--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If Church history teaches us anything, it…" description: "\"If Church history teaches us anything, it is that we cannot afford to be a vacillating Church. We minister to a people who are in great need of hearing..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/martin-luther-106_church_if-church-history-teaches-us-anything-it_3144674.jpg" --- # If Church history teaches us anything, it is that we… ![“If Church history teaches us anything, it is that we cannot afford to be a vacillating Church. We minister to a people who are in great need of hearing truth, we dare not make any attempt to soft pedal that glorious truth.” quote by Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/martin-luther-106_church_if-church-history-teaches-us-anything-it_3144674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/martin-luther-106_church_if-church-history-teaches-us-anything-it_3144674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/32e/martin-luther-106_church_if-church-history-teaches-us-anything-it_3144674.jpg) > “If Church history teaches us anything, it is that we cannot afford to be a vacillating Church. We minister to a people who are in great need of hearing truth, we dare not make any attempt to soft pedal that glorious truth.” [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. A church must not waver; it must boldly proclaim truth to those in need. **In simple terms:** Church must be decisive and truthful. Key Takeaway Speak truth boldly. Themes faith truth leadership Mood determined serious Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - preaching - counseling - public speaking Key Concepts Reformation ecclesiology prophecy Questions to Reflect On - How can a church balance truth with compassion? - What risks arise from soft‑pedaling truth? A Different Perspective Boldness may alienate those uncomfortable with truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Church history](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church-history/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajith-fernando/now-i-rejoice-in-my-sufferings-for-your-sake-and-in-my-flesh-i-am/) Ajith Fernando > [“Yes, it is hard to discover a truth. But it is much harder to be unable to do anything about it. It's as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avi/yes-it-is-hard-to-discover-a-truth-but-it-is-much-harder-to-be-unable/) [Avi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avi/) > [There is something so intimate about saying the truth out loud. There is something so intimate about hearing the truth said. There is something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/there-is-something-so-intimate-about-saying-the-truth-out-loud-there/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [Lord, help me not to wallow in the bitterness of hearing the truth, but to joyfully strive to walk in the beauty of its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/lord-help-me-not-to-wallow-in-the-bitterness-of-hearing-the-truth-but/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [No one likes hearing the truth, but everyone hates lies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-one-likes-hearing-the-truth-but-everyone-hates-lies/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Sometimes hearing the truth takes more courage than speaking the truth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/sometimes-hearing-the-truth-takes-more-courage-than-speaking-the-truth/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [I rather be harmed hearing the truth, than happily living a lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-godino/i-rather-be-harmed-hearing-the-truth-than-happily-living-a-lie/) Alexandra Godino > [Its better to hurt now hearing the truth, then to live a lie!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-ramos/its-better-to-hurt-now-hearing-the-truth-then-to-live-a-lie/) [Shirley Ramos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-ramos/) > [Sometimes being honest with someone or hearing the truth hurts, but it is always better to be honest and accept what is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syesha-mercado/sometimes-being-honest-with-someone-or-hearing-the-truth-hurts-but-it/) [Syesha Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syesha-mercado/) > [“If, on the contrary, they hear from you about themselves, they will be in no position to say, “The Lord is lying.” Is hearing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augustine-of-hippo/if-on-the-contrary-they-hear-from-you-about-themselves-they-will-be/) [Augustine of Hippo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augustine-of-hippo/) > [It is a miracle how God has so long preserved His Book! 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I ask you: Do you want things to go on as usual, or do you want to see God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-t-kendall/days-of-the-earliest-church-i-ask-you-do-you-want-things-to-go-on-as/) [R. T. Kendall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-t-kendall/) ## 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 Church quotes > [While the 1963 Birmingham church bombing is the most historic, there also was a series of church burnings in the 1990s. 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It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [There could be no more powerful argument against mixing religion and government than the success of independent African American churches in placing racial segregation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-jacoby/there-could-be-no-more-powerful-argument-against-mixing-religion-and/) [Susan Jacoby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-jacoby/) > [Worship is not about personality, temperament, personal limitations, church background, or comfort. It is about God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wimber/worship-is-not-about-personality-temperament-personal-limitations/) [John Wimber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wimber/) > [A beggarly people, A church and no steeple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-b-macaulay/a-beggarly-people-a-church-and-no-steeple/) [Thomas B. Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-b-macaulay/) > [Pound St. Paul's Church into atoms, and consider any single atom; it is to be sure, good for nothing; but put all these atoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/pound-st-paul-s-church-into-atoms-and-consider-any-single-atom-it-is/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [The religion of art, like the religion of politics, was born from the ruins of Christianity. 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