Depravity Quote by Jonathan Edwards
““All our good is apparently from God, because we are first naked and holy without any good, and afterwards enriched with all good.””
About This Quote
Source Sermon: The Great Awakening, 1740s
Human goodness is seen as divine gift, not innate; we start pure, then acquire virtues through God's influence.
In simple terms: We are naturally pure, then become good through God.
Key Takeaway
Seek humility and gratitude for divine grace.
Themes
divine grace
human nature
spiritual development
Mood
contemplative
spiritual
Type
theological
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- spiritual practice
- ethical decisions
Key Concepts
theology
morality
original sin
Questions to Reflect On
- Do we owe our virtues solely to God?
- How does this view shape moral responsibility?
A Different Perspective
Assumes all goodness originates externally, ignoring personal agency.
![“But it is doubtless true, and evident from [the] Scriptures, that the essence of all true religion lies in holy love; and that in this divine affection, and an habitual disposition to it, and that light which is the foundation of it, and those things which are the fruits of it, consists the whole…” quote by Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2fd/jonathan-edwards-770_affection_but-it-is-doubtless-true-and-evident-fro_82879.jpg)
![“All these institutions [prisons] seemed purposely invented for the production of depravity and vice, condensed to such a degree that no other conditions could produce it, and for the spreading of this condensed depravity and vice broadcast among the whole population.” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f71/leo-tolstoy-55_depravity_all-these-institutions-prisons-seemed-pu_254289.jpg)
