---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The New Testament persistently presses us…"
description: "\"The New Testament persistently presses us upward, toward higher motives for being good.\" — Philip Yancey"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/philip-yancey-840_being_the-new-testament-persistently-presses-u_251933.png"
---

#  The New Testament persistently presses us upward, toward…

![“The New Testament persistently presses us upward, toward higher motives for being good.” quote by Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/philip-yancey-840_being_the-new-testament-persistently-presses-u_251933.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/philip-yancey-840_being_the-new-testament-persistently-presses-u_251933.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/philip-yancey-840_being_the-new-testament-persistently-presses-u_251933.png)

> “The New Testament persistently presses us upward, toward higher motives for being good.”

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Encourages striving for higher moral standards inspired by the New Testament.

**In simple terms:** Seek higher moral motives.

Key Takeaway

Pursue continual moral improvement.

Themes

ethics spiritual growth aspiration

Mood

inspirational thoughtful

Type

spiritual motivational

When to use this quote

- community service
- personal reflection
- leadership training

Key Concepts

theology personal development virtue

Questions to Reflect On

- What motivates your moral aspirations?
- How do you measure growth?

A Different Perspective

Higher motives can feel unattainable.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Being](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/) [Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good/) [Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher/) [Higher Motives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher-motives-1238758/) [Motives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motives/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [New testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-testament/) [Presses Upward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/presses-upward-2503822/) [Testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testament/) [Testament Persistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testament-persistently-2503820/) [Toward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/toward/) [Upward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upward/) [Upward Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/upward-higher-2503821/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/)

## Related quotes

> [This unusual and highly successful species spends a great deal of time examining his higher motives and an equal amount of time ignoring his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desmond-morris/this-unusual-and-highly-successful-species-spends-a-great-deal-of/)

[Desmond Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desmond-morris/)

> [All higher motives, ideals, conceptions, sentiments in a man are of no account if they do not come forward to strengthen him for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/all-higher-motives-ideals-conceptions-sentiments-in-a-man-are-of-no/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [With constant practice, one can improve his physical body and mental attitude rapidly, thereby igniting the higher motives of making one’s self useful to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dharma-mittra/with-constant-practice-one-can-improve-his-physical-body-and-mental/)

[Dharma Mittra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dharma-mittra/)

> [One of the things I found is that the things we want to say for well-intentioned motives often cause more harm than good. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/one-of-the-things-i-found-is-that-the-things-we-want-to-say-for-well/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [Man's upward progress means ever increasing difficulty, which is to be welcomed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/man-s-upward-progress-means-ever-increasing-difficulty-which-is-to-be/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Here's to opening and upward... and to yourself and up with you and up with and up with laughing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/here-s-to-opening-and-upward-and-to-yourself-and-up-with-you-and-up/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Look upward to him Look to him for everything Look to him for help Look to him for comfort”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/april-nichole/look-upward-to-him-look-to-him-for-everything-look-to-him-for-help/)

[April Nichole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/april-nichole/)

> [Try to bring me down, but you will never succeed because I'm always moving upward. Maybe not before, but now ... I am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-carter/try-to-bring-me-down-but-you-will-never-succeed-because-i-m-always/)

[Aaron Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-carter/)

> [Those who are lifting the world upward and onward are those who encourage more than criticize.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/those-who-are-lifting-the-world-upward-and-onward-are-those-who/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [All ambitions are lawful except those that climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/all-ambitions-are-lawful-except-those-that-climb-upward-on-the/)

[Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/)

> [Devotion, like fire, goeth upward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zoroaster/devotion-like-fire-goeth-upward/)

[Zoroaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zoroaster/)

> [“You flourish when you move upward and forward.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/you-flourish-when-you-move-upward-and-forward/)

[Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/)

> [.. every step of the upward way is strewn with wreckage of body, mind, and morals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-stanley-hall/every-step-of-the-upward-way-is-strewn-with-wreckage-of-body-mind-and/)

[G. Stanley Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-stanley-hall/)

> [“The real ladder of opportunity is ascending levels of consciousness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-mcgill/the-real-ladder-of-opportunity-is-ascending-levels-of-consciousness/)

[Bryant McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-mcgill/)

> [We can go up or we can do down. I think generally the world is going on an upward swing. We're in a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-harrison/we-can-go-up-or-we-can-do-down-i-think-generally-the-world-is-going/)

[George Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-harrison/)

## More by Philip Yancey

> [“God reproduces and lives out His image in millions of ordinary people like us. It is a supreme mystery. We are called to bear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/god-reproduces-and-lives-out-his-image-in-millions-of-ordinary-people/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [Curiously, the righteous Pharisees had little historical impact, save for a brief time in a remote corner of the Roman Empire. But Jesus' disciples…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/curiously-the-righteous-pharisees-had-little-historical-impact-save/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [Jesus never met a disease he could not cure, a birth defect he could not reverse, a demon he could not exorcise. But he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/jesus-never-met-a-disease-he-could-not-cure-a-birth-defect-he-could/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [Love deems this world worth rescuing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/love-deems-this-world-worth-rescuing/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [People instinctively know the difference between something done with a profit motive and something done with a love motive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/people-instinctively-know-the-difference-between-something-done-with/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [In a nutshell, the Bible from Genesis 3 to Revelation 22 tells the story of a God reckless with desire to get his family back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/in-a-nutshell-the-bible-from-genesis-3-to-revelation-22-tells-the/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [You can know the law by heart without knowing the heart of it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/you-can-know-the-law-by-heart-without-knowing-the-heart-of-it/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [“I have marveled at, and sometimes openly questioned, the self-restraint God has shown throughout history, allowing the Genghis Khans and the Hitlers and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/i-have-marveled-at-and-sometimes-openly-questioned-the-self-restraint/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [C. S. Lewis observed that almost all crimes of Christian history have come about when religion is confused with politics. Politics, which always runs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/c-s-lewis-observed-that-almost-all-crimes-of-christian-history-have/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [Having spent time around "sinners" and also around purported saints, I have a hunch why Jesus spent so much time with the former group:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/having-spent-time-around-sinners-and-also-around-purported-saints-i/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [We preach sermons, write books on apologetics, conduct city-wide evangelistic campaigns. For those alienated from the church, that approach no longer has the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/we-preach-sermons-write-books-on-apologetics-conduct-city-wide/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [I begin with confession not in order to feel miserable, rather to call to mind a reality I often ignore. When I acknowledge where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/i-begin-with-confession-not-in-order-to-feel-miserable-rather-to-call/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [Jesus reserved his hardest words for the hidden sins of hypocrisy, pride, greed and legalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/jesus-reserved-his-hardest-words-for-the-hidden-sins-of-hypocrisy/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [“What greater gift could Christians give to the world than the forming of a culture that upholds grace and forgiveness?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/what-greater-gift-could-christians-give-to-the-world-than-the-forming/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

> [“For us who are Christians, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ is proof positive that love is stronger than hate, that life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/for-us-who-are-christians-the-death-and-resurrection-of-jesus-christ/)

[Philip Yancey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

[Explore all 351 Philip Yancey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/)

## More Being quotes

> [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/)

[Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/)

> [Philosopher is a dictator who modifies accepted standards with his thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilkin-santak/philosopher-is-a-dictator-who-modifies-accepted-standards-with-his/)

[Ilkin Santak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilkin-santak/)

> [There is something magical about being able to feel somebody. And that is something that has always moved me with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-brink/there-is-something-magical-about-being-able-to-feel-somebody-and-that/)

[Maria Brink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-brink/)

> [I love being in Malibu. It's so cool there, and the water is just, it's nice and, and I love the beach. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jackie-evancho/i-love-being-in-malibu-it-s-so-cool-there-and-the-water-is-just-it-s/)

[Jackie Evancho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jackie-evancho/)

> [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/)

[Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/)

> [I love to fish. I love the peacefulness of being around the water.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evonne-goolagong-cawley/i-love-to-fish-i-love-the-peacefulness-of-being-around-the-water/)

[Evonne Goolagong Cawley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evonne-goolagong-cawley/)

> [When you're in your twenties and starting out, the problem is that you care about being cool. Being older, I can care less about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-righton/when-you-re-in-your-twenties-and-starting-out-the-problem-is-that-you/)

[James Righton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-righton/)

> [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/)

[Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/)

> [Being a new mother is a blessing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phaedra-parks/being-a-new-mother-is-a-blessing/)

[Phaedra Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phaedra-parks/)

> [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/)

[Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/)

> [If we accept being talked to any kind of a way, then we are telling ourselves we are not quite worth the best. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/if-we-accept-being-talked-to-any-kind-of-a-way-then-we-are-telling/)

[Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/)

> [Having small children and being an investigative reporter would seem like a difficult mix, but it worked well for me. I was often working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-abramson/having-small-children-and-being-an-investigative-reporter-would-seem/)

[Jill Abramson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-abramson/)

> [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/)

[Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/)

> [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/)

[Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/)

> [We should not live in fear, we should all enjoy being able to express our views freely and openly, challenge each other on issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tan-cheng-bock/we-should-not-live-in-fear-we-should-all-enjoy-being-able-to-express/)

[Tan Cheng Bock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tan-cheng-bock/)

[Browse all 18,139 Being quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The New Testament persistently presses us upward, toward higher motives for being good.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Philip Yancey"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/the-new-testament-persistently-presses-us-upward-toward-higher/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Being"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/the-new-testament-persistently-presses-us-upward-toward-higher/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/philip-yancey-840_being_the-new-testament-persistently-presses-u_251933.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/philip-yancey-840_being_the-new-testament-persistently-presses-u_251933.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/607/philip-yancey-840_being_the-new-testament-persistently-presses-u_251933.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The New Testament persistently presses us upward, toward higher motives for being good.” — Philip Yancey",
                "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": "Philip Yancey",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-yancey/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The New Testament persistently presses us...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/the-new-testament-persistently-presses-us-upward-toward-higher/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-yancey/the-new-testament-persistently-presses-us-upward-toward-higher/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
