---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The higher a man's conception of God, the…"
description: "\"The higher a man's conception of God, the better will he know Him. And the better he knows God, the nearer will he draw to Him.\" — Leo Tolstoy"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/leo-tolstoy-55_conception_the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the_308167.png"
---

#  The higher a man's conception of God, the better will he…

![“The higher a man's conception of God, the better will he know Him. And the better he knows God, the nearer will he draw to Him.” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/leo-tolstoy-55_conception_the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the_308167.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/leo-tolstoy-55_conception_the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the_308167.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/leo-tolstoy-55_conception_the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the_308167.png)

> “The higher a man's conception of God, the better will he know Him. And the better he knows God, the nearer will he draw to Him.”

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Understanding a higher concept of God deepens personal connection and draws one closer to the divine.

**In simple terms:** Seeing God as greater brings us nearer to Him.

Key Takeaway

Seek deeper understanding of the divine.

Themes

spirituality faith relationship with the divine

Mood

contemplative hopeful

Type

inspirational philosophical

When to use this quote

- prayer
- meditation
- theological study
- spiritual counseling

Key Concepts

theology personal growth intimacy with God

Questions to Reflect On

- How does your view of God affect your daily life?
- Can higher concept change behavior?

A Different Perspective

Personal experience may limit grasp of abstract concepts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Conception](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conception/) [God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god/) [Knowing god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing-god/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/)

## Related quotes

> [“The higher a man’s conception of God, the better will he know Him. And the better he knows God, the nearer will he draw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the-better-will-he-know-him-and-2/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [We can have no conception of God higher than man, so our God is man, and man is God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/we-can-have-no-conception-of-god-higher-than-man-so-our-god-is-man/)

[Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/)

> [The higher a man stands on the social ladder, the greater the number of people he is connected with, the more power he has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-higher-a-man-stands-on-the-social-ladder-the-greater-the-number/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [Whoever knows himself knows God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elijah-muhammad/whoever-knows-himself-knows-god/)

[Elijah Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elijah-muhammad/)

> [A man of God would never burn or harm a temple of any kind -- regardless of religion. A true man of God would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/a-man-of-god-would-never-burn-or-harm-a-temple-of-any-kind-regardless/)

[Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/)

> [Only God is love, and for this love to be fully realized self must step aside. And not only do we not need a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernadette-roberts/only-god-is-love-and-for-this-love-to-be-fully-realized-self-must/)

[Bernadette Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernadette-roberts/)

> [A fear-stricken person can never know God, and one who knows God will never fear a mortal man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-fear-stricken-person-can-never-know-god-and-one-who-knows-god-will/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [“Whoever knows God, depart from evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whoever-knows-god-depart-from-evil/)

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

> [Anyone who knows God cannot describe Him. Anyone who can describe God does not know Him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/anyone-who-knows-god-cannot-describe-him-anyone-who-can-describe-god/)

[Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/)

> [What this country needs is a man who knows God other than by heresay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/what-this-country-needs-is-a-man-who-knows-god-other-than-by-heresay/)

[Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/)

> [The man who knows God but does not know his own misery, becomes proud. The man who knows his own misery but does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/the-man-who-knows-god-but-does-not-know-his-own-misery-becomes-proud/)

[Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/)

> [Since love of God is the highest felicity and happiness of man, his final end and the aim of all his actions, it follows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/since-love-of-god-is-the-highest-felicity-and-happiness-of-man-his/)

[Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/)

> [The heart that knows God can find God anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-heart-that-knows-god-can-find-god-anywhere/)

[Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/)

> [Regardless of the source of our pain, we must accept that God knows, God loves, and God is at work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stanley/regardless-of-the-source-of-our-pain-we-must-accept-that-god-knows/)

[Charles Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stanley/)

> [A man may go into the field and say his prayer and be aware of God, or he may be in Church and be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meister-eckhart/a-man-may-go-into-the-field-and-say-his-prayer-and-be-aware-of-god-or/)

[Meister Eckhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meister-eckhart/)

## More by Leo Tolstoy

> [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [To speak of it would be giving importance to that which has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-speak-of-it-would-be-giving-importance-to-that-which-has-none/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“He knew she was there by the rapture and the terror that seized on his heart. She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

[Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

## More Conception quotes

> [“Conception is the beginning of human life. From the time that an ovum is fertilized a new life begins that is neither that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declaration-on-procured-abortion-congregation-for-the-doctrine-of-the-faith-1974/conception-is-the-beginning-of-human-life-from-the-time-that-an-ovum/)

Declaration on Procured Abortion Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith 1974

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [“Take sex, for instance.' 'What do you want me to do with it?' 'Try to be serious for a moment. Take the sex life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mortimer/take-sex-for-instance-what-do-you-want-me-to-do-with-it-try-to-be/)

[John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mortimer/)

> [Bring the viewer to your side, include him in your thought. He is not a bystander. You have the power to increase his perceptions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothea-lange/bring-the-viewer-to-your-side-include-him-in-your-thought-he-is-not-a/)

[Dorothea Lange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothea-lange/)

> [Most conservatives - by which I mean normal people - have little conception of the aggressive and revolutionary force that confronts them. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-bethell/most-conservatives-by-which-i-mean-normal-people-have-little/)

[Tom Bethell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-bethell/)

> [I started with the belief that every person who came to the laboratory was free to accept or to reject the dictates of authority.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-milgram/i-started-with-the-belief-that-every-person-who-came-to-the/)

[Stanley Milgram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-milgram/)

> [For the utilitarian, there is a fact of the matter about the good (the general happiness, or whatever conception of the good the utilitarian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-w-wood/for-the-utilitarian-there-is-a-fact-of-the-matter-about-the-good-the/)

[Allen W. Wood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-w-wood/)

> [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/)

[Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/)

> [The fight against syphilis demands a fight against prostitution, against prejudices, old habits, against previous conceptions, general views among them not least the false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/the-fight-against-syphilis-demands-a-fight-against-prostitution/)

[Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/)

> [Our modern conception of the universe is so foreign to what even scientists generally believed a mere century ago that it is a tribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/our-modern-conception-of-the-universe-is-so-foreign-to-what-even/)

[Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/)

> [Of Rhetoric various definitions have been given by different writers; who, however, seem not so much to have disagreed in their conceptions of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-whately/of-rhetoric-various-definitions-have-been-given-by-different-writers/)

[Richard Whately](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-whately/)

> [Music comes from the heart and returns to the heart... music is spontaneous, impulsive expression... its range is without limit... music is forever growing...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leopold-stokowski/music-comes-from-the-heart-and-returns-to-the-heart-music-is/)

[Leopold Stokowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leopold-stokowski/)

> [The oppressed without hope are mysteriously quiet. When the conception of change is beyond the limits of the possible, there are no words to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-rowbotham/the-oppressed-without-hope-are-mysteriously-quiet-when-the-conception/)

[Sheila Rowbotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-rowbotham/)

> [“For Republicans, life begins at conception but ends at birth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-adam-snyder/for-republicans-life-begins-at-conception-but-ends-at-birth/)

[J.Adam Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-adam-snyder/)

> [ \[Joseph\] Stalin closes the exposition of these \[Leon Trotsky\] ideas with the words, "Such are in general the characteristic features of \[Vladimir\] Lenin's conception… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-trotsky/joseph-stalin-closes-the-exposition-of-these-leon-trotsky-ideas-with/)

[Leon Trotsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-trotsky/)

[Browse all 865 Conception quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conception/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The higher a man's conception of God, the better will he know Him.  And the better he knows God, the nearer will he draw to Him.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Leo Tolstoy"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the-better-will-he-know-him-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Conception"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the-better-will-he-know-him-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/leo-tolstoy-55_conception_the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the_308167.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/leo-tolstoy-55_conception_the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the_308167.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dd3/leo-tolstoy-55_conception_the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the_308167.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The higher a man's conception of God, the better will he know Him. And the better he knows God, the nearer…” — Leo Tolstoy",
                "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": "Leo Tolstoy",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The higher a man's conception of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the-better-will-he-know-him-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-higher-a-man-s-conception-of-god-the-better-will-he-know-him-and/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
