--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A lost sheep is, for all practical…" description: "\"A lost sheep is, for all practical purposes a dead sheep. It is the admission that we are dead in our sins---that we have no power of ourselves either ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/robert-farrar-capon-4404_admission_a-lost-sheep-is-for-all-practical-purpos_3013847.png" --- # A lost sheep is, for all practical purposes a dead sheep… ![“A lost sheep is, for all practical purposes a dead sheep. It is the admission that we are dead in our sins---that we have no power of ourselves either to save ourselves or to convince anyone else that we are worth saving. It is the recognition that our whole life is out of our hands and that if we…” quote by Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/robert-farrar-capon-4404_admission_a-lost-sheep-is-for-all-practical-purpos_3013847.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/robert-farrar-capon-4404_admission_a-lost-sheep-is-for-all-practical-purpos_3013847.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97d/robert-farrar-capon-4404_admission_a-lost-sheep-is-for-all-practical-purpos_3013847.png) > “A lost sheep is, for all practical purposes a dead sheep. It is the admission that we are dead in our sins---that we have no power of ourselves either to save ourselves or to convince anyone else that we are worth saving. It is the recognition that our whole life is out of our hands and that if we ever live again, our life will be entirely the gift of some gracious shepherd. God finds us the desert of death (not in the garden of improvement) and in the power of Jesus' resurrection, he puts us on his shoulders rejoicing and brings us home.” [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human sinfulness leaves us powerless, needing divine grace for salvation and new life. **In simple terms:** We are dead in sin and need God’s help. Key Takeaway Seek divine grace, not self‑reliance. Themes sin grace salvation dependence Mood reflective hopeful Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - spiritual awakening - faith renewal Key Concepts theology spiritual surrender Questions to Reflect On - How can you recognize your need for grace? - What does surrender look like in daily life? A Different Perspective Human effort alone cannot overcome sin. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Admission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admission/) [Convince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/convince/) [Dead Sheep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dead-sheep-1478847/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Desert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desert/) [Garden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/garden/) [Gracious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gracious/) [Hands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hands/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Improvement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvement/) [Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus/) [Jesus resurrection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-resurrection/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Lion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lion/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Lost Sheep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-sheep-398534/) [Our lives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-lives/) [Practicals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practicals/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Recognition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/recognition/) [Rejoice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rejoice/) [Resurrection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/resurrection/) [Saving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saving/) [Sheep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheep/) [Sheep Admission](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheep-admission-4844455/) [Sheep Practical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sheep-practical-4844454/) [Shepherds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shepherds/) [Shoulders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoulders/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Whole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole/) [Whole life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-life/) ## Related quotes > [“Behind every wolf in sheep's clothing is a trail of dead sheep - rjs”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rassool-jibraeel-snyman/behind-every-wolf-in-sheep-s-clothing-is-a-trail-of-dead-sheep-rjs/) [rassool jibraeel snyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rassool-jibraeel-snyman/) > [Part of the American myth is that people who are handed the skin of a dead sheep at graduating time think that it will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mason-brown/part-of-the-american-myth-is-that-people-who-are-handed-the-skin-of-a/) [John Mason Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mason-brown/) > [Being attacked by him is like being savaged by a dead sheep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-healey/being-attacked-by-him-is-like-being-savaged-by-a-dead-sheep/) [Denis Healey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-healey/) > [“Throughout history, the men competing to shape the future had collected lost sheep to use as pawns in their game, cannon fodder in their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-chercover/throughout-history-the-men-competing-to-shape-the-future-had/) [Sean Chercover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-chercover/) > [Pastors must welcome the lost sheep. Actually, I made a mistake. I said welcome, rather, go out and find them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/pastors-must-welcome-the-lost-sheep-actually-i-made-a-mistake-i-said/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Hunting after happiness is like hunting after a lost sheep in the wilderness--when you find it, the chances are that it is a skeleton.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/hunting-after-happiness-is-like-hunting-after-a-lost-sheep-in-the/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [“Jesus Christ saves the lost sheep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/jesus-christ-saves-the-lost-sheep/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“It is awful to see a lost sheep alone and died in the middle of the dark forest, but it is much more awful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darwin-araman-ergina/it-is-awful-to-see-a-lost-sheep-alone-and-died-in-the-middle-of-the/) [darwin araman ergina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darwin-araman-ergina/) > [“Whoever sins is like a lost sheep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whoever-sins-is-like-a-lost-sheep/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Whoever forsake the Word of GOD, wander like a lost sheep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/whoever-forsake-the-word-of-god-wander-like-a-lost-sheep/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“I'm a lost sheep in a field of worry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-mynatt/i-m-a-lost-sheep-in-a-field-of-worry/) [Will Mynatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-mynatt/) > [“The Parable of the Lost Sheep 10“Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/the-parable-of-the-lost-sheep-10-take-heed-that-you-do-not-despise/) [John C. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-c-maxwell/) > [The resurrection of Jesus Christ was necessary to establish the truth of his mission and put the stamp of all-conquering power on his gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/the-resurrection-of-jesus-christ-was-necessary-to-establish-the-truth/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [Jesus's resurrection is the beginning of God's new project not to snatch people away from earth to heaven but to colonize earth with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/jesus-s-resurrection-is-the-beginning-of-god-s-new-project-not-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-m-morris/the-bodily-resurrection-of-jesus-christ-from-the-dead-is-the-crowning/) [Henry M. Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-m-morris/) ## More by Robert Farrar Capon > [“The Gospel of grace must not be turned into a bait-and-switch offer. It is not one of those airline supersavers in which you read…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/the-gospel-of-grace-must-not-be-turned-into-a-bait-and-switch-offer/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [“Because the creative Word is the eternal contemporary of every moment of the world's existence, the kingdom is catholic in time as well as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/because-the-creative-word-is-the-eternal-contemporary-of-every-moment/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [“Jesus not only revealed himself, he hid himself at the same time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/jesus-not-only-revealed-himself-he-hid-himself-at-the-same-time/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [Salvation is not some felicitous state to which we can lift ourselves by our own bootstraps after the contemplation of sufficiently good examples. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/salvation-is-not-some-felicitous-state-to-which-we-can-lift-ourselves/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [Preachers are stewards whom the Lord has ‘set over his household servants to provide them with food at the proper time.’ After all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/preachers-are-stewards-whom-the-lord-has-set-over-his-household/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [“Both the ferial and the festal cuisine, therefore, must be seen as styles of unabashed eating. Neither attempts to do anything to food other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/both-the-ferial-and-the-festal-cuisine-therefore-must-be-seen-as/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [The shock of unemployment becomes a pathology in its own right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/the-shock-of-unemployment-becomes-a-pathology-in-its-own-right/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [Give us this day our daily taste. Restore to us soups that spoons will not sink in and sauces which are never the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/give-us-this-day-our-daily-taste-restore-to-us-soups-that-spoons-will/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [Older women are like aging strudels - the crust may not be so lovely, but the filling has come at last into its own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/older-women-are-like-aging-strudels-the-crust-may-not-be-so-lovely/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [A good time occurs precisely when we lose track of what time it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/a-good-time-occurs-precisely-when-we-lose-track-of-what-time-it-is/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [“The secular, for all its goodness, does not defend itself very well against mindless and perpetual consumption. It cries out to be offered by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/the-secular-for-all-its-goodness-does-not-defend-itself-very-well/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [The reason for not going out and sinning all you like is the same as the reason for not going out and putting your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/the-reason-for-not-going-out-and-sinning-all-you-like-is-the-same-as/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [“We were never told that it would not hurt, only that nothing would ever finally go wrong; not that it would not often go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/we-were-never-told-that-it-would-not-hurt-only-that-nothing-would/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [The world exists, not for what it means but for what it is. The purpose of mushrooms is to be mushrooms, wine is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/the-world-exists-not-for-what-it-means-but-for-what-it-is-the-purpose/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [It is precisely because no one needs soup, fish, meat, salad, cheese, and dessert at one meal that we so badly need to sit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/it-is-precisely-because-no-one-needs-soup-fish-meat-salad-cheese-and/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) [Explore all 111 Robert Farrar Capon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) ## More Admission quotes > [I wonder how long it would take him to realize I'm right as sin - it's the rest of the world that's wrong. I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-hopkins/i-wonder-how-long-it-would-take-him-to-realize-i-m-right-as-sin-it-s/) [Ellen Hopkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-hopkins/) > [In Hollywood, not to have an analyst is virtually an admission of failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-vanderbilt/in-hollywood-not-to-have-an-analyst-is-virtually-an-admission-of/) [Amy Vanderbilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-vanderbilt/) > [Pride is an admission of weakness; it secretly fears all competition and dreads all rivals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/pride-is-an-admission-of-weakness-it-secretly-fears-all-competition/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [Do you trust me? The question is usually asked before an admission that such trust is misplaced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-j-watson/do-you-trust-me-the-question-is-usually-asked-before-an-admission/) [S.J. Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-j-watson/) > [Strong men don't compromise, it is said, and principles should never be compromised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-carnegie/strong-men-don-t-compromise-it-is-said-and-principles-should-never-be/) [Andrew Carnegie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-carnegie/) > [Silly ideas, worth the admission price in smiles, but they're true. Is high-energy physics interesting because it's true or because it's crazy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/silly-ideas-worth-the-admission-price-in-smiles-but-they-re-true-is/) [Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/) > [He's the kind of player that is worth the price of admission.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-feaster/he-s-the-kind-of-player-that-is-worth-the-price-of-admission/) [Jay Feaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-feaster/) > [However, I had a chance encounter with an admissions officer of Stevens Institute of Technology, who so impressed me by his erudition and enthusiasm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-reines/however-i-had-a-chance-encounter-with-an-admissions-officer-of/) [Frederick Reines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-reines/) > [African American children can't be educationally disadvantaged for 12 years and then experience a miracle cure when it comes time for admission into college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaka-fattah/african-american-children-can-t-be-educationally-disadvantaged-for-12/) [Chaka Fattah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaka-fattah/) > [The interval allowed was only five minutes, at the end of which I resumed the lecture; but so refreshing was the effects of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-combe/the-interval-allowed-was-only-five-minutes-at-the-end-of-which-i/) [George Combe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-combe/) > [Look around. Take the tour. Fear hangs on the wall and shame sometimes. Emotional dislocation too. But I am brave in my admission. Are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-grimes/look-around-take-the-tour-fear-hangs-on-the-wall-and-shame-sometimes/) [Nikki Grimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-grimes/) > [We hear much nowadays as to the speculative ideas of men concerning the condition beyond the grave; but the admission that there is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-e-talmage/we-hear-much-nowadays-as-to-the-speculative-ideas-of-men-concerning/) [James E. Talmage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-e-talmage/) > [A full and candid admission of one's mistakes should make proof against its repetition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-full-and-candid-admission-of-one-s-mistakes-should-make-proof/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [In poor environment, I find great inspiration. Many of the men and women whom I admire as artists, the things they write, the songs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/in-poor-environment-i-find-great-inspiration-many-of-the-men-and/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [I like to pretend that I'm a tough guy. It's kind of an admission of defeat if I have to ask for help -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-louise-parker/i-like-to-pretend-that-i-m-a-tough-guy-it-s-kind-of-an-admission-of/) [Mary-Louise Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-louise-parker/) [Browse all 242 Admission quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/admission/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A lost sheep is, for all practical purposes a dead sheep. It is the admission that we are dead in our sins---that we have no power of ourselves either to save ourselves or to convince anyone else that we are worth saving. 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