--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love is God's essence; Power but his…" description: "\"Love is God's essence; Power but his attribute: therefore is his love greater than his power.\" — Richard B. Garnett" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36d/richard-b-garnett-30310_attributes_love-is-god-s-essence-power-but-his-attr_2409217.jpg" --- # Love is God's essence; Power but his attribute: therefore… ![“Love is God's essence; Power but his attribute: therefore is his love greater than his power.” quote by Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36d/richard-b-garnett-30310_attributes_love-is-god-s-essence-power-but-his-attr_2409217.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36d/richard-b-garnett-30310_attributes_love-is-god-s-essence-power-but-his-attr_2409217.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/36d/richard-b-garnett-30310_attributes_love-is-god-s-essence-power-but-his-attr_2409217.jpg) > “Love is God's essence; Power but his attribute: therefore is his love greater than his power.” [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote suggests that divine love surpasses divine power because love is an essential nature while power is a mere attribute. **In simple terms:** Love is a core nature, power is an attribute. Key Takeaway Recognize love’s deeper value over mere capability. Themes theity divinity power attributes Mood contemplative reverent Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - spiritual reflection - personal growth - ethical decision making Key Concepts Theology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How does love differ from power in your life? - Can power exist without love? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Essence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essence/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [What other explanations could be given for the fact that our God is love, we are love, and this is a part of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/what-other-explanations-could-be-given-for-the-fact-that-our-god-is/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [“Though such an explicit contradiction is no doubt bewildering, Calvin’s final conclusion—namely, that the author of 1 John “does not speak of the essence \[or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-talbott/though-such-an-explicit-contradiction-is-no-doubt-bewildering-calvin/) [Thomas Talbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-talbott/) > [When I said about the attribute of the Matrix Word of Creation which is love that becomes the Print that will define the Matrix…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sorin-cerin/when-i-said-about-the-attribute-of-the-matrix-word-of-creation-which/) [Sorin Cerin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sorin-cerin/) > [Love is higher than the Highest. Love is greater than the Greatest. Yea, it is in a certain sense greater than God; while yet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jakob-bohme/love-is-higher-than-the-highest-love-is-greater-than-the-greatest-yea/) [Jakob Bohme](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jakob-bohme/) > [For many people, God is a frightening idea. Asking God for help doesn't seem very comforting if we think of Him as something outside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/for-many-people-god-is-a-frightening-idea-asking-god-for-help-doesn-t/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [God is love. Wraith is how His love appears to us when we sin or rebel or run away from Him. The very light…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/god-is-love-wraith-is-how-his-love-appears-to-us-when-we-sin-or-rebel/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [ATTRIBUTES OF GOD Because God is spirit...I will seek intimate fellowship with Him. Because God is all-powerful...He can help me with anything. Because God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-william-r-bright/attributes-of-god-because-god-is-spirit-i-will-seek-intimate/) Dr William R Bright > [Love is not a quality of 'God'- is it God's very Essence. It is the ALL-encompassing Reality of the Never-Ending Present. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hawkins/love-is-not-a-quality-of-god-is-it-god-s-very-essence-it-is-the-all/) [David Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hawkins/) > [I don't think that God is a person, a great big person in the sky. I think that God is the essence of life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/i-don-t-think-that-god-is-a-person-a-great-big-person-in-the-sky-i/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [What is the glory of God? It is who God is. It is the essence of His nature; the weight of His importance; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/what-is-the-glory-of-god-it-is-who-god-is-it-is-the-essence-of-his/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [How do we accomplish this matter of gathering life together in God? We must begin primarily by refocusing our attention keeping our minds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/how-do-we-accomplish-this-matter-of-gathering-life-together-in-god-we/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) > [“Esteeming God less than anything is the essence of evil.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/esteeming-god-less-than-anything-is-the-essence-of-evil/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [“The essence of humility in Step 3 is acknowledging and accepting our dependence on God. The essence of faith is trusting God. – p. 167”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-a/the-essence-of-humility-in-step-3-is-acknowledging-and-accepting-our/) [Ray A](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-a/) > [God is an essence that we know nothing of. Until this awful blasphemy is got rid of, there never will be any liberal science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-adams/god-is-an-essence-that-we-know-nothing-of-until-this-awful-blasphemy/) [John Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-adams/) > [In God alone, essence (what He is) and existence (that he is) coincide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avicenna/in-god-alone-essence-what-he-is-and-existence-that-he-is-coincide/) [Avicenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avicenna/) ## More by Richard B. Garnett > [Art achieves all little things by absolute truth: but all her great things need some admixture of illusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/art-achieves-all-little-things-by-absolute-truth-but-all-her-great/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [In the religion of Love the courtesan is a heretic; but the nun is an atheist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/in-the-religion-of-love-the-courtesan-is-a-heretic-but-the-nun-is-an/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [Love is wont to visit Man in the company of Desire; but Woman by himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/love-is-wont-to-visit-man-in-the-company-of-desire-but-woman-by/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [Passion is Love's blind guide, but the only one he hath.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/passion-is-love-s-blind-guide-but-the-only-one-he-hath/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [Were Love exempt from the militations of Necessity, he were greater than God and the World.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/were-love-exempt-from-the-militations-of-necessity-he-were-greater/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [Then is Love blest, when from the cup of the body he drinks the wine of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/then-is-love-blest-when-from-the-cup-of-the-body-he-drinks-the-wine/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [As the bud a leaf, so at last the thought becomes a word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/as-the-bud-a-leaf-so-at-last-the-thought-becomes-a-word/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [Life without Love is as a flower without fragrance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/life-without-love-is-as-a-flower-without-fragrance/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [Every veil secretly desires to be lifted, except the veil of Hypocrisy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/every-veil-secretly-desires-to-be-lifted-except-the-veil-of-hypocrisy/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [Wail not too wildly for expiring Love: The Love that dies was never quite alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/wail-not-too-wildly-for-expiring-love-the-love-that-dies-was-never/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [Thou canst not pray to God without praying to Love, but mayest pray to Love without praying to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/thou-canst-not-pray-to-god-without-praying-to-love-but-mayest-pray-to/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [It is no wonder if Art frequently prefers Illusion to Truth: for Illusion is her servant, but Truth her mistress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/it-is-no-wonder-if-art-frequently-prefers-illusion-to-truth-for/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [If Pity come as Pity, bid her stay; But if in guise of Love, chase her away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/if-pity-come-as-pity-bid-her-stay-but-if-in-guise-of-love-chase-her/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [Trust Love, nor fear to soar upon his track. The wings that bore to Heaven will bear thee back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/trust-love-nor-fear-to-soar-upon-his-track-the-wings-that-bore-to/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) > [The three eldest children of Necessity: God, the World and love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-b-garnett/the-three-eldest-children-of-necessity-god-the-world-and-love/) [Richard B. Garnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) [Explore all 17 Richard B. Garnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-b-garnett/) ## More Attributes quotes > [Lutherans, whose arguments and mistakes will not be difficult to contest or discover, do not want to attribute any value to works, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-servetus/lutherans-whose-arguments-and-mistakes-will-not-be-difficult-to/) [Michael Servetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-servetus/) > [If, for instance, they have heard something from the postman, they attribute it to a semi-official statement; if they have fallen into conversation with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-waugh/if-for-instance-they-have-heard-something-from-the-postman-they/) [Evelyn Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-waugh/) > [The love for all living creatures is the most noble attribute of man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-love-for-all-living-creatures-is-the-most-noble-attribute-of-man/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [I think the greatest imagination we can exercise is one that imagines how someone else feels. Because you know how you feel, but so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-gelbart/i-think-the-greatest-imagination-we-can-exercise-is-one-that-imagines/) [Larry Gelbart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-gelbart/) > [A lover asked his beloved, Do you love yourself more than you love me? Beloved replied, I have died to myself and I live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-lover-asked-his-beloved-do-you-love-yourself-more-than-you-love-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One of the greatest attributes of jazz, I think, is that it is that open.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/one-of-the-greatest-attributes-of-jazz-i-think-is-that-it-is-that-open/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [God is compassionate and just, loving and holy, wrathful and forgiving. WE can't sideline His more difficult attributes to make room for the palatable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-chan/god-is-compassionate-and-just-loving-and-holy-wrathful-and-forgiving/) [Francis Chan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-chan/) > [I'm Irish and always will be, but America has taught me so much. Maybe it's here in the U.S. that we find a healing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fionnula-flanagan/i-m-irish-and-always-will-be-but-america-has-taught-me-so-much-maybe/) [Fionnula Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fionnula-flanagan/) > [“It is this spirit of godliness that will bring forth the attributes, the principles and the life style of godliness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/it-is-this-spirit-of-godliness-that-will-bring-forth-the-attributes/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [My Calvinism persuades me that we are open to God, in the sense that we are not delimited, not organisms with fixed attributes in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/my-calvinism-persuades-me-that-we-are-open-to-god-in-the-sense-that/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [A pivotal spiritual attribute is that of self-mastery-th e strength to place reason over appetite. 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