---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Knowledge is indispensable to Christian…"
description: "\"Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life and service. If we do not use the mind that God has given us, we condemn ourselves to spiritual superficia..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/john-stott-1926_christian_knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian_1780210.png"
---

#  Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life and service…

![“Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life and service. If we do not use the mind that God has given us, we condemn ourselves to spiritual superficiality and cut ourselves off from many of the riches of God’s grace.” quote by John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/john-stott-1926_christian_knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian_1780210.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/john-stott-1926_christian_knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian_1780210.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/john-stott-1926_christian_knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian_1780210.png)

> “Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life and service. If we do not use the mind that God has given us, we condemn ourselves to spiritual superficiality and cut ourselves off from many of the riches of God’s grace.”

[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.

Intellectual engagement with faith is vital; neglecting the mind leads to shallow spirituality.

**In simple terms:** Think to deepen faith.

Key Takeaway

Study and reflect on spiritual teachings.

Themes

faith intellect spiritual growth discipline

Mood

contemplative inspirational

Type

theological educational

When to use this quote

- Bible study
- sermons
- faith groups
- personal prayer

Key Concepts

theology critical thinking personal development

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you balance heart and mind?
- What practices keep faith grounded?

A Different Perspective

Intellectualism can become elitist, alienating others.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-life/) [God 's grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-grace-2/) [God'S Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-s-grace/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Knowledge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowledge/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riches/) [Spiritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spiritual/) [Superficiality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/superficiality/)

## Related quotes

> [Historical knowledge is indispensable for those who want to build a better world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/historical-knowledge-is-indispensable-for-those-who-want-to-build-a/)

[Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/)

> [Thus Christian humanism is as indispensable to the Christian way of life as Christian ethics and a Christian sociology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-dawson/thus-christian-humanism-is-as-indispensable-to-the-christian-way-of/)

[Christopher Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-dawson/)

> [“Therefore it is necessary to make every effort to call upon Christ the Saviour with perfect faith. It is indispensable for every Christian to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-john-of-kronstadt/therefore-it-is-necessary-to-make-every-effort-to-call-upon-christ/)

[St. John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-john-of-kronstadt/)

> [Eroticism is one of the basic means of self-knowledge, as indispensable as poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/eroticism-is-one-of-the-basic-means-of-self-knowledge-as/)

[Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/)

> [No matter how good you are, you still need grace to get out of the material world. You can be a yogi or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/no-matter-how-good-you-are-you-still-need-grace-to-get-out-of-the/)

[George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/)

> [I have, by God’s grace, learned as a member of the Christian community what is the nature of God’s mercy, which does not leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rowan-williams/i-have-by-god-s-grace-learned-as-a-member-of-the-christian-community/)

[Rowan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rowan-williams/)

> [The Good News is that God's mercy and forgiveness extend to those who repent. Mercy does not mean approving of something that is sinful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-j-paprocki/the-good-news-is-that-god-s-mercy-and-forgiveness-extend-to-those-who/)

[Thomas J. Paprocki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-j-paprocki/)

> [“This history has for so long lived like a spider in my breast. The spider spins and spins, catching memories in its web, threatening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-kent/this-history-has-for-so-long-lived-like-a-spider-in-my-breast-the/)

[Kathleen Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-kent/)

> [There is a pile of dead bodies behind the Mars Hill bus, and by God's grace, it'll be a mountain by the time we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/there-is-a-pile-of-dead-bodies-behind-the-mars-hill-bus-and-by-god-s/)

[Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/)

> [While our sin reaches far, God's grace reaches farther. God came after us not to strip away our freedom but to strip away our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/while-our-sin-reaches-far-god-s-grace-reaches-farther-god-came-after/)

[Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/)

> [Well actually I don't think it's a bunch of bad things that send us to hell. I think it is rejection of God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/well-actually-i-don-t-think-it-s-a-bunch-of-bad-things-that-send-us/)

[Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/)

> [There are believers who by God's grace, have climbed the mountains of full assurance and near communion, their place is with the eagle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-believers-who-by-god-s-grace-have-climbed-the-mountains-of/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [frustration, complication and misery are available in abundance, but so is God's grace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/frustration-complication-and-misery-are-available-in-abundance-but-so/)

[Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/)

> [God's grace is not infinite. God is infinite, and God is gracious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/god-s-grace-is-not-infinite-god-is-infinite-and-god-is-gracious/)

[R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/)

> [If families give Our Lady fifteen minutes a day by reciting the Rosary, I assure them that their homes will become, by God's grace,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-peyton/if-families-give-our-lady-fifteen-minutes-a-day-by-reciting-the/)

Patrick Peyton

## 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. It is there, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/all-of-us-have-inflated-views-of-ourselves-especially-in-self/)

[John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

> [A deaf church is a dead church: that is an unalterable principle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/a-deaf-church-is-a-dead-church-that-is-an-unalterable-principle/)

[John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

> [So there is such a thing as perfect hatred, just as there is such a thing as righteous anger. But it is a hatred…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/so-there-is-such-a-thing-as-perfect-hatred-just-as-there-is-such-a/)

[John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

> [The reason I am a Christian is not that it is nice, but that it is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/the-reason-i-am-a-christian-is-not-that-it-is-nice-but-that-it-is-true/)

[John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

> [“Unless some people are commissioned for the task, there will be no gospel preachers; unless the gospel is preached, sinners will not hear Christ’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/unless-some-people-are-commissioned-for-the-task-there-will-be-no/)

[John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

> [“many former sins have become crimes’, so that responsibility for dealing with them has passed from church to state, from priest to policeman (p.50),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/many-former-sins-have-become-crimes-so-that-responsibility-for/)

[John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

> [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/)

> [If God speaks to us about himself and his own glorious greatness, we respond by humbling ourselves before him in worship... 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. For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/the-concept-of-substitution-lies-at-the-heart-of-both-sin-and/)

[John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

[Explore all 198 John Stott quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/)

## More Christian quotes

> [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/)

[Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/)

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/)

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

> [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/)

[Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/)

> [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/)

[David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/)

> [Always have the fear of God in your heart, and remember that God is always with you, everywhere, whether you are walking or sitting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennadius-of-constantinople/always-have-the-fear-of-god-in-your-heart-and-remember-that-god-is/)

[Gennadius of Constantinople](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennadius-of-constantinople/)

> [For many, the call to be a Christian can seem demanding, even overwhelming. But we need not be afraid or feel inadequate. The Savior…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-hales/for-many-the-call-to-be-a-christian-can-seem-demanding-even/)

[Robert D. Hales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-hales/)

> [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/)

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

> [When the Lord Jesus Christ became my surety . . . He went to Calvary's cross, and all my guilt was charged against Him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-allen-ironside/when-the-lord-jesus-christ-became-my-surety-he-went-to-calvary-s/)

[Henry Allen Ironside](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-allen-ironside/)

> [The world's history is a divine poem, of which the history of every nation is a canto, and every man a word. Its strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/the-world-s-history-is-a-divine-poem-of-which-the-history-of-every/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [Poor David Hume is dying fast, but with more real cheerfulness and good humor and with more real resignation to the necessary course of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/poor-david-hume-is-dying-fast-but-with-more-real-cheerfulness-and/)

[Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/)

> [“Is there any holy beings like human beings?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/is-there-any-holy-beings-like-human-beings/)

[Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/)

> [Jeff Chu's pilgrimage across America to discover his own place as a gay man in the Christian church as well as attitudes about being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-freitas/jeff-chu-s-pilgrimage-across-america-to-discover-his-own-place-as-a/)

[Donna Freitas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-freitas/)

> [We need to discover all over again that worship is natural to the Christian, as it was to the godly Israelites who wrote the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-i-packer/we-need-to-discover-all-over-again-that-worship-is-natural-to-the/)

[J. I. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/)

[Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life and service. If we do not use the mind that God has given us, we condemn ourselves to spiritual superficiality and cut ourselves off from many of the riches of God’s grace.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "John Stott"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian-life-and-service-if-we-do-not/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Christian"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian-life-and-service-if-we-do-not/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/john-stott-1926_christian_knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian_1780210.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/john-stott-1926_christian_knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian_1780210.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da8/john-stott-1926_christian_knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian_1780210.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life and service. If we do not use the mind that God has given us…” — John Stott",
                "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 Stott",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Knowledge is indispensable to Christian life...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian-life-and-service-if-we-do-not/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/knowledge-is-indispensable-to-christian-life-and-service-if-we-do-not/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
