--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: True liberty consists only in the power…" description: "\"True liberty consists only in the power of doing what we ought to will, and in not being constrained to do what we ought not to will. Jonathan Edwards\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/jonathan-edwards-770_freedom_true-liberty-consists-only-in-the-power_933239.png" --- # True liberty consists only in the power of doing what we… ![“True liberty consists only in the power of doing what we ought to will, and in not being constrained to do what we ought not to will. Jonathan Edwards” quote by Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/jonathan-edwards-770_freedom_true-liberty-consists-only-in-the-power_933239.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/jonathan-edwards-770_freedom_true-liberty-consists-only-in-the-power_933239.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d83/jonathan-edwards-770_freedom_true-liberty-consists-only-in-the-power_933239.png) > “True liberty consists only in the power of doing what we ought to will, and in not being constrained to do what we ought not to will. Jonathan Edwards” [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. True liberty is the ability to act according to one's true will, not being forced into unwanted actions. **In simple terms:** Freedom is acting on true will, not being forced. Key Takeaway Align actions with authentic will. Themes freedom will autonomy Mood thoughtful inspirational Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - personal decision making - ethical dilemmas - spiritual practice Key Concepts theology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - What does authentic will mean to you? - Can true liberty exist without responsibility? A Different Perspective True freedom may be limited by external constraints. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Liberty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/liberty/) ## Related quotes > [True liberty consists not merely in being free from something, but also in being free for something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-washington-sockman/true-liberty-consists-not-merely-in-being-free-from-something-but/) [Ralph Washington Sockman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-washington-sockman/) > [Liberty consists in the power of doing that which is permitted by the law.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/liberty-consists-in-the-power-of-doing-that-which-is-permitted-by-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Liberty consists in doing what one desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stuart-mill/liberty-consists-in-doing-what-one-desires/) [John Stuart Mill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stuart-mill/) > [Liberty consists in wholesome restraint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/liberty-consists-in-wholesome-restraint/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [True liberty consists only in the power of doing what we ought to will, and in not being constrained to do what we ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/true-liberty-consists-only-in-the-power-of-doing-what-we-ought-to/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [True liberty is not liberty to do evil as well as good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-winthrop/true-liberty-is-not-liberty-to-do-evil-as-well-as-good/) [John Winthrop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-winthrop/) > [This is true liberty, when free-born men, having to advise the public, may speak free.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/this-is-true-liberty-when-free-born-men-having-to-advise-the-public/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [ To my mind \[ Jonathan Edwards\] is an interesting figure because he is both a canonical Reformed thinker, and yet also someone that pushed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/to-my-mind-jonathan-edwards-is-an-interesting-figure-because-he-is/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [“Before the war, a white man named Jonathan Edwards came to Stockbridge to teach my people about sin, but I doubt very much he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-clare/before-the-war-a-white-man-named-jonathan-edwards-came-to-stockbridge/) [Pamela Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-clare/) > [ Here is the interesting twist:\[McLeod\] Campbell came to his views through reading Jonathan Edwards who suggested at one point in his ruminations on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/here-is-the-interesting-twist-mcleod-campbell-came-to-his-views/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [ How many people in the pews know that \[ Jonathan Edwards\] is both a founder of evangelicalism and, say, an idealist who denied that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/how-many-people-in-the-pews-know-that-jonathan-edwards-is-both-a/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [Jonathan Edwards is without a doubt the most brilliant mind America ever produced. I'm not talking about theologian; I'm talking about mind and everybody.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/jonathan-edwards-is-without-a-doubt-the-most-brilliant-mind-america/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“Jonathan Edwards, the dear old soul, who, if his doctrine is true, is now in heaven rubbing his holy hands with glee, as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/jonathan-edwards-the-dear-old-soul-who-if-his-doctrine-is-true-is-now/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [“We do not “find” God as a result of our search for him. We are found by him. The search for God does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-do-not-find-god-as-a-result-of-our-search-for-him-we-are-found-by/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [ \[Jonathan\] Edwards definitely shows up in the book \[Saving Calvinism\]. He appears as one of the interlocutors in the chapter on free will, the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/jonathan-edwards-definitely-shows-up-in-the-book-saving-calvinism-he/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) ## 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 Freedom quotes > [One is a painter because one wants so-called freedom; one doesn't want to go to the office every morning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/one-is-a-painter-because-one-wants-so-called-freedom-one-doesn-t-want/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. 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