--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God has laid himself under no obligation…" description: "\"“God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise, to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. God certainly has made no promises either of..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b22/jonathan-edwards-770_eternal-life_god-has-laid-himself-under-no-obligation_2505570.jpg" --- # God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise… ![“God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise, to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. God certainly has made no promises either of eternal life, or of any deliverance or preservation from eternal death, but what are contained in the covenant of grace, the promises that are…” quote by Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b22/jonathan-edwards-770_eternal-life_god-has-laid-himself-under-no-obligation_2505570.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b22/jonathan-edwards-770_eternal-life_god-has-laid-himself-under-no-obligation_2505570.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b22/jonathan-edwards-770_eternal-life_god-has-laid-himself-under-no-obligation_2505570.jpg) > ““God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise, to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. God certainly has made no promises either of eternal life, or of any deliverance or preservation from eternal death, but what are contained in the covenant of grace, the promises that are given in Christ, in whom all the promises are yea and amen.”” [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage asserts that God makes no guarantees about avoiding hell, but offers promises through Christ that assure believers of eternal life and salvation. **In simple terms:** God promises salvation through Christ, not safety from hell. Key Takeaway Trust in Christ’s promises for eternal life. Themes salvation faith divine promise eternity Mood reflective reverent Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - church teachings - theological study - missionary work Key Concepts grace covenant assurance Questions to Reflect On - What does grace mean to you personally? - How do you reconcile fear of death with faith? A Different Perspective Human doubt can challenge belief in divine promises. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Eternal life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Sustaining grace promises not the absence of struggle but the presence of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/sustaining-grace-promises-not-the-absence-of-struggle-but-the/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [“Christ never promises peace in the sense of no more struggle and suffering. Instead, he helps us to struggle and suffer as he did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-buechner/christ-never-promises-peace-in-the-sense-of-no-more-struggle-and/) [Frederick Buechner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-buechner/) > [“Being persuaded that Christ and his promises are factual is not by itself saving faith. That is why some professing Christians will be shocked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/being-persuaded-that-christ-and-his-promises-are-factual-is-not-by/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [On Easter Sunday, Jesus Christ promises us never to leave our side and to love us this way forever. Let us place all our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/on-easter-sunday-jesus-christ-promises-us-never-to-leave-our-side-and/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No work nor deed of ours whatsoever, no not faith itself, can be the condition of the covenant of grace properly so called; but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-boston/no-work-nor-deed-of-ours-whatsoever-no-not-faith-itself-can-be-the/) [Thomas Boston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-boston/) > [“Like it or not, because I stand in the covenant of grace, I must mortify my sin. Because I stand in the covenant of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosaria-champagne-butterfield/like-it-or-not-because-i-stand-in-the-covenant-of-grace-i-must/) [Rosaria Champagne Butterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosaria-champagne-butterfield/) > [In the new covenant, God doesn't want us to be blessed when we obey the law and cursed when we fail. Doesn't such a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/in-the-new-covenant-god-doesn-t-want-us-to-be-blessed-when-we-obey/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [Faith from, its essential nature implies the fallen state of man, while it recognizes the principles of the covenant of grace. It is itself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gardiner-spring/faith-from-its-essential-nature-implies-the-fallen-state-of-man-while/) [Gardiner Spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gardiner-spring/) > [The children of believing parents, at least their next and immediate seed, even of us Gentiles now under the gospel, are included by God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-goodwin/the-children-of-believing-parents-at-least-their-next-and-immediate/) [Thomas Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-goodwin/) > [One may preach a covenant of grace more clearly than another... But when they preach a covenant of works for salvation, that is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hutchinson/one-may-preach-a-covenant-of-grace-more-clearly-than-another-but-when/) [Anne Hutchinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hutchinson/) > [“Wherever the Lord makes a provision, we are quite sure that there was a need for it. No superfluities clutter the covenant of grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/wherever-the-lord-makes-a-provision-we-are-quite-sure-that-there-was/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [“God does not say that He will be our God if we do this or that thing. But He says that He will put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-bavinck/god-does-not-say-that-he-will-be-our-god-if-we-do-this-or-that-thing/) [Herman Bavinck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-bavinck/) > [“Nowhere in the whole Bible is it even intimated that it is God's desire or plan that children must remain outside of the covenant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-h-gerberding/nowhere-in-the-whole-bible-is-it-even-intimated-that-it-is-god-s/) [G.H. Gerberding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-h-gerberding/) > [God knows we have nothing of ourselves, therefore in the covenant of grace he requires no more than he gives, but gives what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-sibbes/god-knows-we-have-nothing-of-ourselves-therefore-in-the-covenant-of/) [Richard Sibbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-sibbes/) > [Guidance, like all God's acts of blessing under the covenant of grace, is a sovereign act. Not merely does God will to guide us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/guidance-like-all-god-s-acts-of-blessing-under-the-covenant-of-grace/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Jonathan Edwards > [The foundation of the Christian's peace is everlasting; it is what no time, no change can destroy. It will remain when the body dies;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-foundation-of-the-christian-s-peace-is-everlasting-it-is-what-no/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Every saint in heaven is as a flower in that garden of God, and holy love is the fragrance and sweet odor that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/every-saint-in-heaven-is-as-a-flower-in-that-garden-of-god-and-holy/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [God is glorified not only by His glory being seen, but by its being rejoiced in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/god-is-glorified-not-only-by-his-glory-being-seen-but-by-its-being/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [There is no way that Christians, in a private capacity, can do so much to promote the work of God and advance the kingdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/there-is-no-way-that-christians-in-a-private-capacity-can-do-so-much/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Godliness is more easily feigned in words than in actions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/godliness-is-more-easily-feigned-in-words-than-in-actions/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Let the main thing that we prize in God’s house be, not the outward ornaments of it, or a high seat in it, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/let-the-main-thing-that-we-prize-in-god-s-house-be-not-the-outward/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“But that is the nature of true grace and spiritual light, that it opens to a person's view the infinite reason there is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/but-that-is-the-nature-of-true-grace-and-spiritual-light-that-it/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“The most determining external influence on his style was unquestionably the old, so-called King James version of the English Bible. His language is saturated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/the-most-determining-external-influence-on-his-style-was/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Edwards sought to impose a new test of qualification. He required, namely, that the candidate for full communion should give evidence of being converted,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/edwards-sought-to-impose-a-new-test-of-qualification-he-required/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [ “But it is doubtless true, and evident from \[the\] Scriptures, that the essence of all true religion lies in holy love; and that in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/but-it-is-doubtless-true-and-evident-from-the-scriptures-that-the/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Evangelical faith has the gospel of Christ for its foundation;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/evangelical-faith-has-the-gospel-of-christ-for-its-foundation/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“Prop. II. There are many mansions in the house of God. By many mansions is meant many seats or places of abode.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/prop-ii-there-are-many-mansions-in-the-house-of-god-by-many-mansions/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [I resolve to live with all my might while I do live. I resolve never to lose one moment of time and to improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/i-resolve-to-live-with-all-my-might-while-i-do-live-i-resolve-never/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“And now you have an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has flung the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/and-now-you-have-an-extraordinary-opportunity-a-day-wherein-christ/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [Christ gives peace to the most sinful and miserable that come to Him. He heals the broken in heart and binds up their wounds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/christ-gives-peace-to-the-most-sinful-and-miserable-that-come-to-him/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) [Explore all 375 Jonathan Edwards quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) ## More Eternal life quotes > [Our thoughts are either focused on what's eternal, life-changing, and true, or lost in the details of our temporary, selfish, false beliefs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-groeschel/our-thoughts-are-either-focused-on-what-s-eternal-life-changing-and/) [Craig Groeschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-groeschel/) > [“What about your funeral, eh?” She asks. “You mean the one that is never going to happen ever because I am going to gather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-wolf/what-about-your-funeral-eh-she-asks-you-mean-the-one-that-is-never/) [Sara Wolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-wolf/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [Intellectual methods-study and reason-are essential to our progress toward eternal life, but they are not sufficient. They can prepare the way. They can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dallin-h-oaks/intellectual-methods-study-and-reason-are-essential-to-our-progress/) [Dallin H. Oaks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dallin-h-oaks/) > [“This life is just a bootcamp, to test and toughen us, to prepare us for the next life of service in some great adventure.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-koontz/this-life-is-just-a-bootcamp-to-test-and-toughen-us-to-prepare-us-for/) [Dean Koontz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-koontz/) > [Suppose that we are wise enough to learn and know-and yet not wise enough to control our learning and knowledge, so that we use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/suppose-that-we-are-wise-enough-to-learn-and-know-and-yet-not-wise/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [My plea therefore is this: Let us get our instruments tightly strung and our melodies sweetly sung. Let us not die with our music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/my-plea-therefore-is-this-let-us-get-our-instruments-tightly-strung/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [Masonry inculcates faith in immortality as indispensable to moral living and urges its members to qualify for eternal life by the practice of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-e-hammond/masonry-inculcates-faith-in-immortality-as-indispensable-to-moral/) William E Hammond > [The fear of an eternal life compared to an inevitable death is that of a wise man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derek-queen/the-fear-of-an-eternal-life-compared-to-an-inevitable-death-is-that/) [Derek Queen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derek-queen/) > [“Our true reality is not a limited phenomenon, existing only between birth and death. It is eternal life that exists alone, self-existent and self-sufficient,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilchi-lee/our-true-reality-is-not-a-limited-phenomenon-existing-only-between/) [Ilchi Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilchi-lee/) > [“We live a short period of time in this world, but we live it according to the laws of eternal life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/we-live-a-short-period-of-time-in-this-world-but-we-live-it-according/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“ Programs has a temporary results leading to nothingness, and the Gospel the brings the result of Eternal life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommie-scott/programs-has-a-temporary-results-leading-to-nothingness-and-the/) Tommie Scott > [“Silently a flower blooms, In silence if falls away; Yet here now, at this moment, at this place, The world of the flower, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lilli-jolgren-day/silently-a-flower-blooms-in-silence-if-falls-away-yet-here-now-at/) Lilli Jolgren Day > [If we never leave our house except to drive to work, do we need to be even remotely aware of this powerful, humbling, extraordinary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/if-we-never-leave-our-house-except-to-drive-to-work-do-we-need-to-be/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [We have a commitment to serve our Lord. We have an assurance that the cause is just and worthy. But, above all, we have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/we-have-a-commitment-to-serve-our-lord-we-have-an-assurance-that-the/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) [Browse all 750 Eternal life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eternal-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“God has laid himself under no obligation, by any promise, to keep any natural man out of hell one moment. 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