--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He had a pre-existence as a saving Being…" description: "\"“He had a pre-existence as a saving Being, it was necessary that what might be saved should also be called into existence, in order that the Being who ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/the-church-fathers-1438_existence_he-had-a-pre-existence-as-a-saving-being_2990843.jpg" --- # He had a pre-existence as a saving Being, it was necessary… ![“He had a pre-existence as a saving Being, it was necessary that what might be saved should also be called into existence, in order that the Being who saves should not exist in vain.” quote by The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/the-church-fathers-1438_existence_he-had-a-pre-existence-as-a-saving-being_2990843.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/the-church-fathers-1438_existence_he-had-a-pre-existence-as-a-saving-being_2990843.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/the-church-fathers-1438_existence_he-had-a-pre-existence-as-a-saving-being_2990843.jpg) > ““He had a pre-existence as a saving Being, it was necessary that what might be saved should also be called into existence, in order that the Being who saves should not exist in vain.”” [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) ## 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 a divine savior must have purposefully created those it saves, giving meaning to its existence. **In simple terms:** A savior exists to save, giving purpose to its actions. Key Takeaway Recognize purpose in actions that benefit others. Themes purpose divinity salvation Mood contemplative spiritual Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - missionary work - counseling - philanthropy - spiritual guidance Key Concepts theology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - What does it mean for a being to exist solely to save? - How does purpose shape identity? A Different Perspective It assumes a specific theological view not shared by all. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Called Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/called-existence-463922/) [Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) [Existence Saving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence-saving-4699681/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Necessary Saved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/necessary-saved-4699680/) [Pre Existence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pre-existence-3153246/) ## Related quotes > [“And for this cause tribulation is necessary for those who are saved, that having been after a manner broken up, and rendered fine, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/and-for-this-cause-tribulation-is-necessary-for-those-who-are-saved/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [The doctrine of pre-existence pours a wonderful flood of light upon the otherwise mysterious problem of man's origin. It shows that man, as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heber-j-grant/the-doctrine-of-pre-existence-pours-a-wonderful-flood-of-light-upon/) [Heber J. Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heber-j-grant/) > [PRE-EXISTENCE, n. An unnoted factor in creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/pre-existence-n-an-unnoted-factor-in-creation/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [This life is only one of a series of lives which our incarnated part has lived. I have little doubt of our having pre-existed;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-george-gordon/this-life-is-only-one-of-a-series-of-lives-which-our-incarnated-part/) [Charles George Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-george-gordon/) > [It is our expression that the flux between that which isn't and that which won't be, or the state that is commonly and absurdly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/it-is-our-expression-that-the-flux-between-that-which-isn-t-and-that-2/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) > [If then it be possible that one contrary should exist, or be called into existence, the other contrary will also appear to be possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/if-then-it-be-possible-that-one-contrary-should-exist-or-be-called/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [“An individual is a complex, indefinable object. And so only the individual possesses something that can without lying be called existence. As the Cynic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/han-ryner/an-individual-is-a-complex-indefinable-object-and-so-only-the/) [Han Ryner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/han-ryner/) > [“It’s a continuum in this soap opera called existence. We’re all just a series of overlapping continuous stories, weaving in and out of people’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/si-n-o-gorman/it-s-a-continuum-in-this-soap-opera-called-existence-we-re-all-just-a/) [Siân O'Gorman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/si-n-o-gorman/) > [“It was a destructive novel of acquired ideas. To finally wake up in a state of creative anguish, to lose oneself in order to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elie-wiesel/it-was-a-destructive-novel-of-acquired-ideas-to-finally-wake-up-in-a/) [Elie Wiesel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elie-wiesel/) > [“It is our expression that the flux between that which isn't and that which won't be, or the state that is commonly and absurdly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-fort/it-is-our-expression-that-the-flux-between-that-which-isn-t-and-that/) [Charles Fort](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-fort/) > [Every click of the cosmic clock brings us closer to the process for which the planet called us into existence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/every-click-of-the-cosmic-clock-brings-us-closer-to-the-process-for/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) ## More by The Church Fathers > [ “both the Mosaic law and the grace of the new covenant, as both fitted for the times \[at which they were given\], were bestowed… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/both-the-mosaic-law-and-the-grace-of-the-new-covenant-as-both-fitted/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [ “the precepts of an absolutely perfect life, since they are the same in each Testament, have pointed out \[to us\] the same God, who… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/the-precepts-of-an-absolutely-perfect-life-since-they-are-the-same-in/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [“God is not as a man.” He thus shows that all men are indeed guilty of falsehood, inasmuch as they change from one thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/god-is-not-as-a-man-he-thus-shows-that-all-men-are-indeed-guilty-of/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [ “Paul in like manner declares, “Love is the fulfilling of the law:” and \[he declares\] that when all other things have been destroyed, there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/paul-in-like-manner-declares-love-is-the-fulfilling-of-the-law-and-he/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [“as then the condemnation of sinners extended to others who approved of them, and joined in their society; so also is it the case…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/as-then-the-condemnation-of-sinners-extended-to-others-who-approved/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [“His only-begotten Word, who is always present with the human race, united to and mingled with His own creation, according to the Father’s pleasure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/his-only-begotten-word-who-is-always-present-with-the-human-race/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [“For there is the one Son, who accomplished His Father’s will; and one human race also in which the mysteries of God are wrought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/for-there-is-the-one-son-who-accomplished-his-father-s-will-and-one/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [ “Mary, having a man betrothed \[to her\], and being nevertheless a virgin, by yielding obedience, become the cause of salvation, both to herself and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/mary-having-a-man-betrothed-to-her-and-being-nevertheless-a-virgin-by/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [“understanding of Christ, which Paul terms the wisdom of God hidden in a mystery, which “the natural man receiveth not,” the doctrine of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/understanding-of-christ-which-paul-terms-the-wisdom-of-god-hidden-in/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [“If, therefore, in the present time also, God, knowing the number of those who will not believe, since He foreknows all things, has given…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/if-therefore-in-the-present-time-also-god-knowing-the-number-of-those/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [“The sea,” he says, “gave up the dead which it had in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead that they contained;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/the-sea-he-says-gave-up-the-dead-which-it-had-in-it-and-death-and/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [“Christ Himself, therefore, together with the Father, is the God of the living, who spake to Moses, and who was also manifested to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/christ-himself-therefore-together-with-the-father-is-the-god-of-the/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [“Those pastors are to be heard to whom the apostles committed the Churches, possessing one and the same doctrine of salvation; the”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/those-pastors-are-to-be-heard-to-whom-the-apostles-committed-the/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [“the friendship of God imparts immortality to those who embrace it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/the-friendship-of-god-imparts-immortality-to-those-who-embrace-it/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) > [“Put away from you all wicked desire, and clothe yourself with good and chaste desire; for clothed with this desire you will hate wicked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/put-away-from-you-all-wicked-desire-and-clothe-yourself-with-good-and/) [The Church Fathers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) [Explore all 241 The Church Fathers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/) ## More Existence quotes > [Getting on the cover of TIME guarantees the existence of opposition in the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/getting-on-the-cover-of-time-guarantees-the-existence-of-opposition/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [A lot of indigenous cultures are deeply involved in working with ancestor spirits, elemental spirits, and demons. Many of these cultures feel that, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-pinchbeck/a-lot-of-indigenous-cultures-are-deeply-involved-in-working-with/) [Daniel Pinchbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-pinchbeck/) > [It does not seem to me to be sufficiently recognized everywhere among the officials that the existence or non-existence of our people and Empire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-von-hindenburg/it-does-not-seem-to-me-to-be-sufficiently-recognized-everywhere-among/) [Paul von Hindenburg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-von-hindenburg/) > [Quantum physics fluctuates all the time. But now the fluctuations are not just particles coming into and out of existence, which happens all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-degrasse-tyson/quantum-physics-fluctuates-all-the-time-but-now-the-fluctuations-are/) [Neil deGrasse Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-degrasse-tyson/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [One of the things I regret about not putting in that book or I think it's there but I didn't really elaborate on it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-warner/one-of-the-things-i-regret-about-not-putting-in-that-book-or-i-think/) [Brad Warner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-warner/) > [My mind rebels at stagnation. Give me problems, give me work, give me the most abstruse cryptogram, or the most intricate analysis, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-conan-doyle/my-mind-rebels-at-stagnation-give-me-problems-give-me-work-give-me/) [Arthur Conan Doyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-conan-doyle/) > [May God bless each of us in our calls to serve. May our faith strengthen as we serve in righteousness, faithfully keeping the commandments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-tom-perry/may-god-bless-each-of-us-in-our-calls-to-serve-may-our-faith/) [L. Tom Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-tom-perry/) > [Never belong to a crowd; Never belong to a nation; Never belong to a religion; Never belong to a race. Belong to the whole…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/never-belong-to-a-crowd-never-belong-to-a-nation-never-belong-to-a/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [Universities are the cathedrals of the modern age. They shouldn't have to justify their existence by utilitarian criteria.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lodge/universities-are-the-cathedrals-of-the-modern-age-they-shouldn-t-have/) [David Lodge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lodge/) > [Just as everybody has the vote including women, I think children should, because as a child is conscious of itself then it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-stein/just-as-everybody-has-the-vote-including-women-i-think-children/) [Gertrude Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-stein/) > [To divide one's life by years is of course to tumble into a trap set by our own arithmetic. The calendar consents to carry…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clifton-fadiman/to-divide-one-s-life-by-years-is-of-course-to-tumble-into-a-trap-set/) [Clifton Fadiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clifton-fadiman/) > [The party in Alobar’s head, which agitation and anxiety were throwing, now was crashed by a notion: existence can be rearranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-party-in-alobar-s-head-which-agitation-and-anxiety-were-throwing/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) [Browse all 7,646 Existence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He had a pre-existence as a saving Being, it was necessary that what might be saved should also be called into existence, in order that the Being who saves should not exist in vain.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "The Church Fathers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/he-had-a-pre-existence-as-a-saving-being-it-was-necessary-that-what/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Existence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/he-had-a-pre-existence-as-a-saving-being-it-was-necessary-that-what/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/the-church-fathers-1438_existence_he-had-a-pre-existence-as-a-saving-being_2990843.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/the-church-fathers-1438_existence_he-had-a-pre-existence-as-a-saving-being_2990843.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e0e/the-church-fathers-1438_existence_he-had-a-pre-existence-as-a-saving-being_2990843.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He had a pre-existence as a saving Being, it was necessary that what might be saved should also be called…” — The Church Fathers", "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": "The Church Fathers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-church-fathers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“He had a pre-existence as a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/he-had-a-pre-existence-as-a-saving-being-it-was-necessary-that-what/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-church-fathers/he-had-a-pre-existence-as-a-saving-being-it-was-necessary-that-what/#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 } } ] } ```