--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I want to live with autonomy. That's the…" description: "\"I want to live with autonomy. That's the essence of sin.\" — Mark Driscoll" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/mark-driscoll-2287_autonomy_i-want-to-live-with-autonomy-that-s-the_2161154.png" --- # I want to live with autonomy. That's the essence of sin. ![“I want to live with autonomy. That's the essence of sin.” quote by Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/mark-driscoll-2287_autonomy_i-want-to-live-with-autonomy-that-s-the_2161154.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/mark-driscoll-2287_autonomy_i-want-to-live-with-autonomy-that-s-the_2161154.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3a/mark-driscoll-2287_autonomy_i-want-to-live-with-autonomy-that-s-the_2161154.png) > “I want to live with autonomy. That's the essence of sin.” [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Seeking autonomy is central to human nature, but it can become sinful when it leads to selfishness. **In simple terms:** Freedom can be sinful. Key Takeaway Pursue freedom responsibly. Themes freedom sin autonomy Mood thoughtful serious Type theological ethical When to use this quote - personal growth - spiritual practice - ethical decision‑making Key Concepts Moral responsibility self‑interest Questions to Reflect On - What does responsible autonomy look like for you? - When does personal freedom become harmful? A Different Perspective Absolute autonomy may ignore communal duties. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Autonomy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autonomy/) [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) ## Related quotes > [Pride is more than the first of the seven deadly sins; it is itself the essence of all sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/pride-is-more-than-the-first-of-the-seven-deadly-sins-it-is-itself/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [The abuse of a harmless thing is the essence of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-abuse-of-a-harmless-thing-is-the-essence-of-sin/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“The essence of sin is we human beings substituting ourselves for God, while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-j-keller/the-essence-of-sin-is-we-human-beings-substituting-ourselves-for-god/) [Timothy J. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-j-keller/) > [The essence of sin is a shift from God centeredness to a self-centeredness. The essence of salvation is a denial of self, not an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-blackaby/the-essence-of-sin-is-a-shift-from-god-centeredness-to-a-self/) [Henry Blackaby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-blackaby/) > [ “the essence of sin is not \[primarily\] the violation of laws but a wrecked relationship with God, one another, and the whole created order.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-j-keller/the-essence-of-sin-is-not-primarily-the-violation-of-laws-but-a/) [Timothy J. Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-j-keller/) > [“Preferring anything above Christ is the very essence of sin. It must be fought.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/preferring-anything-above-christ-is-the-very-essence-of-sin-it-must/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [ For the essence of sin is man substituting himself for God \[Gen. 3:1-7\], while the essence of salvation is God substituting himself for man… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/for-the-essence-of-sin-is-man-substituting-himself-for-god-gen-3-1-7/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [“The definition of sin is clear: disobedience against the laws of God. But the age is so dark in ignorance that people defiantly deny…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satsvarupa-dasa-goswami/the-definition-of-sin-is-clear-disobedience-against-the-laws-of-god/) [Satsvarupa Dasa Goswami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satsvarupa-dasa-goswami/) > [“Associated with this inner conflict is a tendency to become hypercritical: unhappy souls almost always blame everyone but themselves for their miseries. Shut up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen-ph-d-d-d/associated-with-this-inner-conflict-is-a-tendency-to-become/) Fulton J. Sheen, Ph.D.,D.D > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [If you're not electing Christians then in essence you are going to legislate sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-harris/if-you-re-not-electing-christians-then-in-essence-you-are-going-to/) [Katherine Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-harris/) > [The worst sin toward our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/the-worst-sin-toward-our-fellow-creatures-is-not-to-hate-them-but-to/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [The essence of man is his freedom. Sin is committed in that freedom. Sin can therefore not be attributed to a defect in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/the-essence-of-man-is-his-freedom-sin-is-committed-in-that-freedom/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [“The idea of autonomy denies that we are born into a world that existed prior to us. It posits an essential aloneness; an autonomous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-b-crawford/the-idea-of-autonomy-denies-that-we-are-born-into-a-world-that/) [Matthew B. Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-b-crawford/) > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) ## More by Mark Driscoll > [Anxiety is not to be managed it is a sin that needs to be repented of](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/anxiety-is-not-to-be-managed-it-is-a-sin-that-needs-to-be-repented-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [A single woman should only marry a man she can follow: Ladies if you are single, be very, very careful who you date and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/a-single-woman-should-only-marry-a-man-she-can-follow-ladies-if-you/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [ “To live is Christ, and to die is gain.”\[213\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/to-live-is-christ-and-to-die-is-gain-213/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“The “who” question does not seek answers from God as much as it seeks God himself. The one who asks who seeks to grow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/the-who-question-does-not-seek-answers-from-god-as-much-as-it-seeks/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“The book of Luke is the account of the Spirit-empowered ministry of Jesus on the earth, and Acts is the account of the Spirit-empowered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/the-book-of-luke-is-the-account-of-the-spirit-empowered-ministry-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [This world needs more than good works. It needs good news. Good works come out of the good news.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/this-world-needs-more-than-good-works-it-needs-good-news-good-works/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [There is a pile of dead bodies behind the Mars Hill bus, and by God's grace, it'll be a mountain by the time we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/there-is-a-pile-of-dead-bodies-behind-the-mars-hill-bus-and-by-god-s/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“Contextualization is about showing the relevance of the gospel, not making the gospel relevant. That’s the essence of contextualization.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/contextualization-is-about-showing-the-relevance-of-the-gospel-not/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“To make matters worse, seemingly every book I read by Christians on sex and marriage sounded unfair. Nearly every one said the husband had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/to-make-matters-worse-seemingly-every-book-i-read-by-christians-on/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [While this may look loving, when we struggle with an idol of dependence, we’re in fact not loving people as much as we’re using…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/while-this-may-look-loving-when-we-struggle-with-an-idol-of/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [Fear is vision without hope.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/fear-is-vision-without-hope/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [The only thing worse than dying is living a boring life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/the-only-thing-worse-than-dying-is-living-a-boring-life/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“Overt persecution is a daily threat to millions of Christians around the world. Visit Persecution.org to read about current examples of such cases and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/overt-persecution-is-a-daily-threat-to-millions-of-christians-around/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [Work like an Arminian, sleep like a Calvinist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/work-like-an-arminian-sleep-like-a-calvinist/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [“The essence of masculinity is taking responsibility for yourself, then a wife, then children. These are the kinds of things the Bible says qualify…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/the-essence-of-masculinity-is-taking-responsibility-for-yourself-then/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) [Explore all 174 Mark Driscoll quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) ## More Autonomy quotes > [I don't want to be famous famous. I'm happy on the second tier, where I have autonomy on a professional level but I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-reece/i-don-t-want-to-be-famous-famous-i-m-happy-on-the-second-tier-where-i/) [Gabrielle Reece](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-reece/) > [“The idea of autonomy denies that we are born into a world that existed prior to us. It posits an essential aloneness; an autonomous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-b-crawford/the-idea-of-autonomy-denies-that-we-are-born-into-a-world-that/) [Matthew B. Crawford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-b-crawford/) > [It’s hard to feel attracted to someone who has abandoned her sense of autonomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-perel/it-s-hard-to-feel-attracted-to-someone-who-has-abandoned-her-sense-of/) [Esther Perel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-perel/) > [The first step toward maintaining autonomy in any programmed environment is to be aware that there's programming going on. It's as simple as understanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/the-first-step-toward-maintaining-autonomy-in-any-programmed/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Autonomy is impossible as long as one is driven by anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabor-mat/autonomy-is-impossible-as-long-as-one-is-driven-by-anything/) [Gabor Mate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabor-mat/) > [“Father had stretched out his long legs and was tilting back in his chair. Mother sat with her knees crossed, in blue slacks, smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-dillard/father-had-stretched-out-his-long-legs-and-was-tilting-back-in-his/) [Annie Dillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-dillard/) > [Throughout the last century there were multiple attempts at giving Afghan women more autonomy, to change marriage laws, to abolish the practice of bride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/throughout-the-last-century-there-were-multiple-attempts-at-giving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [We could encourage the best qualities of youthfulness - curiosity, adventure, resilience, the capacity for surprising insight simply by being more flexible about time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/we-could-encourage-the-best-qualities-of-youthfulness-curiosity/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [“She isn't anybody's,' Rook said darkly. 'Son. she's not yours, either," Sarah Fleet said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaida-jones/she-isn-t-anybody-s-rook-said-darkly-son-she-s-not-yours-either-sarah/) [Jaida Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaida-jones/) > [The Palestinian Arabs will have their autonomy, we will have our security. We shall live together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menachem-begin/the-palestinian-arabs-will-have-their-autonomy-we-will-have-our/) [Menachem Begin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menachem-begin/) > [Autonomy means women defining themselves and the values by which they will live, and beginning to think of institutional arrangements which will order their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerda-lerner/autonomy-means-women-defining-themselves-and-the-values-by-which-they/) [Gerda Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerda-lerner/) > [“Autonomous people assert themselves against the status quo. They don't accept the prevailing opinion just because it's the one given to them. Nothing creative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brito/autonomous-people-assert-themselves-against-the-status-quo-they-don-t/) Maria Brito > [Black people cannot and will not become integrated into American society on any terms but those of self-determination and autonomy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerda-lerner/black-people-cannot-and-will-not-become-integrated-into-american/) [Gerda Lerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerda-lerner/) > [The civil magistrate cannot function without some ethical guidance, without some standard of good and evil. If that standard is not to be the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-civil-magistrate-cannot-function-without-some-ethical-guidance/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Who hath desires must ever fearful be; Who lives in fear cannot be counted free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burton/who-hath-desires-must-ever-fearful-be-who-lives-in-fear-cannot-be/) [Robert Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burton/) [Browse all 418 Autonomy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/autonomy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I want to live with autonomy. 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