--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Almost every natural man that hears of…" description: "\"“Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it. JONATHAN EDWARDS”\" — R.C. Sproul" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/r-c-sproul-2-1477_hell_almost-every-natural-man-that-hears-of-h_3112089.jpg" --- # Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters… ![“Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it. JONATHAN EDWARDS” quote by R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/r-c-sproul-2-1477_hell_almost-every-natural-man-that-hears-of-h_3112089.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/r-c-sproul-2-1477_hell_almost-every-natural-man-that-hears-of-h_3112089.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/01c/r-c-sproul-2-1477_hell_almost-every-natural-man-that-hears-of-h_3112089.jpg) > ““Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it. JONATHAN EDWARDS”” [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People often believe they can avoid hell, but this confidence is misplaced. **In simple terms:** People think they can escape hell, but they cannot. Key Takeaway Reflect on personal accountability and spiritual truth. Themes theology ethics human nature afterlife Mood thought‑provoking serious Type theological ethical When to use this quote - sermon - Bible study - personal reflection - group discussion Key Concepts salvation judgment pride self-deception Questions to Reflect On - Do you believe hell is literal? - How does this belief affect moral choices? A Different Perspective Some argue hell is metaphorical, not literal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edwards-529446/) [Escape Jonathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/escape-jonathan-5437353/) [Hears Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hears-hell-4338973/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jonathan-edwards/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) ## Related quotes > [ \[ Jonathan\] Edwards is one of my heroes. I've learned much from him over the years. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/jonathan-edwards-is-one-of-my-heroes-i-ve-learned-much-from-him-over/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [“It would be a serious mistake to think of Billy Graham or any other television revivalist as a latter-day Jonathan Edwards or Charles Finney.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-postman/it-would-be-a-serious-mistake-to-think-of-billy-graham-or-any-other/) [Neil Postman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-postman/) > [Jonathan Edwards is without a doubt the most brilliant mind America ever produced. I'm not talking about theologian; I'm talking about mind and everybody.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/jonathan-edwards-is-without-a-doubt-the-most-brilliant-mind-america/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [ \[Jonathan\] Edwards definitely shows up in the book \[Saving Calvinism\]. He appears as one of the interlocutors in the chapter on free will, the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/jonathan-edwards-definitely-shows-up-in-the-book-saving-calvinism-he/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/almost-every-natural-man-that-hears-of-hell-flatters-himself-that-he/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“We do not “find” God as a result of our search for him. We are found by him. The search for God does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-do-not-find-god-as-a-result-of-our-search-for-him-we-are-found-by/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Jonathan Edwards, the dear old soul, who, if his doctrine is true, is now in heaven rubbing his holy hands with glee, as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-g-ingersoll/jonathan-edwards-the-dear-old-soul-who-if-his-doctrine-is-true-is-now/) [Robert G. Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-g-ingersoll/) > [ I recommend Doug Sweeney's recent book \[Jonathan\] Edwards the Exegete (Oxford University Press, 2015), which is a terrific treatment of the way in which… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/i-recommend-doug-sweeney-s-recent-book-jonathan-edwards-the-exegete/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [True liberty consists only in the power of doing what we ought to will, and in not being constrained to do what we ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-edwards/true-liberty-consists-only-in-the-power-of-doing-what-we-ought-to-2/) [Jonathan Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-edwards/) > [“As Jonathan Edwards observed a long time ago, we act on our strongest motive. If our strongest motive, our deepest desire, is to know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-f-wells/as-jonathan-edwards-observed-a-long-time-ago-we-act-on-our-strongest/) [David F. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-f-wells/) > [I read hard, or not at all; never skimming, never turning aside to merely inciting books; and Plato, Aristotle, Butler, Thucydides, Sterne, Jonathan Edwards,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-william-robertson/i-read-hard-or-not-at-all-never-skimming-never-turning-aside-to/) [Frederick William Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-william-robertson/) > [“Before the war, a white man named Jonathan Edwards came to Stockbridge to teach my people about sin, but I doubt very much he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-clare/before-the-war-a-white-man-named-jonathan-edwards-came-to-stockbridge/) [Pamela Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-clare/) > [ How many people in the pews know that \[ Jonathan Edwards\] is both a founder of evangelicalism and, say, an idealist who denied that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/how-many-people-in-the-pews-know-that-jonathan-edwards-is-both-a/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [ Here is the interesting twist:\[McLeod\] Campbell came to his views through reading Jonathan Edwards who suggested at one point in his ruminations on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/here-is-the-interesting-twist-mcleod-campbell-came-to-his-views/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) > [ To my mind \[ Jonathan Edwards\] is an interesting figure because he is both a canonical Reformed thinker, and yet also someone that pushed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-d-crisp/to-my-mind-jonathan-edwards-is-an-interesting-figure-because-he-is/) [Oliver D. Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-d-crisp/) ## More by R.C. Sproul > [“If we rest our assurance on an experience and not on the Word of God, we're inviting all kinds of doubts to assail us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/if-we-rest-our-assurance-on-an-experience-and-not-on-the-word-of-god/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Where Adam collapsed, Jesus conquered. Where Adam compromised, Jesus refused to negotiate. Where Adam's trust in God faltered, Jesus' never wavered. The second Adam…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/where-adam-collapsed-jesus-conquered-where-adam-compromised-jesus/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Arrogant worship is an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Yet we see it throughout Scripture. The gospel was given to Adam and Eve. As…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/arrogant-worship-is-an-oxymoron-a-contradiction-in-terms-yet-we-see/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Throughout history, God has demonstrated that He is supremely trustworthy. That’s why, in one sense, nothing could be more foolish than not to trust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/throughout-history-god-has-demonstrated-that-he-is-supremely/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“If I don't like something I read in Scripture, perhaps I simply don't understand it. If so, studying it again may help. If, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/if-i-don-t-like-something-i-read-in-scripture-perhaps-i-simply-don-t/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“The day of one's birth is a good day for the believer, but the day of death is the greatest day that a Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/the-day-of-one-s-birth-is-a-good-day-for-the-believer-but-the-day-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“We do not “find” God as a result of our search for him. We are found by him. The search for God does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-do-not-find-god-as-a-result-of-our-search-for-him-we-are-found-by/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“We tend to remain conscious of the boundary flags for the course of this world. That slavish adherence to a course that is set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-tend-to-remain-conscious-of-the-boundary-flags-for-the-course-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“If our decisions about how to treat others are always motivated by love for God, a singular love for God, we really do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/if-our-decisions-about-how-to-treat-others-are-always-motivated-by/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“When we understand the character of God, when we grasp something of His holiness, then we begin to understand the radical character of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/when-we-understand-the-character-of-god-when-we-grasp-something-of/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“For an action to be judged good by God, it must fulfill two primary requirements. The first is that the action must correspond outwardly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/for-an-action-to-be-judged-good-by-god-it-must-fulfill-two-primary/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“The simplistic way of not conforming is to see what is in style in our culture and then do the opposite. If short hair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/the-simplistic-way-of-not-conforming-is-to-see-what-is-in-style-in/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“Though sin often brings immediate pleasure, it gives no lasting joy. If we understand the difference, we can avoid the pitfalls that entice the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/though-sin-often-brings-immediate-pleasure-it-gives-no-lasting-joy-if/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“To be a Christian is to be a theologian—a student of God and his will. The church is where believers should be nurtured in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/to-be-a-christian-is-to-be-a-theologian-a-student-of-god-and-his-will/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) > [“We need Christ-the real Christ. A Christ born of empty speculation or created to squeeze into the philosopher's pattern simply won't do. A recycled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul-2/we-need-christ-the-real-christ-a-christ-born-of-empty-speculation-or/) [R.C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) [Explore all 221 R.C. Sproul quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul-2/) ## More Hell quotes > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [Some people give you that motivation to work harder simply to get the hell away from wherever they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dane-cook/some-people-give-you-that-motivation-to-work-harder-simply-to-get-the/) [Dane Cook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dane-cook/) > [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/) [Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/) > [“Hell is only loneliness, a place without play for the soul, a place without God. How could there be God in loneliness when God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/hell-is-only-loneliness-a-place-without-play-for-the-soul-a-place/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Just when I thought that I was gtting better, boy was I wrong.. Things just turned to hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cupecake/just-when-i-thought-that-i-was-gtting-better-boy-was-i-wrong-things/) [Cupecake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cupecake/) > [I believe that on any trip to heaven, there are always detours through hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-finney/i-believe-that-on-any-trip-to-heaven-there-are-always-detours-through/) [Richard Finney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-finney/) > [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/) [David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/) > [I'm what is known as gradually disintegrating. I don't fear the next world, or anything. I don't fear hell, and I don't look forward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katharine-hepburn/i-m-what-is-known-as-gradually-disintegrating-i-don-t-fear-the-next/) [Katharine Hepburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katharine-hepburn/) > [Hey...Hey...What's up?. Nothing much, you? Nothing. K!..What the hell was the point of this communication?...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/hey-hey-what-s-up-nothing-much-you-nothing-k-what-the-hell-was-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Except in these latter-day songs, \[Bob\] Dylan is a grizzled old prophet who's already been to hell and back. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-michaelson/except-in-these-latter-day-songs-bob-dylan-is-a-grizzled-old-prophet/) [Jay Michaelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-michaelson/) > [...it was a huge creature, luminous, ghastly, and spectral. I have cross-examined these men, one of them a hard-headed countryman, one a farrier, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/it-was-a-huge-creature-luminous-ghastly-and-spectral-i-have-cross/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [“ALAS, IF ALL HUMANS WERE WISE AND HAD MORE GOOD WILL THE WORLD WOULD BE A PARADISE NOW IT IS MOSTLY A HELL”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvin-d-yalom/alas-if-all-humans-were-wise-and-had-more-good-will-the-world-would/) [Irvin D. Yalom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvin-d-yalom/) > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It is through suppression that hells are formed in us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-glaspell/it-is-through-suppression-that-hells-are-formed-in-us/) [Susan Glaspell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-glaspell/) > [Beware of self-indulgence. The romance surrounding the writing profession carries several myths: that one must suffer in order to be creative; that one must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/beware-of-self-indulgence-the-romance-surrounding-the-writing/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) [Browse all 8,212 Hell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Almost every natural man that hears of hell, flatters himself that he shall escape it. JONATHAN EDWARDS”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "R.C. 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