--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can avoid Jesus as Savior by keeping…" description: "\"“You can avoid Jesus as Savior by keeping all the moral laws. If you do that, then you have “rights.” God owes you answered prayers, and a good life, a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bab/timothy-keller-240_answered-prayers_you-can-avoid-jesus-as-savior-by-keeping_2511923.png" --- # You can avoid Jesus as Savior by keeping all the moral… ![“You can avoid Jesus as Savior by keeping all the moral laws. If you do that, then you have “rights.” God owes you answered prayers, and a good life, and a ticket to heaven when you die. You don’t need a Savior who pardons you by free grace, for you are your own Savior.” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bab/timothy-keller-240_answered-prayers_you-can-avoid-jesus-as-savior-by-keeping_2511923.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bab/timothy-keller-240_answered-prayers_you-can-avoid-jesus-as-savior-by-keeping_2511923.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bab/timothy-keller-240_answered-prayers_you-can-avoid-jesus-as-savior-by-keeping_2511923.png) > ““You can avoid Jesus as Savior by keeping all the moral laws. If you do that, then you have “rights.” God owes you answered prayers, and a good life, and a ticket to heaven when you die. You don’t need a Savior who pardons you by free grace, for you are your own Savior.”” [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker argues that moral law obedience replaces the need for a Savior, but true salvation requires grace, not self‑reliance. **In simple terms:** Following laws isn’t enough; you need grace. Key Takeaway Seek grace, not just rule‑following. Themes faith grace law salvation Mood thoughtful serious Type theological inspirational When to use this quote - personal counseling - church teaching - ethical debates Key Concepts theology self‑reliance Questions to Reflect On - Do you rely on rules or grace? - How does grace change moral behavior? A Different Perspective Grace alone may not convince skeptics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Answered prayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answered-prayers/) [Avoid Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avoid-jesus-742011/) [Good life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-life/) [Jesus Savior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jesus-savior-1025345/) [Need Savior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/need-savior-555102/) [Savior](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savior/) [Savior Keeping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/savior-keeping-1165045/) ## Related quotes > [It is possible to avoid Jesus as Savior as much by keeping all the Biblical rules as by breaking them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/it-is-possible-to-avoid-jesus-as-savior-as-much-by-keeping-all-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [My life would not be where I'm at without Jesus. He is the savior of my life, and he is the reason why I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donovin-darius/my-life-would-not-be-where-i-m-at-without-jesus-he-is-the-savior-of/) [Donovin Darius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donovin-darius/) > [I’m in a band. I don’t go to church every Sunday. I love punk rock music. Sometimes I use swear words a lot. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hayley-williams/i-m-in-a-band-i-don-t-go-to-church-every-sunday-i-love-punk-rock/) [Hayley Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hayley-williams/) > [ “In my opinion, we will always be sinners in need of our Savior, Jesus Christ." ~R. Alan Woods \[2007\]” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-alan-woods/in-my-opinion-we-will-always-be-sinners-in-need-of-our-savior-jesus/) [R. Alan Woods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-alan-woods/) > [Ours is not a problem of the intellect but of spiritual poverty. That is why we need a Savior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/ours-is-not-a-problem-of-the-intellect-but-of-spiritual-poverty-that/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [I understand I'm a sinner. I'm not perfect, and I need a Savior, and that I'm not going to make it to Heaven on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-holliday/i-understand-i-m-a-sinner-i-m-not-perfect-and-i-need-a-savior-and/) [Matt Holliday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-holliday/) > [God has given us a gift in Jesus Christ. And people don't understand: it's for our benefit. One of the things that says, "For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/god-has-given-us-a-gift-in-jesus-christ-and-people-don-t-understand/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Before I can call upon Christ as my Savior, I have to understand that I need a savior. I have to understand that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/before-i-can-call-upon-christ-as-my-savior-i-have-to-understand-that/) [R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/) > [We need a Savior. Christmas is an indictment before it becomes a delight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/we-need-a-savior-christmas-is-an-indictment-before-it-becomes-a/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [There are no perfect politicians - just as there are no perfect pastors or voters. We are all sinners in need of a Savior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jeffress/there-are-no-perfect-politicians-just-as-there-are-no-perfect-pastors/) [Robert Jeffress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jeffress/) > [There was already a deep black wordless conviction in him that the way to avoid Jesus was to avoid sin.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/there-was-already-a-deep-black-wordless-conviction-in-him-that-the/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“Whether through an outwardly prideful life of breaking the rules or an inwardly prideful life of keeping the rules, we are people who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-buzzard/whether-through-an-outwardly-prideful-life-of-breaking-the-rules-or/) [Justin Buzzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-buzzard/) > [Jesus means life to me. Jesus is our savior. When I think about Jesus, I think about the sacrifice He made so that we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-peavy/jesus-means-life-to-me-jesus-is-our-savior-when-i-think-about-jesus-i/) [Jake Peavy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-peavy/) > [“Jesus is Lord; we are not. Jesus is King; we are not. Jesus is Savior; we are not. The best part is that this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-bethke/jesus-is-lord-we-are-not-jesus-is-king-we-are-not-jesus-is-savior-we/) [Jefferson Bethke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-bethke/) > [I came to trust in Jesus as my Savior after a two-year personal study of the Bible that convinced me that Scripture is free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-ross/i-came-to-trust-in-jesus-as-my-savior-after-a-two-year-personal-study/) [Hugh Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-ross/) ## More by Timothy Keller > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-more-you-rejoice-in-your-own-forgiveness-the-quicker-you-will-be/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Evangelism will come organically in friendship if we don’t let our pride, fears, and pessimism cause us to hide our faith and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/evangelism-will-come-organically-in-friendship-if-we-don-t-let-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“The coming of the messianic King occurs in two stages. At his first coming, he saved us from the penalty of sin and gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-coming-of-the-messianic-king-occurs-in-two-stages-at-his-first/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: \[Alexis de\] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the-following-alexis-de/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-stay-away-from-christianity-because-part-of-the-bible-s-teaching/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-the-preaching-of-our-ministers-and-the-practice-of-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“of temple, presence, and sacrifice; of covenant and faithfulness; of kingdom and victory. When we seek to communicate the gospel to a particular culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/of-temple-presence-and-sacrifice-of-covenant-and-faithfulness-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Finally, you are ready to launch your church. Begin by developing action steps and goals that can be used as benchmarks to track your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/finally-you-are-ready-to-launch-your-church-begin-by-developing/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you are a child of God, you don’t lose your status if you have a bad week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-a-child-of-god-you-don-t-lose-your-status-if-you-have-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-salvation-does-not-come-in-response-to-a-changed-life-a-changed/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Suffering is the stripping of our hope in finite things, therefore we do not put our ultimate hope in anything finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/suffering-is-the-stripping-of-our-hope-in-finite-things-therefore-we/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Christ will do everything for you or nothing. He's either all of your righteousness or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/christ-will-do-everything-for-you-or-nothing-he-s-either-all-of-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If we give God things in hope that they'll earn us blessings, we're really not doing anything for him. It's for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-give-god-things-in-hope-that-they-ll-earn-us-blessings-we-re/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Explore all 843 Timothy Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More Answered prayers quotes > [“Dear Lord, thank You for answered prayers and humans who do Your work here on earth. Please send Your comfort to all the animals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guideposts/dear-lord-thank-you-for-answered-prayers-and-humans-who-do-your-work/) [Guideposts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guideposts/) > [The third petition of the Lord's Prayer is repeated daily by millions who have not the slightest intention of letting anyone's will be done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-third-petition-of-the-lord-s-prayer-is-repeated-daily-by-millions/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [Our Lord never referred to unanswered prayer. He taught that prayers are always answered: “Everyone who asks receives”. And He implied that prayers are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/our-lord-never-referred-to-unanswered-prayer-he-taught-that-prayers/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [Today, Jesus stands ready to hear your cry and to answer prayer for you. He is interested in every detail of your life. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-kuhlman/today-jesus-stands-ready-to-hear-your-cry-and-to-answer-prayer-for/) [Kathryn Kuhlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-kuhlman/) > [Never have false hope for granted wishes, but always have true faith in answered prayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/never-have-false-hope-for-granted-wishes-but-always-have-true-faith/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is a general kind of praying which fails for lack of precision. It is as if a regiment of soldiers should all fire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-is-a-general-kind-of-praying-which-fails-for-lack-of-precision/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [Delays are as much a part of God plan as answered prayers. God wants you to trust him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/delays-are-as-much-a-part-of-god-plan-as-answered-prayers-god-wants/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [The history of missions is the history of answered prayer. It is the key to the whole mission problem. All human means are secondary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-marinus-zwemer/the-history-of-missions-is-the-history-of-answered-prayer-it-is-the/) [Samuel Marinus Zwemer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-marinus-zwemer/) > [On the ground of our own goodness we cannot expect to have our prayers answered. But Jesus is worthy, and for His sake we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-muller/on-the-ground-of-our-own-goodness-we-cannot-expect-to-have-our/) [George Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-muller/) > [“May God overflow your life with bountiful blessings of grace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/may-god-overflow-your-life-with-bountiful-blessings-of-grace/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Some of God's greatest gifts are unanswered prayers, there aren't any that go 'unanswered.' His silence speaks volumes if you're listening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/some-of-god-s-greatest-gifts-are-unanswered-prayers-there-aren-t-any/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Prayer is not so much an act as it is an attitude - an attitude of dependency, dependency upon God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/prayer-is-not-so-much-an-act-as-it-is-an-attitude-an-attitude-of/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [The story of every great Christian achievement is the history of answered prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-mckendree-bounds/the-story-of-every-great-christian-achievement-is-the-history-of/) [Edward McKendree Bounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-mckendree-bounds/) > [God has not always answered my prayers. If He had, I would have married the wrong man -- several times!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-graham/god-has-not-always-answered-my-prayers-if-he-had-i-would-have-married/) [Ruth Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-graham/) > [Often a healing takes place in ourselves as we pray for the healing of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-e-debakey/often-a-healing-takes-place-in-ourselves-as-we-pray-for-the-healing/) [Michael E. DeBakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-e-debakey/) [Browse all 132 Answered prayers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answered-prayers/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“You can avoid Jesus as Savior by keeping all the moral laws. If you do that, then you have “rights.” God owes you answered prayers, and a good life, and a ticket to heaven when you die. 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