--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If more of those who had set themselves…" description: "\"“If more of those who had set themselves to explain God’s ways through the years had devoted a greater portion of their energies to obey what He has to..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/michael-r-phillips-41389_salvation_if-more-of-those-who-had-set-themselves_2317185.jpg" --- # If more of those who had set themselves to explain God’s… ![“If more of those who had set themselves to explain God’s ways through the years had devoted a greater portion of their energies to obey what He has told them to do rather than theorize concerning His work, the world would doubtless be much further along toward its ultimate salvation than it…” quote by Michael R. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/michael-r-phillips-41389_salvation_if-more-of-those-who-had-set-themselves_2317185.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/michael-r-phillips-41389_salvation_if-more-of-those-who-had-set-themselves_2317185.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e62/michael-r-phillips-41389_salvation_if-more-of-those-who-had-set-themselves_2317185.jpg) > ““If more of those who had set themselves to explain God’s ways through the years had devoted a greater portion of their energies to obey what He has told them to do rather than theorize concerning His work, the world would doubtless be much further along toward its ultimate salvation than it presently is.”” [Michael R. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-phillips/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prioritizing obedience over speculation accelerates spiritual progress and societal salvation. **In simple terms:** Obey, don’t just theorize. Key Takeaway Focus on action, not just ideas. Themes obedience theory salvation Mood thoughtful motivational Type spiritual practical When to use this quote - church leadership - personal study - community service Key Concepts practical faith spiritual discipline Questions to Reflect On - What actions reflect your beliefs? - How can you balance study and practice? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on theory can cause paralysis. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Energies Obey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/energies-obey-5526015/) [Explain God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explain-god-1122840/) [Salvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvation/) [Told Theorize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-theorize-5526014/) [Ultimate Salvation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ultimate-salvation-2612554/) ## Related quotes > [“When dreams are turned away, death becomes the ultimate salvation….There are only two extremes in human madness: the instant when you become aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/when-dreams-are-turned-away-death-becomes-the-ultimate-salvation/) [Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/) > [Oh the folly of any mind that would explain God before obeying Him! That would map out the character of God instead of crying,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/oh-the-folly-of-any-mind-that-would-explain-god-before-obeying-him/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I have to trust something that gives me power; I have to believe in something, but in my career I have a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pel/i-have-to-trust-something-that-gives-me-power-i-have-to-believe-in/) [Pele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pel/) > [ \[A God-thing is\] when something happens in your life, and you look at it and can't explain how or why it happened, but you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-jones-gunn/a-god-thing-is-when-something-happens-in-your-life-and-you-look-at-it/) [Robin Jones Gunn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-jones-gunn/) > [I do not know any way to explain why God's grace touches a man who seems unworthy of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/whittaker-chambers/i-do-not-know-any-way-to-explain-why-god-s-grace-touches-a-man-who/) [Whittaker Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/whittaker-chambers/) > [It is not easy to explain why God permits evil; but it is impossible for an atheist to explain the existence of goodness. How…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/it-is-not-easy-to-explain-why-god-permits-evil-but-it-is-impossible/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Religions become corrupted when leaders are assigned to explain God's will to people instead of showing them how to find this direction within themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-redfield/religions-become-corrupted-when-leaders-are-assigned-to-explain-god-s/) [James Redfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-redfield/) > [“Ask a believer to explain how their God could provide them a great parking spot at Wal-Mart; yet allow six million people to die…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/ask-a-believer-to-explain-how-their-god-could-provide-them-a-great/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [“Father, Son, and Holy Spirit remind us that there is always more of God than we know, always more of God than we can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-r-steagald/father-son-and-holy-spirit-remind-us-that-there-is-always-more-of-god/) [Thomas R. Steagald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-r-steagald/) > [“like when he had tried to explain how this God of theirs was somehow three gods and one at the same time. It left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helene-wecker/like-when-he-had-tried-to-explain-how-this-god-of-theirs-was-somehow/) [Helene Wecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helene-wecker/) > [“A Jesus Follower can explain our "One God in Three Persons" is like an "equilateral triangle". Both have three, conjoined, and distinct but identical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-f-patton/a-jesus-follower-can-explain-our-one-god-in-three-persons-is-like-an/) [Gary F. Patton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-f-patton/) > [I agree we have enough books that attempt to explain why God allows suffering, presumably in a way that lets God off the hook.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/i-agree-we-have-enough-books-that-attempt-to-explain-why-god-allows/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [The beauty of religious mania is that it has the power to explain everything. Once God (or Satan) is accepted as the first cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-beauty-of-religious-mania-is-that-it-has-the-power-to-explain-2/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The beauty of religious mania is that it has the power to explain everything. Once God (or Satan) is accepted as the first cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-beauty-of-religious-mania-is-that-it-has-the-power-to-explain/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [People who believe in God conclude there must have been a divine knob twiddler who twiddled the knobs of these half-dozen constants to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-dawkins/people-who-believe-in-god-conclude-there-must-have-been-a-divine-knob/) [Richard Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-dawkins/) ## More by Michael R. Phillips > [“Do you know those kinds of looks white people give you?' ... 'What do you do?' 'Ignore them...' 'But how can you - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-phillips/do-you-know-those-kinds-of-looks-white-people-give-you-what-do-you-do/) [Michael R. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-phillips/) > [“The prayer of faith that your heart is urging you toward must come from somewhere deeper than mere words you read from a page.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-phillips/the-prayer-of-faith-that-your-heart-is-urging-you-toward-must-come/) [Michael R. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-phillips/) > [“Legacies, however, were God’s business. His own duty was to live every day as God’s man and leave the rest to his heavenly Father.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-phillips/legacies-however-were-god-s-business-his-own-duty-was-to-live-every/) [Michael R. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-phillips/) > [“The awakening of the heart is one of the most wonderful, frightening, joyous experiences in human life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-phillips/the-awakening-of-the-heart-is-one-of-the-most-wonderful-frightening/) [Michael R. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-phillips/) > [“Maybe we all need to forgive our mamas and papas for the things they did that hurt us or confused us ... I came…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-phillips/maybe-we-all-need-to-forgive-our-mamas-and-papas-for-the-things-they/) [Michael R. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-phillips/) > [“Where does life go? I hope it goes into the heart if God where nothing is forgotten. Book: The Legacy, pg. 424”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-phillips/where-does-life-go-i-hope-it-goes-into-the-heart-if-god-where-nothing/) [Michael R. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-phillips/) > [“Growth is one of those things you can't see up close. You have to stand back to see how something or someone has changed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-phillips/growth-is-one-of-those-things-you-can-t-see-up-close-you-have-to/) [Michael R. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-phillips/) > [“Some folks think praying happens only when you’re in church or are actually talking to God. But I’m not so sure. I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-phillips/some-folks-think-praying-happens-only-when-you-re-in-church-or-are/) [Michael R. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-phillips/) > [“God brings new winds to our lives to keep us from being too attached to this world, and to make us trust Him. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-r-phillips/god-brings-new-winds-to-our-lives-to-keep-us-from-being-too-attached/) [Michael R. Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-phillips/) [Explore all 10 Michael R. Phillips quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-r-phillips/) ## More Salvation quotes > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/faith-is-the-avenue-to-salvation-not-intellectual-understanding-not/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [“Whoever sees the Saviour, the light of life, shall be satisfied in spirit.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whoever-sees-the-saviour-the-light-of-life-shall-be-satisfied-in/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“I’m not trying to save you from yourself. I’m trying to help you save yourself from yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/i-m-not-trying-to-save-you-from-yourself-i-m-trying-to-help-you-save/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“Make sure of your salvation by turning your life over to Him now.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/make-sure-of-your-salvation-by-turning-your-life-over-to-him-now/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [It's funny where we look for salvation, and where we actually find it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/it-s-funny-where-we-look-for-salvation-and-where-we-actually-find-it/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [The Baseball Hall of Fame is something every player dreams about, but being a member of God's Hall of Fame is the greatest achievement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-carter/the-baseball-hall-of-fame-is-something-every-player-dreams-about-but/) [Gary Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-carter/) > [“Try to remember that artists in these catastrophic times, along with the serious scientists, are the only salvation for us, if there is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-gass/try-to-remember-that-artists-in-these-catastrophic-times-along-with/) [William H. Gass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-h-gass/) > [“The answer to the question raised in the title of this essay - Is salvation a matter of divine determination or human responsibility? -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/layton-talbert/the-answer-to-the-question-raised-in-the-title-of-this-essay-is/) [Layton Talbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/layton-talbert/) > [Forget the noose. Forget the Iron Maiden. Forget the electric chair or the guillotine. The mind was mankind's most painful torture chamber, the blessed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/forget-the-noose-forget-the-iron-maiden-forget-the-electric-chair-or/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) > [There is no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth...no man can reject…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-fielding-smith/there-is-no-salvation-without-accepting-joseph-smith-if-joseph-smith/) [Joseph Fielding Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-fielding-smith/) > [“Time heals nothing; it merely manages the hurt through a lens of unreality. The only salvation is to walk into your reality”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-blizzard/time-heals-nothing-it-merely-manages-the-hurt-through-a-lens-of/) [R.J. Blizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-blizzard/) > [“Saving others is always more important than saving yourself. It has to be, or none of us would do any good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/saving-others-is-always-more-important-than-saving-yourself-it-has-to/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [“There is salvation for every soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/there-is-salvation-for-every-soul/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Talent? That's not talent. Talent is Liza Minnelli tap dancing and singing at the same time. What I just saw was devastation. Dying man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiffanie-debartolo/talent-that-s-not-talent-talent-is-liza-minnelli-tap-dancing-and/) [Tiffanie DeBartolo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiffanie-debartolo/) [Browse all 2,652 Salvation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/salvation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If more of those who had set themselves to explain God’s ways through the years had devoted a greater portion of their energies to obey what He has told them to do rather than theorize concerning His work, the world would doubtless be much further along toward its ultimate salvation than it presently is.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael R. 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