--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Belief fails when it works not well…" description: "\"Belief fails when it works not well indeed but is idle as a sleeping man... Each virtuous deed is strong when it is grounded upon the solidity of belie..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/john-wycliffe-14123_belief_belief-fails-when-it-works-not-well-inde_2533788.jpg" --- # Belief fails when it works not well indeed but is idle as… ![“Belief fails when it works not well indeed but is idle as a sleeping man... Each virtuous deed is strong when it is grounded upon the solidity of belief.” quote by John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/john-wycliffe-14123_belief_belief-fails-when-it-works-not-well-inde_2533788.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/john-wycliffe-14123_belief_belief-fails-when-it-works-not-well-inde_2533788.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/024/john-wycliffe-14123_belief_belief-fails-when-it-works-not-well-inde_2533788.jpg) > “Belief fails when it works not well indeed but is idle as a sleeping man... Each virtuous deed is strong when it is grounded upon the solidity of belief.” [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Belief is ineffective if not actively applied; true virtue depends on solid, lived conviction. **In simple terms:** Belief must be active to be powerful. Key Takeaway Put belief into action. Themes faith virtue action solidity Mood reflective determined Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - daily decisions - leadership - community service - personal growth Key Concepts theology ethics practicality Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn belief into daily practice? - What actions demonstrate your convictions? A Different Perspective Belief alone does not guarantee results without effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Belief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man/) ## Related quotes > [Giving alms is only a virtuous deed when you give money that you yourself worked to get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/giving-alms-is-only-a-virtuous-deed-when-you-give-money-that-you/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [We should know that faith is a gift of God, and that it may not be given to men, except it be graciously. Thus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/we-should-know-that-faith-is-a-gift-of-god-and-that-it-may-not-be/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [“One doesn’t have the opportunity very often. Not that there are not many men who are good, but there are few men who, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/one-doesn-t-have-the-opportunity-very-often-not-that-there-are-not/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“More than once have I thought, Why does crime, even when as powerful as Cæsar, and assured of being beyond punishment, strive always for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henryk-sienkiewicz/more-than-once-have-i-thought-why-does-crime-even-when-as-powerful-as/) [Henryk Sienkiewicz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henryk-sienkiewicz/) > [The truth is . . . that the great artists of the world are never puritans, and seldom ever ordinarily respectable. No virtuous man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/the-truth-is-that-the-great-artists-of-the-world-are-never-puritans/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [The man of virtuous soul commands not, nor obeys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-man-of-virtuous-soul-commands-not-nor-obeys/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [If the Wise be the happy man... he must be virtuous too; for, without virtue, happiness cannot be. This then is the true scope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/if-the-wise-be-the-happy-man-he-must-be-virtuous-too-for-without/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [Fear guides more to their duty than gratitude; for one man who is virtuous from the love of virtue, from the obligation he thinks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-goldsmith/fear-guides-more-to-their-duty-than-gratitude-for-one-man-who-is/) [Oliver Goldsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-goldsmith/) > [The good man is he for whom, because he is virtuous, the things that are absolutely good are good; it is also plain that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/the-good-man-is-he-for-whom-because-he-is-virtuous-the-things-that/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [Nothing makes a man so virtuous as belief of the truth. A lying doctrine will soon beget a lying practice. A man cannot have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/nothing-makes-a-man-so-virtuous-as-belief-of-the-truth-a-lying/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“Maybe no great man is virtuous. Or good. Perhaps a man rich in those qualities by definition is barred from greatness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-mccullough/maybe-no-great-man-is-virtuous-or-good-perhaps-a-man-rich-in-those/) [Colleen McCullough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-mccullough/) > [My dear, be a good man be virtuous be religious be a good man. Nothing else will give you any comfort when you come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-scott/my-dear-be-a-good-man-be-virtuous-be-religious-be-a-good-man-nothing/) [Walter Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-scott/) > [No justification of virtue will enable a man to be virtuous. Without the aid of trained emotions the intellect is powerless against the animal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-justification-of-virtue-will-enable-a-man-to-be-virtuous-without/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Corrupt and often cruel in his lust, like some noxious insect, Fyodor Pavlovitch was sometimes, in moments of drunkenness,overcome by superstitious terror and a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dostoevsky/corrupt-and-often-cruel-in-his-lust-like-some-noxious-insect-fyodor/) [Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dostoevsky/) > [There are three marks of a superior man: being virtuous, he is free from anxiety; being wise, he is free from perplexity; being brave,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-are-three-marks-of-a-superior-man-being-virtuous-he-is-free/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## More by John Wycliffe > [Christ's fishermen should not meddle with men's law, for men' s law contains sharp stones and trees by which the net of God is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/christ-s-fishermen-should-not-meddle-with-men-s-law-for-men-s-law/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [Trust wholly in Christ; rely captionogether on his sufferings; beware of seeking to be justified in any other way than by his righteousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/trust-wholly-in-christ-rely-captionogether-on-his-sufferings-beware/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [What cursed spirit of falsehood moveth priests to close themselves within stone walls for all their life, since Christ commanded all his apostles and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/what-cursed-spirit-of-falsehood-moveth-priests-to-close-themselves/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [Englishmen learn Christ's law best in English. Moses heard God's law in his own tongue; so did Christ's apostles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/englishmen-learn-christ-s-law-best-in-english-moses-heard-god-s-law/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [Trust wholly in Christ; rely altogether on His sufferings; beware of seeking to be justified in any other way than by His righteousness. Faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/trust-wholly-in-christ-rely-altogether-on-his-sufferings-beware-of/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [I believe that in the end truth will conquer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/i-believe-that-in-the-end-truth-will-conquer/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [God may not accept a person to forgive him his sins, without an atonement, else he must give free license to sin both in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/god-may-not-accept-a-person-to-forgive-him-his-sins-without-an/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [I acknowledge that the sacrament of the altar is very God's body in form of bread, but it is in another manner God's body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/i-acknowledge-that-the-sacrament-of-the-altar-is-very-god-s-body-in/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [Holy Scripture is the highest authority for every believer, the standard of faith and the foundation for reform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/holy-scripture-is-the-highest-authority-for-every-believer-the/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [Do not let friars enter your wine cellars for fear they will bless every barrel and change the wine into blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/do-not-let-friars-enter-your-wine-cellars-for-fear-they-will-bless/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [God gives His grace to whomever He wishes, and has predestined each individual, an eternity before birth, to be lost or saved through all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/god-gives-his-grace-to-whomever-he-wishes-and-has-predestined-each/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [Visit those who are sick, or who are in trouble, especially those whom God has made needy by age, or by other sickness, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/visit-those-who-are-sick-or-who-are-in-trouble-especially-those-whom/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [The highest service that men may attain to on earth is to preach the word of God. This service falls peculiarly to priests, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/the-highest-service-that-men-may-attain-to-on-earth-is-to-preach-the/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [We should know that faith is a gift of God, and that it may not be given to men, except it be graciously. Thus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/we-should-know-that-faith-is-a-gift-of-god-and-that-it-may-not-be/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [There was good reason for the silence of the Holy Spirit as to how,when, in what form Christ ordained the apostles, the reason being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/there-was-good-reason-for-the-silence-of-the-holy-spirit-as-to-how/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) [Explore all 48 John Wycliffe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) ## More Belief quotes > [“Cine a ucis stelele? Cine a surpat drumul spre viitor al celor din morminte?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ionel-teodoreanu/cine-a-ucis-stelele-cine-a-surpat-drumul-spre-viitor-al-celor-din/) [Ionel Teodoreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ionel-teodoreanu/) > [“MIND & GRIND Self-belief and hard work can propel you past more talented peers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamil-ali/mind-grind-self-belief-and-hard-work-can-propel-you-past-more/) [Kamil Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamil-ali/) > [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/) [Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/) > [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/) > [It took me 20 years of hard training to get the physique I have today. what you need is what i had - BELIEF…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/branch-warren/it-took-me-20-years-of-hard-training-to-get-the-physique-i-have-today/) [Branch Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/branch-warren/) > [“Here is a fundamental difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever is 'of the world', judges everything by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/here-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-the-man-of-faith-and-the-man/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“She herself vacillated when it came to belief. She did not particularly believe in God. Or, rather, she didn't believe in a particular God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allegra-goodman/she-herself-vacillated-when-it-came-to-belief-she-did-not/) [Allegra Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allegra-goodman/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [“Rigid traditions capture souls prisons of spiritual thought man’s religion has captured a god grown too small and very weak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle/rigid-traditions-capture-souls-prisons-of-spiritual-thought-man-s/) [David W Earle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [The inner defenses are unconscious. They consist of a kind of magic aura which the mind builds around cherished belief. 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