--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Regardless of the official theology held…" description: "\"“Regardless of the official theology held on paper, moralistic preaching (the bane of conservatives and liberals alike) assumes that we are not really ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/michael-s-horton-7082_gospel_regardless-of-the-official-theology-held_1031097.jpg" --- # Regardless of the official theology held on paper… ![“Regardless of the official theology held on paper, moralistic preaching (the bane of conservatives and liberals alike) assumes that we are not really helpless sinners who need to be rescued but decent folks who need good examples, exhortations, and instructions.” quote by Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/michael-s-horton-7082_gospel_regardless-of-the-official-theology-held_1031097.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/michael-s-horton-7082_gospel_regardless-of-the-official-theology-held_1031097.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/michael-s-horton-7082_gospel_regardless-of-the-official-theology-held_1031097.jpg) > ““Regardless of the official theology held on paper, moralistic preaching (the bane of conservatives and liberals alike) assumes that we are not really helpless sinners who need to be rescued but decent folks who need good examples, exhortations, and instructions.”” [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Moral teaching should guide decent people with examples, not assume they are helpless sinners. **In simple terms:** Teach morality with positive guidance. Key Takeaway Provide good examples and instructions. Themes morality teaching guidance Mood thoughtful educational Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - religious education - community leadership - personal development Key Concepts ethics education spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How can moral lessons be inclusive? - What examples inspire ethical behavior? A Different Perspective Over‑emphasis on sin can alienate audiences. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Gospel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel/) ## Related quotes > [“Rather than a plausible explanation for how we got to be the way we are, the standard narrative is exposed as contemporary moralistic bias…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cacilda-jeth/rather-than-a-plausible-explanation-for-how-we-got-to-be-the-way-we/) [Cacilda Jethá](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cacilda-jeth/) > [“So long as we exalt artists as beautiful liars or as the world’s most profound truth-tellers, we remain locked in a moralistic paradigm that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-nelson/so-long-as-we-exalt-artists-as-beautiful-liars-or-as-the-world-s-most/) [Maggie Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-nelson/) > [I don't believe in the hypocritical, moralistic dogma of this so called civilized-society](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-ramirez/i-don-t-believe-in-the-hypocritical-moralistic-dogma-of-this-so/) [Richard Ramirez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-ramirez/) > [I'm afraid I'm very optimistic - and moralistic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-miller/i-m-afraid-i-m-very-optimistic-and-moralistic/) [Ben Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-miller/) > [All moralistic judgments, whether positive or negative, are tragic expressions of unmet needs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marshall-b-rosenberg/all-moralistic-judgments-whether-positive-or-negative-are-tragic/) [Marshall B. Rosenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marshall-b-rosenberg/) > [A good story is alive, ever changing and growing as it meets each listener or reader in a spirited and unique encounter, while the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-paterson/a-good-story-is-alive-ever-changing-and-growing-as-it-meets-each/) [Katherine Paterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-paterson/) > [One thing I'm not is a moralistic filmmaker. I'm not trying to tell people what to do, and I'm not trying to lead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-harron/one-thing-i-m-not-is-a-moralistic-filmmaker-i-m-not-trying-to-tell/) [Mary Harron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-harron/) > [I worry sometimes that I'm a bit moralistic; always writing about men who are learning to grow up, not be so self-absorbed, selfish or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-nicholls/i-worry-sometimes-that-i-m-a-bit-moralistic-always-writing-about-men/) [David Nicholls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-nicholls/) > [Moralistic is not moral. And as for truth - well, it's like brown - it's not in the spectrum. Truth is so generic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iris-murdoch/moralistic-is-not-moral-and-as-for-truth-well-it-s-like-brown-it-s/) [Iris Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iris-murdoch/) > [“Moralistic culture views government as a positive force, one that values the individual but functions to the benefit of the general public. Discussion of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-earl-maxwell/moralistic-culture-views-government-as-a-positive-force-one-that/) William Earl Maxwell > [On the surface we all act like we all love each other and we're free and easy, and actually we're far more moralistic than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-acker/on-the-surface-we-all-act-like-we-all-love-each-other-and-we-re-free/) [Kathy Acker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-acker/) > [“Nothing is more punitive than to give a disease a meaning - that meaning being invariably a moralistic one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sontag/nothing-is-more-punitive-than-to-give-a-disease-a-meaning-that/) [Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sontag/) > [If you want to meet the needs of the poor in this world, there is no better place to start than by preaching the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-p-yohannan/if-you-want-to-meet-the-needs-of-the-poor-in-this-world-there-is-no/) [K.P. Yohannan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/k-p-yohannan/) > [Preaching the gospel without the Holy Spirit is to miss the entire point of the command of Jesus Christ for our era. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/preaching-the-gospel-without-the-holy-spirit-is-to-miss-the-entire/) [Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/) > [“The so-called "social gospel" lays stress upon this life, not on the next. In many quarters it is now regarded as very old-fashioned and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-r-rice/the-so-called-social-gospel-lays-stress-upon-this-life-not-on-the/) [John R. Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-r-rice/) ## More by Michael S. Horton > [“The flesh of Christ is like a rich and inexhaustible fountain that pours into us the life springing forth from the Godhead into itself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/the-flesh-of-christ-is-like-a-rich-and-inexhaustible-fountain-that/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“All of the Reformers agreed among themselves and with Rome on the point that the Supper lies at the heart of the person of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/all-of-the-reformers-agreed-among-themselves-and-with-rome-on-the/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“As the pretensions of modernity are unmasked today, it is a good time for us to recover our nerve, “always being prepared to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/as-the-pretensions-of-modernity-are-unmasked-today-it-is-a-good-time/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“To study theology involves entering into a long, ongoing conversation, one that we did not begin. Others have been talking about God long before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/to-study-theology-involves-entering-into-a-long-ongoing-conversation/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“True faith calls on the name of Jesus for salvation from death, hell, sin, and Satan. Therefore, sound theology has its source in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/true-faith-calls-on-the-name-of-jesus-for-salvation-from-death-hell/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“Jerome does not condemn singing absolutely, but he corrects those who sing theatrically, or who sing not in order to arouse devotion but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/jerome-does-not-condemn-singing-absolutely-but-he-corrects-those-who/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“Calvin showed little patience toward those—especially leaders in the church—who displayed either explicitly or implicitly that they did not take God’s Word seriously. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/calvin-showed-little-patience-toward-those-especially-leaders-in-the/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“In short, Calvin has been given too much blame by critics and too much credit by fans. His real genius is to be found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/in-short-calvin-has-been-given-too-much-blame-by-critics-and-too-much/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“Trials are the workshop of a Father, not the threats of a Judge. The arrow that looks as if it were targeting our heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/trials-are-the-workshop-of-a-father-not-the-threats-of-a-judge-the/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“The orthodox hold the mean between these extremes, maintaining that the providence of God is so occupied about sin as neither idly to permit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/the-orthodox-hold-the-mean-between-these-extremes-maintaining-that/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“This may be the most valuable and the most challenging thing we can learn from Calvin’s ecclesiology today: that the church is not something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/this-may-be-the-most-valuable-and-the-most-challenging-thing-we-can/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“The same word that is faith-producing and life-generating for some is for others an occasion to become more resolute in unbelief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/the-same-word-that-is-faith-producing-and-life-generating-for-some-is/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“We can be grateful that Jesus embraced the cross and then entered his glory instead of demanding glory first.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/we-can-be-grateful-that-jesus-embraced-the-cross-and-then-entered-his/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“I’m not saying that there is something wrong with moving to the city to pursue an adrenaline-racing calling. And I understand the fact that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/i-m-not-saying-that-there-is-something-wrong-with-moving-to-the-city/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) > [“Our natural reason tells us that good people finish first and cheaters never prosper. However, believers have no right to God’s common grace any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/our-natural-reason-tells-us-that-good-people-finish-first-and/) [Michael S. Horton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) [Explore all 95 Michael S. Horton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/) ## More Gospel quotes > [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [You can't live for God until you learn how to live because of God. And you can't go and make good choices for God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-donehey/you-can-t-live-for-god-until-you-learn-how-to-live-because-of-god-and/) [Mike Donehey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-donehey/) > [The gospel assures you that your value is not dependent on your looks or material possessions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-l-jack/the-gospel-assures-you-that-your-value-is-not-dependent-on-your-looks/) [Elaine L. Jack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-l-jack/) > [“The core message of the gospel is that God invades us with new life, but the setting for this is most often in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-h-peterson/the-core-message-of-the-gospel-is-that-god-invades-us-with-new-life/) [Eugene H. Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-h-peterson/) > [My mother kept asking me, 'When are you going to do a gospel album?' And I've always wanted to do a gospel album. Everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-jackson/my-mother-kept-asking-me-when-are-you-going-to-do-a-gospel-album-and/) [Alan Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-jackson/) > [If you want to see the big stuff that God has, you've got to take some risk and trust only in the Gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/if-you-want-to-see-the-big-stuff-that-god-has-you-ve-got-to-take-some/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [How happy we would be if we could find the treasure of which the Gospel speaks; all else would be as nothing. As it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brother-lawrence/how-happy-we-would-be-if-we-could-find-the-treasure-of-which-the/) [Brother Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brother-lawrence/) > [“I have established my throne in heaven, and my kingdom rules over all. The day is mine, and mine also the night; I established…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhang-yun/i-have-established-my-throne-in-heaven-and-my-kingdom-rules-over-all/) [Zhang Yun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhang-yun/) > [The good word of the Lord with which we must nourish is the simple doctrine of the gospel. We need not fear either simplicity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/the-good-word-of-the-lord-with-which-we-must-nourish-is-the-simple/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [If the gospel isn't good news for everybody, then it isn't good news for anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bell/if-the-gospel-isn-t-good-news-for-everybody-then-it-isn-t-good-news/) [Rob Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bell/) > [If we have faith in Jesus Christ, the hardest as well as the easiest times in life can be a blessing. In all conditions,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/if-we-have-faith-in-jesus-christ-the-hardest-as-well-as-the-easiest/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [Its not living the gospel thats hard. Its life thats hard...How often do we make the mistake of talking to our youth about how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheri-l-dew/its-not-living-the-gospel-thats-hard-its-life-thats-hard-how-often-do/) [Sheri L. Dew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheri-l-dew/) > [Once God saves us He doesn't move us beyond the gospel, but He moves us more deeply into the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tullian-tchividjian/once-god-saves-us-he-doesn-t-move-us-beyond-the-gospel-but-he-moves/) [Tullian Tchividjian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tullian-tchividjian/) > [Perhapsthemost sublimeinsights oftheJewishprophets and the Christian gospel is the knowledge that since perfection is love, the apprehension of perfection is at once the means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/perhapsthemost-sublimeinsights-ofthejewishprophets-and-the-christian/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [I listened to gospel music because that was just our culture, you know? My parents are pastors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masego/i-listened-to-gospel-music-because-that-was-just-our-culture-you-know/) [Masego](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masego/) [Browse all 1,857 Gospel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gospel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Regardless of the official theology held on paper, moralistic preaching (the bane of conservatives and liberals alike) assumes that we are not really helpless sinners who need to be rescued but decent folks who need good examples, exhortations, and instructions.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael S. Horton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/regardless-of-the-official-theology-held-on-paper-moralistic/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gospel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/regardless-of-the-official-theology-held-on-paper-moralistic/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/michael-s-horton-7082_gospel_regardless-of-the-official-theology-held_1031097.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/michael-s-horton-7082_gospel_regardless-of-the-official-theology-held_1031097.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccb/michael-s-horton-7082_gospel_regardless-of-the-official-theology-held_1031097.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Regardless of the official theology held on paper, moralistic preaching (the bane of conservatives and…” — Michael S. Horton", "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": "Michael S. Horton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-s-horton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Regardless of the official theology held...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/regardless-of-the-official-theology-held-on-paper-moralistic/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-s-horton/regardless-of-the-official-theology-held-on-paper-moralistic/#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 } } ] } ```