling-block-for-children-in-worship-is-that-their/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [“The gifts are intensifiers of desire for Christ himself in much the same way that fasting is. When you give a gift to Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-gifts-are-intensifiers-of-desire-for-christ-himself-in-much-the/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [All of history is moving toward one great goal, the white-hot worship of God and His Son among all the peoples of the earth.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/all-of-history-is-moving-toward-one-great-goal-the-white-hot-worship/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [Worship is what we were created for. This is the final end of all existence-the worship of God. God created the universe so that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/worship-is-what-we-were-created-for-this-is-the-final-end-of-all/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [May I be born again and again, and suffer thousands of miseries so that I may worship the only God that exists, the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/may-i-be-born-again-and-again-and-suffer-thousands-of-miseries-so/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [“Our worship of God is not a part of our lives; worship is our lives.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dillon-burroughs/our-worship-of-god-is-not-a-part-of-our-lives-worship-is-our-lives/)

[Dillon Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dillon-burroughs/)

> [“When we worship God as we ought that’s when the nations listen. —Edmund Clowney”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-neese/when-we-worship-god-as-we-ought-that-s-when-the-nations-listen-edmund/)

[Zach Neese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-neese/)

> [There are three things Jewish people worship-God, Chinese food and wall-to-wall carpeting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-allen/there-are-three-things-jewish-people-worship-god-chinese-food-and/)

[Woody Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-allen/)

> [Many a professing Christian is a stumbling-block because his worship is divided. On Sunday he worships God; on weekdays God has little or no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-l-moody/many-a-professing-christian-is-a-stumbling-block-because-his-worship/)

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

> [The law of giving and receiving is fundamental, and relates just as much to God as it does to us. As we go through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selwyn-hughes/the-law-of-giving-and-receiving-is-fundamental-and-relates-just-as/)

[Selwyn Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/selwyn-hughes/)

> [“Worship of God is not restricted to believers alone”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/worship-of-god-is-not-restricted-to-believers-alone/)

[Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/)

> [The First Amendment exists to protect our religious liberty--to ensure that all Americans are able to seek out worship God with all our hearts,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/the-first-amendment-exists-to-protect-our-religious-liberty-to-ensure/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

> [I want everybody to worship the God of love instead of worshipping the God of hate and torture. But in the meantime, we don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mosab-hassan-yousef/i-want-everybody-to-worship-the-god-of-love-instead-of-worshipping/)

[Mosab Hassan Yousef](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mosab-hassan-yousef/)

> [“A Christian will find it most beneficial to practice secret worship, corporate worship, and family worship. They are all important for our life in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-helopoulos/a-christian-will-find-it-most-beneficial-to-practice-secret-worship/)

[Jason Helopoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-helopoulos/)

## More by John Piper

> [“Even in the miserable guilt we feel over our beastlike insensitivity, the glory of God shines. If God were not gloriously desirable, why would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/even-in-the-miserable-guilt-we-feel-over-our-beastlike-insensitivity/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [The absence of God in most spheres of life is perceived to be normal, and even Christians feel it as normal - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-absence-of-god-in-most-spheres-of-life-is-perceived-to-be-normal/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [“The Spirit inspired the Word and therefore He goes where the Word goes. The more of God's Word you know and love, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-spirit-inspired-the-word-and-therefore-he-goes-where-the-word/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [Do you feel loved by God because you believe he makes much of you, or because you believe he frees you and empowers you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/do-you-feel-loved-by-god-because-you-believe-he-makes-much-of-you-or/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [“Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/worship-is-missions-exists-because-worship-doesn-t-worship-is/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [What is sin? It is the glory of God not honored. The holiness of God not reverenced. The greatness of God not admired. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/what-is-sin-it-is-the-glory-of-god-not-honored-the-holiness-of-god/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [Love is doing what will enthrall the beloved with the greatest and longest joy. What will enthrall the beloved this way is the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/love-is-doing-what-will-enthrall-the-beloved-with-the-greatest-and/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [“If you hold a grudge, you doubt the Judge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/if-you-hold-a-grudge-you-doubt-the-judge/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [Evangelicals are distraught over the state of America because they have not been taught that we're aliens here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/evangelicals-are-distraught-over-the-state-of-america-because-they/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [“Worship is the highest moral act a human can perform, so the only basis and motivation for it that many people can conceive is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/worship-is-the-highest-moral-act-a-human-can-perform-so-the-only/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [Do you love the cross because it makes much of you? Or do you love it because it enables you to enjoy and eternity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/do-you-love-the-cross-because-it-makes-much-of-you-or-do-you-love-it/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [“job 14:1 man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of troubles "If that isn't your experience now it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/job-14-1-man-who-is-born-of-a-woman-is-few-of-days-and-full-of/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [“Not to aim to show God is not to love, bc God is what we need the most deeply. And to have all else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/not-to-aim-to-show-god-is-not-to-love-bc-god-is-what-we-need-the-most/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [God has given us prayer as a wartime walkie-talkie so that we can call headquarters for everything we need as the kingdom of Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/god-has-given-us-prayer-as-a-wartime-walkie-talkie-so-that-we-can/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

> [Ignatius, when he heard the clock strike, would say, "Now I have another hour to answer for." (Eph. 5:16)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/ignatius-when-he-heard-the-clock-strike-would-say-now-i-have-another/)

[John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

[Explore all 803 John Piper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/)

## More Arrogant quotes

> [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/)

[Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/)

> [ \[T\]he tax code has been piling up, year after year, a symbol of everything gone wrong in America, of arrogant rulers and lost freedom,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/t-he-tax-code-has-been-piling-up-year-after-year-a-symbol-of/)

[Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/)

> [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/)

[Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/)

> [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/)

[Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/)

> [I absolutely hate arrogant people, irks me to no end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-absolutely-hate-arrogant-people-irks-me-to-no-end/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/)

[Anne Morrow Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-morrow-lindbergh/)

> [Mourinho is a bit arrogant, but you've got to like him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nicol/mourinho-is-a-bit-arrogant-but-you-ve-got-to-like-him/)

[Steve Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nicol/)

> [Some say work smarter, not harder, but the wisest are both. Whether you're more of a hard worker or a smart worker, if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colby-tatem/some-say-work-smarter-not-harder-but-the-wisest-are-both-whether-you/)

[Colby Tatem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colby-tatem/)

> [I was spoiled and I was arrogant. I was very demanding, had an overblown image of who I was and got a reputation for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judge-reinhold/i-was-spoiled-and-i-was-arrogant-i-was-very-demanding-had-an/)

[Judge Reinhold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judge-reinhold/)

> [We are not being arrogant or complacent when we are said that our country, as a united nation, has never in its entire history,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thabo-mbeki/we-are-not-being-arrogant-or-complacent-when-we-are-said-that-our/)

[Thabo Mbeki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thabo-mbeki/)

> [“So you intend to go through life never loving anyone? Just … things?” “No. I’m looking for something more.” “More than love?” “Yes.” “Is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/renee-ahdieh/so-you-intend-to-go-through-life-never-loving-anyone-just-things-no-i/)

[Renee Ahdieh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/renee-ahdieh/)

> [People are tired of wasteful government programs and welfare chiselers, and they are angry about the constant spiral of taxes and government regulations, arrogant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/people-are-tired-of-wasteful-government-programs-and-welfare/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [“He was a man. Handsome as sin, arrogant as fuck, and in need of at least one woman to prove he wasn’t God’s gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-blue/he-was-a-man-handsome-as-sin-arrogant-as-fuck-and-in-need-of-at-least/)

[Melissa Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-blue/)

> [Being nice to people gets you nowhere. Being arrogant gets you nowhere. Blackmail, now that's a thing that will get you everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-to-people-gets-you-nowhere-being-arrogant-gets-you-nowhere/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's amusing how arrogant people can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-amusing-how-arrogant-people-can-be/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 1,146 Arrogant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It is unbiblical and arrogant to try to worship God for any other reason than the pleasure to be had in Him.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Piper"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/it-is-unbiblical-and-arrogant-to-try-to-worship-god-for-any-other/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Arrogant"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/it-is-unbiblical-and-arrogant-to-try-to-worship-god-for-any-other/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/john-piper-255_arrogant_it-is-unbiblical-and-arrogant-to-try-to_2059365.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/john-piper-255_arrogant_it-is-unbiblical-and-arrogant-to-try-to_2059365.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/john-piper-255_arrogant_it-is-unbiblical-and-arrogant-to-try-to_2059365.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It is unbiblical and arrogant to try to worship God for any other reason than the pleasure to be had in Him.” — John Piper",
                "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 Piper",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It is unbiblical and arrogant to...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/it-is-unbiblical-and-arrogant-to-try-to-worship-god-for-any-other/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/it-is-unbiblical-and-arrogant-to-try-to-worship-god-for-any-other/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
