--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sense of sin may be often great, and more…" description: "\"Sense of sin may be often great, and more felt than grace; yet not be more than grace. A man feels the ache of his finger more sensibly than the health..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/thomas-adams-13989_ache_sense-of-sin-may-be-often-great-and-more_1940978.jpg" --- # Sense of sin may be often great, and more felt than grace… ![“Sense of sin may be often great, and more felt than grace; yet not be more than grace. A man feels the ache of his finger more sensibly than the health of his whole body; yet he knows that the ache of a finger is nothing so much as the health of the whole body.” quote by Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/thomas-adams-13989_ache_sense-of-sin-may-be-often-great-and-more_1940978.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/thomas-adams-13989_ache_sense-of-sin-may-be-often-great-and-more_1940978.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/thomas-adams-13989_ache_sense-of-sin-may-be-often-great-and-more_1940978.jpg) > “Sense of sin may be often great, and more felt than grace; yet not be more than grace. A man feels the ache of his finger more sensibly than the health of his whole body; yet he knows that the ache of a finger is nothing so much as the health of the whole body.” [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Great sin feels intense, yet true grace surpasses it; bodily health is less apparent than the subtle ache of a finger, symbolizing deeper spiritual health over superficial sensations. **In simple terms:** Grace outweighs sin. Key Takeaway Seek deeper spiritual health. Themes spirituality sin grace Mood contemplative serious Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal reflection - spiritual practice - ethical decisions Key Concepts theology philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize true grace? - What distinguishes superficial pain from deeper health? A Different Perspective Spiritual concepts can be abstract. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/health/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) ## Related quotes > [“When the desire to get rid of the sensory symptoms of sin so that one can live a life of peace and safety is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/when-the-desire-to-get-rid-of-the-sensory-symptoms-of-sin-so-that-one/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [The Communists offer one precious, fatal boon: they take away the sense of sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-kempton/the-communists-offer-one-precious-fatal-boon-they-take-away-the-sense/) [Murray Kempton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-kempton/) > [The man who suffers from a sense of sin is suffering from a particular kind of self-love. In all this vast universe the thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/the-man-who-suffers-from-a-sense-of-sin-is-suffering-from-a/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Those of us who were brought up as Christians and have lost our faith have retained the sense of sin without the saving belief…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/those-of-us-who-were-brought-up-as-christians-and-have-lost-our-faith/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [“I cannot help feeling that the final explanation of the state of the Church today is a defective sense of sin and it defective…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-martyn-lloyd-jones/i-cannot-help-feeling-that-the-final-explanation-of-the-state-of-the/) [D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-martyn-lloyd-jones/) > [“But even when a man has offended against his own rational code, I doubt whether a sense of sin is the best method of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/but-even-when-a-man-has-offended-against-his-own-rational-code-i/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Sin is cruelty and injustice, all else is peccadillo. Oh, a sense of sin comes from violating the customs of your tribe. But breaking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/sin-is-cruelty-and-injustice-all-else-is-peccadillo-oh-a-sense-of-sin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [It is because of the hasty and superficial conversation with God that the sense of sin is so weak and that no motives have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/it-is-because-of-the-hasty-and-superficial-conversation-with-god-that/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [To have a sense of sin means to feel guilty at there being an ethical choice to make, a guilt which, however "good" I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/to-have-a-sense-of-sin-means-to-feel-guilty-at-there-being-an-ethical/) [W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/) > [“There are many men who never know much of their vileness till after the blood of Christ has been sprinkled on their consciences, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spurgeon/there-are-many-men-who-never-know-much-of-their-vileness-till-after/) Spurgeon > [The word ‘sin’ is derived from the Indo-European root ‘es-,’ meaning ‘to be.’ When I discovered this etymology, I intuitively understood that for a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-daly/the-word-sin-is-derived-from-the-indo-european-root-es-meaning-to-be/) [Mary Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-daly/) > [In a world that has lost a sense of sin, one sin remains: Thou shalt not make people feel guilty (except, of course, about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-west/in-a-world-that-has-lost-a-sense-of-sin-one-sin-remains-thou-shalt/) [Christopher West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-west/) > [A recovery of the old sense of sin is essential to Christianity. Christ takes it for granted that men are bad. Until we really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-s-lewis/a-recovery-of-the-old-sense-of-sin-is-essential-to-christianity/) [C. S. Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-s-lewis/) > [“He felt for the first moment as a man feels when, having suddenly received a violent blow from behind, he turns round, angry and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-felt-for-the-first-moment-as-a-man-feels-when-having-suddenly/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Everybody, no matter what is happening around them, deserves the kind of love that man feels for you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-l-armentrout/everybody-no-matter-what-is-happening-around-them-deserves-the-kind/) [Jennifer L. Armentrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-l-armentrout/) ## More by Thomas Adams > [The Bible is to us what the star was to the wise men; but if we spend all our time in gazing upon it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/the-bible-is-to-us-what-the-star-was-to-the-wise-men-but-if-we-spend/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [Ever tell me of a humble heart where I see a stubborn knee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/ever-tell-me-of-a-humble-heart-where-i-see-a-stubborn-knee/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [Conscience is God's deputy in the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/conscience-is-god-s-deputy-in-the-soul/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [The hypocrite, certainly, is a secret atheist; for if he did believe there was a God, he durst not be so bold as to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/the-hypocrite-certainly-is-a-secret-atheist-for-if-he-did-believe/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [The covetous man pines in plenty, like Tantalus up to the chin in water, and yet thirsty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/the-covetous-man-pines-in-plenty-like-tantalus-up-to-the-chin-in/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [The ambitious climb high and perilous stairs, and never care how to come down; the desire of rising hath swallowed up their fear of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/the-ambitious-climb-high-and-perilous-stairs-and-never-care-how-to/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [Blessed be God, I not only begin praying when I kneel down, but I do not leave off praying when I rise up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/blessed-be-god-i-not-only-begin-praying-when-i-kneel-down-but-i-do/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [A man may be so bold of his predestination, that he forget his conversation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/a-man-may-be-so-bold-of-his-predestination-that-he-forget-his/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [Even the tired horse, when he comes near home, mends pace: be good always, without weariness, but best at last; that the nearer thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/even-the-tired-horse-when-he-comes-near-home-mends-pace-be-good/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [The devil makes his Christmas-pie of lawyers' tongues and clerks' fingers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/the-devil-makes-his-christmas-pie-of-lawyers-tongues-and-clerks/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [If thou wilt fly from God, the devil will lend thee both spurs and a horse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/if-thou-wilt-fly-from-god-the-devil-will-lend-thee-both-spurs-and-a/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [Better a holy discord than a profane concord.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/better-a-holy-discord-than-a-profane-concord/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [There is no coming to heaven with dry eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/there-is-no-coming-to-heaven-with-dry-eyes/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [The covetous man is like a camel with a great hunch on his back; heaven's gate must be made Higher and broader, or he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/the-covetous-man-is-like-a-camel-with-a-great-hunch-on-his-back/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) > [Plan the town, if you like; but in doing it do not forget that you have got to spread the people. Make wider roads,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/plan-the-town-if-you-like-but-in-doing-it-do-not-forget-that-you-have/) [Thomas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) [Explore all 48 Thomas Adams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/) ## More Ache quotes > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [When we went into the ocean, I watched his body as he dove into the waves, and it gave me a feeling in my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-krauss/when-we-went-into-the-ocean-i-watched-his-body-as-he-dove-into-the/) [Nicole Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-krauss/) > [A woman who lives with the stress of an overwhelmed schedule will often ache with the sadness of an underwhelmed soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lysa-terkeurst/a-woman-who-lives-with-the-stress-of-an-overwhelmed-schedule-will/) [Lysa TerKeurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lysa-terkeurst/) > [I ache for the touch of your lips dear, but much more for the touch of your whips dear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lehrer/i-ache-for-the-touch-of-your-lips-dear-but-much-more-for-the-touch-of/) [Tom Lehrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lehrer/) > [I was not wounded in any part of my body, but I had never experienced such intense pain, such a ripping of the nerves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yann-martel/i-was-not-wounded-in-any-part-of-my-body-but-i-had-never-experienced/) [Yann Martel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yann-martel/) > [And the flavor of Pippa's kiss--bittersweet and strange--stayed with me all the way back uptown, swaying and sleepy as I sailed home on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-tartt/and-the-flavor-of-pippa-s-kiss-bittersweet-and-strange-stayed-with-me/) [Donna Tartt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-tartt/) > [They are enthusiasts, devotees. Addicts. Something about the circus stirs their souls, and they ache for it when it is absent. They seek each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-morgenstern/they-are-enthusiasts-devotees-addicts-something-about-the-circus/) [Erin Morgenstern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-morgenstern/) > [as we acquire new aches and new pains, our health care is, of necessity, being supplied by internists, cardiologists, dermatologists, podiatrists, urologists, periodontists, gynecologists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-viorst/as-we-acquire-new-aches-and-new-pains-our-health-care-is-of-necessity/) [Judith Viorst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-viorst/) > [Jamie enjoyed solitude, but loneliness was a constant ache.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-sheldon/jamie-enjoyed-solitude-but-loneliness-was-a-constant-ache/) [Sidney Sheldon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-sheldon/) > [Some men make money not for the sake of living, but ache In the blindness of greed and live just for their fortune's sake.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juvenal/some-men-make-money-not-for-the-sake-of-living-but-ache-in-the/) [Juvenal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juvenal/) > [Staring at her face, she began to fancy her outer layer had begun to melt away while she wasn't paying attention, and something --…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laini-taylor/staring-at-her-face-she-began-to-fancy-her-outer-layer-had-begun-to/) [Laini Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laini-taylor/) > [O thou beautiful And unimaginable ether! and Ye multiplying masses of increased And still increasing lights! what are ye? what Is this blue wilderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/o-thou-beautiful-and-unimaginable-ether-and-ye-multiplying-masses-of/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [An emotion is a thought, yes, an idea, but it is also a sensation, an ache in your body. Desire, love, hate, fear, repulsion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-landay/an-emotion-is-a-thought-yes-an-idea-but-it-is-also-a-sensation-an/) [William Landay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-landay/) > [He that sleeps feels not the tooth-ache](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/he-that-sleeps-feels-not-the-tooth-ache/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I will live this day as if it is my last. …I will waste not a moment mourning yesterday’s misfortunes, Yesterday’s defeats, yesterday’s aches…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/i-will-live-this-day-as-if-it-is-my-last-i-will-waste-not-a-moment/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) Browse all 489 Ache quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sense of sin may be often great, and more felt than grace; yet not be more than grace. A man feels the ache of his finger more sensibly than the health of his whole body; yet he knows that the ache of a finger is nothing so much as the health of the whole body.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Adams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/sense-of-sin-may-be-often-great-and-more-felt-than-grace-yet-not-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ache" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/sense-of-sin-may-be-often-great-and-more-felt-than-grace-yet-not-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/thomas-adams-13989_ache_sense-of-sin-may-be-often-great-and-more_1940978.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/thomas-adams-13989_ache_sense-of-sin-may-be-often-great-and-more_1940978.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/652/thomas-adams-13989_ache_sense-of-sin-may-be-often-great-and-more_1940978.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sense of sin may be often great, and more felt than grace; yet not be more than grace. A man feels the ache…” — Thomas Adams", "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": "Thomas Adams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-adams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Sense of sin may be often...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/sense-of-sin-may-be-often-great-and-more-felt-than-grace-yet-not-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-adams/sense-of-sin-may-be-often-great-and-more-felt-than-grace-yet-not-be/#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 } } ] } ```