--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The law of God cannot be fulfilled by…" description: "\"The law of God cannot be fulfilled by external obedience.\" — Martin Luther" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/martin-luther-106_external_the-law-of-god-cannot-be-fulfilled-by-ex_626180.jpg" --- # The law of God cannot be fulfilled by external obedience. ![“The law of God cannot be fulfilled by external obedience.” quote by Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/martin-luther-106_external_the-law-of-god-cannot-be-fulfilled-by-ex_626180.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/martin-luther-106_external_the-law-of-god-cannot-be-fulfilled-by-ex_626180.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/martin-luther-106_external_the-law-of-god-cannot-be-fulfilled-by-ex_626180.jpg) > “The law of God cannot be fulfilled by external obedience.” [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. True devotion to God requires inner faith, not merely outward compliance with rules. **In simple terms:** Faith inside matters more than external obedience. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner belief over ritual. Themes religion faith spirituality Mood contemplative serious Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal prayer - ethical decisions - community service - spiritual counseling Key Concepts inner transformation grace Questions to Reflect On - What does inner faith look like for you? - Can rituals support inner belief? A Different Perspective External rituals can become empty without inner conviction. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [External](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/external/) [External Obedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/external-obedience-5056229/) [Fulfilled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfilled/) [Fulfilled External](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fulfilled-external-5056230/) [God Fulfilled](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-fulfilled-423023/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Obedience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obedience/) ## Related quotes > [Those who determine not to put self to death will never see the will of God fulfilled in their lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadhu-sundar-singh/those-who-determine-not-to-put-self-to-death-will-never-see-the-will/) [Sadhu Sundar Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadhu-sundar-singh/) > [“If you look to money for happiness, you will be disappointed; to power, you will be disillusioned; to honor, you will be dissatisfied; to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-you-look-to-money-for-happiness-you-will-be-disappointed-to-power/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Hope is not merely a wish that something good might happen—it is the firm confidence and desire that the promises of God will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-kelly/hope-is-not-merely-a-wish-that-something-good-might-happen-it-is-the/) [Matthew Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-kelly/) > [“In so far as prophecy has been already fulfilled, that fulfillment has been a literal one. Take the predictions regarding the Messiah. His being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalton-lifsey/in-so-far-as-prophecy-has-been-already-fulfilled-that-fulfillment-has/) [Dalton Lifsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalton-lifsey/) > [I always wanted two children and I am grateful to God that he fulfilled my wish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rituparna-sengupta/i-always-wanted-two-children-and-i-am-grateful-to-god-that-he/) [Rituparna Sengupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rituparna-sengupta/) > [For God is not gracious and merciful to sinners to the end that they might not keep his Law, nor that they should remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/for-god-is-not-gracious-and-merciful-to-sinners-to-the-end-that-they/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [Struggling against the legalism of simple obedience, we end by setting up the most dangerous law of all, the law of the world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/struggling-against-the-legalism-of-simple-obedience-we-end-by-setting/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Obedience is the crown and honour of all virtue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/obedience-is-the-crown-and-honour-of-all-virtue/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [Courage isn't inside; it's external. It comes from someone else telling you they believe in you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/courage-isn-t-inside-it-s-external-it-comes-from-someone-else-telling/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [With our blogs and tweets, digital cameras, and unlimited-gigabyte e-mail archives, participation in the online culture now means creating a trail of always present,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/with-our-blogs-and-tweets-digital-cameras-and-unlimited-gigabyte-e/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [Germany is not like Ireland or Denmark. It is a country where the domestic market counts much more than the external market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bofinger/germany-is-not-like-ireland-or-denmark-it-is-a-country-where-the/) [Peter Bofinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bofinger/) > [I've always relied a lot on landscape in my books, the atmosphere of a particular place, as well as a fair amount of external…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kem-nunn/i-ve-always-relied-a-lot-on-landscape-in-my-books-the-atmosphere-of-a/) [Kem Nunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kem-nunn/) > [“The fulcrum of resistance is in your mind where you pit yourself against the weight of the external.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-fulcrum-of-resistance-is-in-your-mind-where-you-pit-yourself/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [External conditions can, to a certain extent, reduce, but never cancel individual repsonsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/external-conditions-can-to-a-certain-extent-reduce-but-never-cancel/) [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 External quotes > [“The fulcrum of resistance is in your mind where you pit yourself against the weight of the external.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-fulcrum-of-resistance-is-in-your-mind-where-you-pit-yourself/) [Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/) > [I've always relied a lot on landscape in my books, the atmosphere of a particular place, as well as a fair amount of external…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kem-nunn/i-ve-always-relied-a-lot-on-landscape-in-my-books-the-atmosphere-of-a/) [Kem Nunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kem-nunn/) > [Germany is not like Ireland or Denmark. It is a country where the domestic market counts much more than the external market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-bofinger/germany-is-not-like-ireland-or-denmark-it-is-a-country-where-the/) [Peter Bofinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-bofinger/) > [Courage isn't inside; it's external. It comes from someone else telling you they believe in you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/courage-isn-t-inside-it-s-external-it-comes-from-someone-else-telling/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [External conditions can, to a certain extent, reduce, but never cancel individual repsonsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/external-conditions-can-to-a-certain-extent-reduce-but-never-cancel/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [With our blogs and tweets, digital cameras, and unlimited-gigabyte e-mail archives, participation in the online culture now means creating a trail of always present,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-foer/with-our-blogs-and-tweets-digital-cameras-and-unlimited-gigabyte-e/) [Joshua Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-foer/) > [That human behavior is more influenced by things outside of us than inside. The 'situation' is the external environment. The inner environment is genes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/that-human-behavior-is-more-influenced-by-things-outside-of-us-than/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [I'm not someone who is driven by big external stories. I like big emotional stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-m-not-someone-who-is-driven-by-big-external-stories-i-like-big/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Poverty is an artificial, external imposition on a human being; it is not innate in a human being. And since it is external, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-yunus/poverty-is-an-artificial-external-imposition-on-a-human-being-it-is/) [Muhammad Yunus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-yunus/) > [Violence in drama is an external contextualization of internal conflicts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laeta-kalogridis/violence-in-drama-is-an-external-contextualization-of-internal/) [Laeta Kalogridis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laeta-kalogridis/) > [“God helps them that help themselves.” When you begin to help yourself, which means to make the best of what is in yourself, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/god-helps-them-that-help-themselves-when-you-begin-to-help-yourself/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [What makes a story a story is that something changes. Internal, external, small or large, trivial or of earth-shattering importance. Doesn't matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-monette/what-makes-a-story-a-story-is-that-something-changes-internal/) [Sarah Monette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-monette/) > [I've been surrounded by a lot of people who felt that external success would result in them feeling good about themselves. But it just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alanis-morissette/i-ve-been-surrounded-by-a-lot-of-people-who-felt-that-external/) [Alanis Morissette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alanis-morissette/) > [Ageing is very rare. We only see it in humans and laboratory animals and in zoo animals and in our pets. Basically, organisms that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-jay-olshansky/ageing-is-very-rare-we-only-see-it-in-humans-and-laboratory-animals/) [S. Jay Olshansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-jay-olshansky/) > [External pressure seems to produce internal unity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-waltz/external-pressure-seems-to-produce-internal-unity/) [Kenneth Waltz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-waltz/) [Browse all 143 External quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/external/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The law of God cannot be fulfilled by external obedience.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-law-of-god-cannot-be-fulfilled-by-external-obedience/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "External" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-law-of-god-cannot-be-fulfilled-by-external-obedience/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/martin-luther-106_external_the-law-of-god-cannot-be-fulfilled-by-ex_626180.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/martin-luther-106_external_the-law-of-god-cannot-be-fulfilled-by-ex_626180.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1ee/martin-luther-106_external_the-law-of-god-cannot-be-fulfilled-by-ex_626180.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The law of God cannot be fulfilled by external obedience.” — 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": "The law of God cannot be...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-law-of-god-cannot-be-fulfilled-by-external-obedience/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/the-law-of-god-cannot-be-fulfilled-by-external-obedience/#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 } } ] } ```