--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If we esteem them too highly, good works…" description: "\"If we esteem them too highly, good works can become the greatest idolatry.\" — Martin Luther" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/martin-luther-106_christian_if-we-esteem-them-too-highly-good-works_2080292.jpg" --- # If we esteem them too highly, good works can become the… ![“If we esteem them too highly, good works can become the greatest idolatry.” quote by Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/martin-luther-106_christian_if-we-esteem-them-too-highly-good-works_2080292.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/martin-luther-106_christian_if-we-esteem-them-too-highly-good-works_2080292.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/martin-luther-106_christian_if-we-esteem-them-too-highly-good-works_2080292.jpg) > “If we esteem them too highly, good works can become the greatest idolatry.” [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. Excessive reverence for people can turn good deeds into worship of the individual, undermining true virtue. **In simple terms:** Worshiping people can corrupt good actions. Key Takeaway Value deeds, not the doer. Themes humility idolatry ethics Mood thoughtful critical Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - leadership - celebrity culture - religious practice Key Concepts moral philosophy iconoclasm Questions to Reflect On - How do we honor work without idolizing the worker? - What checks prevent idolatry? A Different Perspective Blind admiration can obscure flaws. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Christian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) [Christian inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-inspirational/) [Esteem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem/) [Esteem Highly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/esteem-highly-2483093/) [Good work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-work/) [Good works](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-works/) [Greatest Idolatry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-idolatry-4059301/) [Idolatry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idolatry/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) ## Related quotes > [Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/good-works-do-not-make-a-good-man-but-a-good-man-does-good-works/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [We ought first to know that there are no good works except those which God has commanded, even as there is no sin except…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/we-ought-first-to-know-that-there-are-no-good-works-except-those/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [God does not need your good works, but your neighbor does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/god-does-not-need-your-good-works-but-your-neighbor-does/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [“It happens very often that those whom men esteem highly are more seriously endangered by their own excessive confidence. Hence, for many it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/it-happens-very-often-that-those-whom-men-esteem-highly-are-more/) [Thomas à Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [“because we all know that the books we’ve loved best are seldom the ones we esteem the most highly”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-miller/because-we-all-know-that-the-books-we-ve-loved-best-are-seldom-the/) [Laura Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-miller/) > [Good works is giving to the poor and the helpless, but divine works is showing them their worth to the One who matters.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/good-works-is-giving-to-the-poor-and-the-helpless-but-divine-works-is/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The purpose of good works isn't to change us or save us; rather, it's the demonstration of the change within us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/the-purpose-of-good-works-isn-t-to-change-us-or-save-us-rather-it-s/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [It's time that we move from good words to good works, from sound bites to sound solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-s-time-that-we-move-from-good-words-to-good-works-from-sound-bites/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [Charity is the root of all good works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/charity-is-the-root-of-all-good-works/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Abhor all idea of being saved by good works, but O, be as full of good works as if you were to be saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/abhor-all-idea-of-being-saved-by-good-works-but-o-be-as-full-of-good/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [I want to be necessary and do good works. 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The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/if-you-could-work-your-way-to-heaven-you-would-said-look-what-i-did-i/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > ["Otherwise grace is no more grace," since it is bestowed on us, not because we have done good works, but that we may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/otherwise-grace-is-no-more-grace-since-it-is-bestowed-on-us-not/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [The main thing between you and God is not so much your sins; it's your damnable good works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gerstner/the-main-thing-between-you-and-god-is-not-so-much-your-sins-it-s-your/) [John Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gerstner/) > [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/) ## 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. 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Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-i-packer/) [Browse all 14,306 Christian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If we esteem them too highly, good works can become the greatest idolatry.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-we-esteem-them-too-highly-good-works-can-become-the-greatest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Christian" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-we-esteem-them-too-highly-good-works-can-become-the-greatest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/martin-luther-106_christian_if-we-esteem-them-too-highly-good-works_2080292.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/martin-luther-106_christian_if-we-esteem-them-too-highly-good-works_2080292.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3f7/martin-luther-106_christian_if-we-esteem-them-too-highly-good-works_2080292.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If we esteem them too highly, good works can become the greatest idolatry.” — 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 we esteem them too highly,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-we-esteem-them-too-highly-good-works-can-become-the-greatest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-we-esteem-them-too-highly-good-works-can-become-the-greatest/#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 } } ] } ```