--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don't try to impress God with your works\"…" description: "\"Don't try to impress God with your works\" or \"Don't attempt to please God with your merits\" or \"Don't try to keep the rules and regulations in order to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e73/martin-e-marty-34904_casual_don-t-try-to-impress-god-with-your-works_1332735.png" --- # Don't try to impress God with your works" or "Don't… ![“Don't try to impress God with your works" or "Don't attempt to please God with your merits" or "Don't try to keep the rules and regulations in order to earn your salvation." He looked around at nearly slumbering collections of utterly casual Christians and wondered, "Who's trying?” quote by Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e73/martin-e-marty-34904_casual_don-t-try-to-impress-god-with-your-works_1332735.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e73/martin-e-marty-34904_casual_don-t-try-to-impress-god-with-your-works_1332735.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e73/martin-e-marty-34904_casual_don-t-try-to-impress-god-with-your-works_1332735.png) > “Don't try to impress God with your works" or "Don't attempt to please God with your merits" or "Don't try to keep the rules and regulations in order to earn your salvation." He looked around at nearly slumbering collections of utterly casual Christians and wondered, "Who's trying?” [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True devotion is not earned by deeds or strict rule‑following, but by sincere relationship with the divine. **In simple terms:** Faith isn’t about impressing God with actions. Key Takeaway Focus on authentic belief over performance. Themes faith authenticity spirituality humility religion Mood contemplative humble Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal prayer - community service - spiritual reflection - ethical dilemmas Key Concepts theology grace human nature Questions to Reflect On - What does genuine faith look like for you? - How can you avoid performance‑based spirituality? A Different Perspective Legalism can replace genuine devotion, leading to hypocrisy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Regulation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regulation/) [Rules and regulations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rules-and-regulations/) [Salvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvation/) ## Related quotes > [“God alone is God, and he alone merits first place—beyond every other love, every other anxiety, every other fear that consumes us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-s-keener/god-alone-is-god-and-he-alone-merits-first-place-beyond-every-other/) [Craig S. Keener](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-s-keener/) > [Think not thy love to God merits God's love to thee; His acceptance of thy duty crowns His own gifts in thee; man's love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/think-not-thy-love-to-god-merits-god-s-love-to-thee-his-acceptance-of/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [Life in this world is an attempt to see God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/life-in-this-world-is-an-attempt-to-see-god/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [“I have learned that while I can apply any number of words in my attempt to ‘describe’ God, I simply cannot ‘define’ God. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-have-learned-that-while-i-can-apply-any-number-of-words-in-my/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [If our lives are easy, and if all we ever attempt for God is what we know we can handle, how will we ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-graham-lotz/if-our-lives-are-easy-and-if-all-we-ever-attempt-for-god-is-what-we/) [Anne Graham Lotz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-graham-lotz/) > [Many Christians estimate difficulties in the light of their own resources, and thus attempt little and often fail in the little they attempt. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-taylor/many-christians-estimate-difficulties-in-the-light-of-their-own/) [Hudson Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hudson-taylor/) > [It always cracks me up when people try to impress God, because people don't have to impress God. He's already knocked out by you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/it-always-cracks-me-up-when-people-try-to-impress-god-because-people/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [The one thing you can give God that will truly impress God is freindship. God is an eternal companion who is with you all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/the-one-thing-you-can-give-god-that-will-truly-impress-god-is/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [There is nothing you need to do to make yourself more acceptable to God. You don't have to work harder, nor do you need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/there-is-nothing-you-need-to-do-to-make-yourself-more-acceptable-to/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [“The wonderful news of the gospel is that Jesus frees us from trying to impress God or others because he has impressed God on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-k-dodson/the-wonderful-news-of-the-gospel-is-that-jesus-frees-us-from-trying/) [Jonathan K. Dodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-k-dodson/) > [The only people I wake up to impress is I, MYSELF, and GOD, because nobody else is worth it..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trilla/the-only-people-i-wake-up-to-impress-is-i-myself-and-god-because/) [Trilla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trilla/) > [“No amount of service we do can impress God, only our service to ordinary people can”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/no-amount-of-service-we-do-can-impress-god-only-our-service-to/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“You don’t need to impress God, to please him by great achievements. Do you think anything you do will impress God? Do you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-a-fiensy/you-don-t-need-to-impress-god-to-please-him-by-great-achievements-do/) [David A. Fiensy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-a-fiensy/) > [“Do I recognize the difference between a good action designed to impress God and a good action simply inspired by God?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-i-recognize-the-difference-between-a-good-action-designed-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“But we can never change enough to impress God. And here's the reason: trying to impress God, others, or ourselves puts us at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-chester/but-we-can-never-change-enough-to-impress-god-and-here-s-the-reason/) [Tim Chester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-chester/) ## More by Martin E. Marty > [“Getting closer to home, is it a fully satisfying repentance if we only deal with the past, which cannot be changed? “Alas, what did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/getting-closer-to-home-is-it-a-fully-satisfying-repentance-if-we-only/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [There is no reason to make the search for friendship sound like an animal instinct. Friendship does not always come as a result of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/there-is-no-reason-to-make-the-search-for-friendship-sound-like-an/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [“Of course, the Catholics also believed in grace and faith. But they disagreed on how grace and faith were effected and experienced and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/of-course-the-catholics-also-believed-in-grace-and-faith-but-they/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [The people who are good at being civil often lack strong convictions and people who have strong convictions often lack civility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/the-people-who-are-good-at-being-civil-often-lack-strong-convictions/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [I have a hard time picturing several aspects of the modern world without Luther.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/i-have-a-hard-time-picturing-several-aspects-of-the-modern-world/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [God, through Jesus Christ, welcomes you anyhow,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/god-through-jesus-christ-welcomes-you-anyhow/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [Not only do we cheat ourselves and those around us if we are only glum or always wary when it comes time to respond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/not-only-do-we-cheat-ourselves-and-those-around-us-if-we-are-only/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [All the truly deep people have at the core of their being the genius to be simple or to know how to seek simplicity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/all-the-truly-deep-people-have-at-the-core-of-their-being-the-genius/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [Even the cry from the depths is an affirmation: Why cry if there is no hint of hope of hearing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/even-the-cry-from-the-depths-is-an-affirmation-why-cry-if-there-is-no/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [The forces, movements, and energies that today we call religious, spiritual, or faith-based have related through the ages in diverse ways to the spheres…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/the-forces-movements-and-energies-that-today-we-call-religious/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [A saint has to be a misfit. A person who embodies what his culture considers typical or normal cannot be exemplary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/a-saint-has-to-be-a-misfit-a-person-who-embodies-what-his-culture/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [Each conquest of distance reveals greater distance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/each-conquest-of-distance-reveals-greater-distance/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) > [If you go deep enough into any faith tradition, you find the common ground with all faith traditions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/if-you-go-deep-enough-into-any-faith-tradition-you-find-the-common/) [Martin E. Marty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) [Explore all 14 Martin E. Marty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/) ## More Casual quotes > [I love Christopher Bailey and Burberry, Mulberry for bags, and Hudson for jeans. I like a little bit of designer with a bit of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cara-delevingne/i-love-christopher-bailey-and-burberry-mulberry-for-bags-and-hudson/) [Cara Delevingne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cara-delevingne/) > [Life is a right, not collateral or casual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suheir-hammad/life-is-a-right-not-collateral-or-casual/) [Suheir Hammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suheir-hammad/) > [“Nothing about sex is casual. In the best situation, sex can create life, but more often it ruins lives. And so, it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genevieve-jack/nothing-about-sex-is-casual-in-the-best-situation-sex-can-create-life/) [Genevieve Jack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genevieve-jack/) > [Donald Trump is a pretty casual guy. He calls me Paul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/donald-trump-is-a-pretty-casual-guy-he-calls-me-paul/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [Religion should be the rule of life, not a casual incident in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-disraeli/religion-should-be-the-rule-of-life-not-a-casual-incident-in-it/) [Benjamin Disraeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-disraeli/) > [What is meant by reality? It would seem to be something very erratic, very undependable - now to be found in a dusty road,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/what-is-meant-by-reality-it-would-seem-to-be-something-very-erratic/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [I love watches. I have a Hublot, a Breitling, and a Cartier. Different accessories that I match together just to be comfortable and casual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chandler-parsons/i-love-watches-i-have-a-hublot-a-breitling-and-a-cartier-different/) [Chandler Parsons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chandler-parsons/) > [Every office interprets business casual differently. Feel out your office!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lafleur/every-office-interprets-business-casual-differently-feel-out-your/) [Sarah Lafleur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lafleur/) > [I spend the majority of my time in the office and I usually wear a casual bandage dress and flip-flops or slippers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huda-kattan/i-spend-the-majority-of-my-time-in-the-office-and-i-usually-wear-a/) [Huda Kattan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huda-kattan/) > [My days among the dead are passed; Around me I behold, Where'er these casual eyes are cast, The mighty minds of old; My never-failing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-southey/my-days-among-the-dead-are-passed-around-me-i-behold-where-er-these/) [Robert Southey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-southey/) > [The difference with Cleveland is that the racial tension was not a casual taste of it. It was outlandish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terrence-howard/the-difference-with-cleveland-is-that-the-racial-tension-was-not-a/) [Terrence Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terrence-howard/) > [Daily fervent prayers seeking forgiveness and special help and direction are essential to our lives and the nourishment of our testimonies. When we become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-l-staheli/daily-fervent-prayers-seeking-forgiveness-and-special-help-and/) Donald L. Staheli > [Even a casual observer can see that not one of the systems, institutions, and devices that our species has put into place on this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/even-a-casual-observer-can-see-that-not-one-of-the-systems/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [Have you told Eric and the rest of them that—” “That I’m a vampire? No. It isn’t the sort of thing you just drop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/have-you-told-eric-and-the-rest-of-them-that-that-i-m-a-vampire-no-it/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [The difference between the casual impression and the intensified image is about as great as that separating the average business letter from a poem.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-callahan/the-difference-between-the-casual-impression-and-the-intensified/) [Harry Callahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-callahan/) Browse all 547 Casual quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Don't try to impress God with your works\" or \"Don't attempt to please God with your merits\" or \"Don't try to keep the rules and regulations in order to earn your salvation.\" He looked around at nearly slumbering collections of utterly casual Christians and wondered, \"Who's trying?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin E. Marty" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/don-t-try-to-impress-god-with-your-works-or-don-t-attempt-to-please/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Casual" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/don-t-try-to-impress-god-with-your-works-or-don-t-attempt-to-please/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e73/martin-e-marty-34904_casual_don-t-try-to-impress-god-with-your-works_1332735.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e73/martin-e-marty-34904_casual_don-t-try-to-impress-god-with-your-works_1332735.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e73/martin-e-marty-34904_casual_don-t-try-to-impress-god-with-your-works_1332735.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Don't try to impress God with your works\" or \"Don't attempt to please God with your merits\" or \"Don't try to…” — Martin E. Marty", "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": "Martin E. Marty", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-e-marty/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Don't try to impress God with...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/don-t-try-to-impress-god-with-your-works-or-don-t-attempt-to-please/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-e-marty/don-t-try-to-impress-god-with-your-works-or-don-t-attempt-to-please/#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 } } ] } ```