--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If by any effort of reason I could…" description: "\"If by any effort of reason I could conceive how God, Who shows so much anger and iniquity, could be merciful and just, there would be no need of faith...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/martin-luther-106_anger_if-by-any-effort-of-reason-i-could-conce_999520.jpg" --- # If by any effort of reason I could conceive how God, Who… ![“If by any effort of reason I could conceive how God, Who shows so much anger and iniquity, could be merciful and just, there would be no need of faith.” quote by Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/martin-luther-106_anger_if-by-any-effort-of-reason-i-could-conce_999520.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/martin-luther-106_anger_if-by-any-effort-of-reason-i-could-conce_999520.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/martin-luther-106_anger_if-by-any-effort-of-reason-i-could-conce_999520.jpg) > “If by any effort of reason I could conceive how God, Who shows so much anger and iniquity, could be merciful and just, there would be no need of faith.” [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. If reason could fully explain God's mercy despite His anger, faith would be unnecessary; faith bridges mystery beyond logic. **In simple terms:** Reason alone can't explain divine paradox; faith fills the gap. Key Takeaway Embrace faith where reason falls short. Themes faith theology paradox reason Mood contemplative thoughtful Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - theological debate - personal belief - spiritual crisis Key Concepts divine justice mystery belief Questions to Reflect On - How do you reconcile faith with doubt? - What role does mystery play in belief? A Different Perspective Faith may conflict with rational inquiry. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Conceive God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conceive-god-565661/) [Effort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/effort/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Iniquity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iniquity/) [Iniquity Merciful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/iniquity-merciful-2099200/) [Merciful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merciful/) [Merciful Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merciful-just-595871/) [Need Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-faith/) [Needs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/needs/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Shows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shows/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [Do not be merciful, but be just, for mercy is bestowed upon the guilty criminal, while Justice is all that the innocent man requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/do-not-be-merciful-but-be-just-for-mercy-is-bestowed-upon-the-guilty/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [Let us be merciful as well as just.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/let-us-be-merciful-as-well-as-just/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Being all fashioned of the self-same dust, let us be merciful as well as just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/being-all-fashioned-of-the-self-same-dust-let-us-be-merciful-as-well/) [Henry Wadsworth Longfellow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-wadsworth-longfellow/) > [Luke 6:35-36 NKJV) But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goddey-wilson/luke-6-35-36-nkjv-but-love-your-enemies-do-good-and-lend-hoping-for/) [GODDEY WILSON](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goddey-wilson/) > [“As I silently rub the drops of blood on the wall, I can only find the right words when I think of that merciful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-zhao/as-i-silently-rub-the-drops-of-blood-on-the-wall-i-can-only-find-the/) [Lin Zhao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-zhao/) > [I'm not blessed, or merciful. I'm just me. I've got a job to do, and I do it. Listen: even as we're talking, I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/i-m-not-blessed-or-merciful-i-m-just-me-i-ve-got-a-job-to-do-and-i-do/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [I am the only wretch who keeps on heaping new iniquities and abominations on myself. O Monsieur, how merciful God is to put up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/i-am-the-only-wretch-who-keeps-on-heaping-new-iniquities-and/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [“There is nothing so good and nothing so evil but that it shall work together for good to me, if only I believe. Yes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/there-is-nothing-so-good-and-nothing-so-evil-but-that-it-shall-work/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [And we are called upon to worship such a God; to get upon our knees and tell him that he is good, that he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/and-we-are-called-upon-to-worship-such-a-god-to-get-upon-our-knees/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [What do you conceive God to be like? Some would say to believe at all in a personal God requires a giant leap of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-sweeting/what-do-you-conceive-god-to-be-like-some-would-say-to-believe-at-all/) [George Sweeting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-sweeting/) > [“how twisted we humans are, and yet they say a god made us; but I find it hard to conceive of any god wo…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-greene/how-twisted-we-humans-are-and-yet-they-say-a-god-made-us-but-i-find/) [Graham Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-greene/) > [Man can only conceive God within the limitation of his own mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-can-only-conceive-god-within-the-limitation-of-his-own-mind/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Why don't you conceive of God as an ally who is coming, who has been approaching since time began, the one who will someday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainer-maria-rilke/why-don-t-you-conceive-of-god-as-an-ally-who-is-coming-who-has-been/) [Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainer-maria-rilke/) > [I live on the other side of Copernicus and Galileo; I can no longer conceive of God as sort of above the sky, looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelby-spong/i-live-on-the-other-side-of-copernicus-and-galileo-i-can-no-longer/) [John Shelby Spong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelby-spong/) > [ I cannot conceive of a God who rewards and punishes his \[sic\] creatures, or has a will of the type of which we are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/i-cannot-conceive-of-a-god-who-rewards-and-punishes-his-sic-creatures/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) ## More by Martin Luther > [“It was easy for you to say these things, since you either knew you were not writing to Luther, but for the general public,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-was-easy-for-you-to-say-these-things-since-you-either-knew-you/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [In a delightful garden, sowing, planting or digging are not hardship but are done with a zeal and a certain pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/in-a-delightful-garden-sowing-planting-or-digging-are-not-hardship/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [If you could understand a single grain of wheat you would die of wonder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-you-could-understand-a-single-grain-of-wheat-you-would-die-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [He who believes in God is not careful for the morrow, but labors joyfully and with a great heart. "For He giveth His beloved,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/he-who-believes-in-god-is-not-careful-for-the-morrow-but-labors/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“God made man out of nothing, and as long as we are nothing, He can make something out of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-made-man-out-of-nothing-and-as-long-as-we-are-nothing-he-can-make/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“But the truth will win out.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/but-the-truth-will-win-out/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [God wants us to pray, and he wants to hear our prayers-not because we are worthy, but because he is merciful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-wants-us-to-pray-and-he-wants-to-hear-our-prayers-not-because-we/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Our office...subjects us to great burdens and labors, dangers and temptations, with little reward or gratitude from the world. But Christ himself will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-office-subjects-us-to-great-burdens-and-labors-dangers-and/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“Our faith in Christ does not free us from works but from false opinions concerning works, that is, from the foolish presumption that justification…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/our-faith-in-christ-does-not-free-us-from-works-but-from-false/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [The works of the righteous would be mortal sins if they would not be feared as mortal sins by the righteous themselves out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-works-of-the-righteous-would-be-mortal-sins-if-they-would-not-be/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/do-not-suppose-that-abuses-are-eliminated-by-destroying-the-object/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. Romans 3:28”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/for-we-maintain-that-a-man-is-justified-by-faith-apart-from-observing/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [There are only two days on my calendar... today and the day of judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/there-are-only-two-days-on-my-calendar-today-and-the-day-of-judgment/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [ Antichrist is the pope and the Turk \[Muslim\] together. A beast full of life must have a body and soul. The spirit or soul… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/antichrist-is-the-pope-and-the-turk-muslim-together-a-beast-full-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [It is not the imitation that makes sons; it is sonship that makes imitators.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/it-is-not-the-imitation-that-makes-sons-it-is-sonship-that-makes/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) [Explore all 1,292 Martin Luther quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If by any effort of reason I could conceive how God, Who shows so much anger and iniquity, could be merciful and just, there would be no need of faith.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-by-any-effort-of-reason-i-could-conceive-how-god-who-shows-so-much/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-by-any-effort-of-reason-i-could-conceive-how-god-who-shows-so-much/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/martin-luther-106_anger_if-by-any-effort-of-reason-i-could-conce_999520.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/martin-luther-106_anger_if-by-any-effort-of-reason-i-could-conce_999520.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/deb/martin-luther-106_anger_if-by-any-effort-of-reason-i-could-conce_999520.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If by any effort of reason I could conceive how God, Who shows so much anger and iniquity, could be merciful…” — Martin Luther", "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 Luther", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If by any effort of reason...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-by-any-effort-of-reason-i-could-conceive-how-god-who-shows-so-much/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-by-any-effort-of-reason-i-could-conceive-how-god-who-shows-so-much/#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 } } ] } ```