--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before we can begin to see the cross as…" description: "\"Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.\" — John Stott" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0f/john-stott-1926_begin_before-we-can-begin-to-see-the-cross-as_1604515.png" --- # Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for… ![“Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.” quote by John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0f/john-stott-1926_begin_before-we-can-begin-to-see-the-cross-as_1604515.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0f/john-stott-1926_begin_before-we-can-begin-to-see-the-cross-as_1604515.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0f/john-stott-1926_begin_before-we-can-begin-to-see-the-cross-as_1604515.png) > “Before we can begin to see the cross as something done for us, we have to see it as something done by us.” [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We must view the crucifixion as our own action, not a passive gift, to take responsibility for faith. **In simple terms:** See the cross as our own work. Key Takeaway Own your faith actions. Themes responsibility faith participation Mood reflective thoughtful Type spiritual theological When to use this quote - personal worship - community service - ethical decisions Key Concepts theology agency Questions to Reflect On - How does personal agency affect spiritual growth? - Can we balance grace and effort? A Different Perspective It may ignore divine grace. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin/) [Begin Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begin-cross-3696865/) [Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Cross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cross/) [Crosses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crosses/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Easter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easter/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) ## Related quotes > [Before we can begin to see the cross as something done FOR us, leading us to faith and worship, we have to see it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-mahaney/before-we-can-begin-to-see-the-cross-as-something-done-for-us-leading/) [C. J. Mahaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-mahaney/) > [When we look at the cross we see the justice, love, wisdom and power of God. It is not easy to decide which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/when-we-look-at-the-cross-we-see-the-justice-love-wisdom-and-power-of/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [We must not forget that it wasn't the Jews that put him on the cross, and it wasn't the Romans. It was my sins,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/we-must-not-forget-that-it-wasn-t-the-jews-that-put-him-on-the-cross/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) > [The Cross! There, and there only (though the deist rave, and the atheist, if Earth bears so base a slave); There and there only,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/the-cross-there-and-there-only-though-the-deist-rave-and-the-atheist/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Sin is the second most powerful force in the universe, for it sent Jesus to the cross. 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So what did God do? In an amazing act of condescension,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-willimon/despite-our-earnest-efforts-we-couldn-t-climb-all-the-way-up-to-god/) [William H. Willimon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-willimon/) > [Nothing in my hand I bring, Simply to Thy cross I cling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustus-toplady/nothing-in-my-hand-i-bring-simply-to-thy-cross-i-cling/) [Augustus Toplady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustus-toplady/) > [It is there, at the foot of the cross, that we shrink to our true size.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/it-is-there-at-the-foot-of-the-cross-that-we-shrink-to-our-true-size/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The Cross is the blazing fire at which the flame of our love is kindled, but we have to get near enough for its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/the-cross-is-the-blazing-fire-at-which-the-flame-of-our-love-is/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) ## More by John Stott > [Prayer is not a convenient device for imposing our will upon God, or bending his will to ours, but the prescribed way of subordinating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/prayer-is-not-a-convenient-device-for-imposing-our-will-upon-god-or/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [Mission arises from the heart of God Himself and is communicated from His heart to ours. Mission is the global outreach of the global…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/mission-arises-from-the-heart-of-god-himself-and-is-communicated-from/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [ \[Christian rebellion\] arises from the doctrine of mankind made in the image of God, and therefore protests against all forms of dehumanization. It sets… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/christian-rebellion-arises-from-the-doctrine-of-mankind-made-in-the/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [All of us have inflated views of ourselves, especially in self-righteousn ess, until we have visited a place called Calvary. 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If He speaks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/if-god-speaks-to-us-about-himself-and-his-own-glorious-greatness-we/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [There is something inherently inappropriate about cherishing small ambitions for God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/there-is-something-inherently-inappropriate-about-cherishing-small/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [Every powerful movement has had its philosophy which has gripped the mind, fired the imagination and captured the devotion of its adherents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/every-powerful-movement-has-had-its-philosophy-which-has-gripped-the/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [“A guilty conscience is a great blessing, but only if it drives us to come home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/a-guilty-conscience-is-a-great-blessing-but-only-if-it-drives-us-to/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The concept of substitution lies at the heart of both sin and salvation. 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