--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We ourselves, though we're guilty of…" description: "\"We ourselves, though we're guilty of every sin, are not just a work of God: we're image. Yet we have cut ourselves off from our Creator in both soul an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2df/tertullian-3469_allies_we-ourselves-though-we-re-guilty-of-ever_1679164.png" --- # We ourselves, though we're guilty of every sin, are not… ![“We ourselves, though we're guilty of every sin, are not just a work of God: we're image. Yet we have cut ourselves off from our Creator in both soul and body. Did we get eyes to serve lust, the tongue to speak evil, ears to hear evil, a throat for gluttony, a stomach to be gluttony's ally, hands…” quote by Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2df/tertullian-3469_allies_we-ourselves-though-we-re-guilty-of-ever_1679164.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2df/tertullian-3469_allies_we-ourselves-though-we-re-guilty-of-ever_1679164.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2df/tertullian-3469_allies_we-ourselves-though-we-re-guilty-of-ever_1679164.png) > “We ourselves, though we're guilty of every sin, are not just a work of God: we're image. Yet we have cut ourselves off from our Creator in both soul and body. Did we get eyes to serve lust, the tongue to speak evil, ears to hear evil, a throat for gluttony, a stomach to be gluttony's ally, hands to do violence, genitals for unchaste excesses, feet for an erring life? Was the soul put in the body to think up traps, fraud, and injustice? I don't think so.” [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Human bodies are designed for good, but we misuse senses for vice, separating from God. **In simple terms:** We misuse our bodies for harmful purposes, drifting from our creator. Key Takeaway Recognize and align your senses with higher purpose. Themes spirituality human nature morality self‑control Mood contemplative serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - ethical decision‑making - spiritual practice Key Concepts sin free will creation Questions to Reflect On - How do your senses lead you toward or away from virtue? - What steps can restore alignment with your creator? A Different Perspective Even with divine design, temptation and social influence can derail virtue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Allies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allies/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Creator](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/creator/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Excess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/excess/) [Fraud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fraud/) [Gluttony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gluttony/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Injustice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/injustice/) [Lust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lust/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Soul and body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul-and-body/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [The soul and body are joint-sharers in every thing they get: A man cannot dress, but his ideas get cloath'd at the same time;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/the-soul-and-body-are-joint-sharers-in-every-thing-they-get-a-man/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [For it is unknown what is the real nature of the soul, whether it be born with the bodily frame or be infused at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/for-it-is-unknown-what-is-the-real-nature-of-the-soul-whether-it-be/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [Soul and body, I suggest react sympathetically upon each other. A change in the state of the soul produces a change in the shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/soul-and-body-i-suggest-react-sympathetically-upon-each-other-a/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It is good reason, that man consisting of two parts, the soul and body, the body only should not take up all, but the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lancelot-andrewes/it-is-good-reason-that-man-consisting-of-two-parts-the-soul-and-body/) [Lancelot Andrewes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lancelot-andrewes/) > [Undeniably, we were on God's side in World War II and the Cold War. But were we ourselves without sin in those just struggles?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-buchanan/undeniably-we-were-on-god-s-side-in-world-war-ii-and-the-cold-war-but/) [Pat Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-buchanan/) > [“God did create a world without sin. We just screwed it up.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wesley-miller/god-did-create-a-world-without-sin-we-just-screwed-it-up/) Wesley Miller > [Because sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/because-sin-is-not-just-breaking-the-rules-it-is-putting-yourself-in/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Sin is not just action. It's life direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-driscoll/sin-is-not-just-action-it-s-life-direction/) [Mark Driscoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-driscoll/) > [Sex before marriage is a sin is just a polite way of saying kids are not allowed to attend their parents' wedding!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vitamin-t-dikotla/sex-before-marriage-is-a-sin-is-just-a-polite-way-of-saying-kids-are/) Vitamin T Dikotla > [“The word "sin" is just a way for a person not to take responsibility for their "bad" actions; actions that might not necessarily be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menna-anwar/the-word-sin-is-just-a-way-for-a-person-not-to-take-responsibility/) Menna Anwar > [Materialism sets us free from sin-by proving that there is no such thing as sin. There's just antisocial behavior, which we can control with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-e-johnson/materialism-sets-us-free-from-sin-by-proving-that-there-is-no-such/) [Phillip E. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-e-johnson/) > [“They told me that nothing was a sin, just a poor life choice. Poor impulse control. That nothing is evil. Any concept of right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/they-told-me-that-nothing-was-a-sin-just-a-poor-life-choice-poor/) [chuck palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Jesus did not die just to save us from the penalty of sin, nor even just to make us holy in our standing before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-bridges/jesus-did-not-die-just-to-save-us-from-the-penalty-of-sin-nor-even/) [Jerry Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-bridges/) > [For sin is just this, what man cannot by its very nature do with his whole being; it is possible to silence the conflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/for-sin-is-just-this-what-man-cannot-by-its-very-nature-do-with-his/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [Sin is not just breaking the rules, it is putting yourself in the place of God as Savior, Lord, and Judge… There are two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/sin-is-not-just-breaking-the-rules-it-is-putting-yourself-in-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More by Tertullian > [The soul whose bosom lust did never touch Is God's fair bride; and maiden's souls are such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/the-soul-whose-bosom-lust-did-never-touch-is-god-s-fair-bride-and/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [You can't undo anything you've already done, but you can face up to it. You can tell the truth. You can seek forgiveness. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/you-can-t-undo-anything-you-ve-already-done-but-you-can-face-up-to-it/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [Indeed it is better to postpone, lest either we complete too little by hurrying, or wander too long in completing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/indeed-it-is-better-to-postpone-lest-either-we-complete-too-little-by/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [A man becomes a Christian, he is not born one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/a-man-becomes-a-christian-he-is-not-born-one/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [The Word, then, the Christ, is the cause both of our ancient beginning, for lie was in God, and of our well-being. And now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/the-word-then-the-christ-is-the-cause-both-of-our-ancient-beginning/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [But now inquiry is being made concerning these issues. First, can any believer enlist in the military? Second, can any soldier, even those of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/but-now-inquiry-is-being-made-concerning-these-issues-first-can-any/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [Let women paint their eyes with tints of chastity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/let-women-paint-their-eyes-with-tints-of-chastity/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/the-blood-of-the-martyrs-is-the-seed-of-the-church/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [It is certainly no part of religion to compel religion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/it-is-certainly-no-part-of-religion-to-compel-religion/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [Now then, you dogs, whom the apostle puts outside and who yelp at the God of truth, let us come to your various questions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/now-then-you-dogs-whom-the-apostle-puts-outside-and-who-yelp-at-the/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [Hope is patience with the lamp lit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/hope-is-patience-with-the-lamp-lit/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [What has Athens to do with Jerusalem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/what-has-athens-to-do-with-jerusalem/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [God the Father's a deep root; the Son's the shoot that breaks into the world; the Spirit spreads the beauty & fragrance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/god-the-father-s-a-deep-root-the-son-s-the-shoot-that-breaks-into-the/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [The nature of rumor is known to all](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/the-nature-of-rumor-is-known-to-all/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) > [Prevention of birth is premature murder, and it makes no difference whether it is a life already born that one snatches away or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tertullian/prevention-of-birth-is-premature-murder-and-it-makes-no-difference/) [Tertullian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) [Explore all 130 Tertullian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tertullian/) ## More Allies quotes > [I genuinely did not expect more than half our nation to choose to walk away from our long-term allies into the arms of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-reade/i-genuinely-did-not-expect-more-than-half-our-nation-to-choose-to/) Brian Reade > [If the women in the factories stopped work for twenty minutes, the Allies would lose the war.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-joffre/if-the-women-in-the-factories-stopped-work-for-twenty-minutes-the/) Joseph Joffre > [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-japan-is-concerned-i-want-to-help-all-of-our-allies-but-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [ No wonder that Churchill described this effort \[the British codebreakers working at Bletchley Park\] as "Britian"s secret weapon," a weapon far more effective than… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-hilton/no-wonder-that-churchill-described-this-effort-the-british/) [Peter Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-hilton/) > [One of our great allies at present is the Church itself. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean the Church as we see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/one-of-our-great-allies-at-present-is-the-church-itself-do-not/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [Our security depends on having good relationships with our allies. Donald Trump mainly shows contempt for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wolfowitz/our-security-depends-on-having-good-relationships-with-our-allies/) [Paul Wolfowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wolfowitz/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What would your life be like if your body were your friend and ally?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christiane-northrup/what-would-your-life-be-like-if-your-body-were-your-friend-and-ally/) [Christiane Northrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christiane-northrup/) > [“Bacteria and viruses were the most effective allies.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-hughes-galeano/bacteria-and-viruses-were-the-most-effective-allies/) [Eduardo Hughes Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-hughes-galeano/) > [When black women are down with you and in your corner, you have an ally that will move Heaven and Earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyler-perry/when-black-women-are-down-with-you-and-in-your-corner-you-have-an/) [Tyler Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyler-perry/) > [There is an irreplaceable ally. It's called the United States of America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-netanyahu/there-is-an-irreplaceable-ally-it-s-called-the-united-states-of/) [Benjamin Netanyahu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-netanyahu/) > [It would have been easier to fight alone with inadequate forces than to have to accept...responsibility for our ally's lack of fighting qualities and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-kesselring/it-would-have-been-easier-to-fight-alone-with-inadequate-forces-than/) [Albert Kesselring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-kesselring/) > [It isn't until you begin to fight in your own cause that you become really committed to winning and become a genuine ally of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-morgan/it-isn-t-until-you-begin-to-fight-in-your-own-cause-that-you-become/) [Robin Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-morgan/) > [ Again, I hear almost everyday from atheists who write off religion as primitive, premodern nonsense. I summon Aquinas, Augustine, Paul \[of Tarsus\], Teresa of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-barron/again-i-hear-almost-everyday-from-atheists-who-write-off-religion-as/) [Robert Barron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-barron/) > [My own take on the word "transgender" is that it's an umbrella term for anyone who breaks any rules, laws, guidelines or protocol of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-bornstein/my-own-take-on-the-word-transgender-is-that-it-s-an-umbrella-term-for/) [Kate Bornstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-bornstein/) [Browse all 1,053 Allies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/allies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We ourselves, though we're guilty of every sin, are not just a work of God: we're image. Yet we have cut ourselves off from our Creator in both soul and body. 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