---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you were good enough, there would be…"
description: "\"If you were good enough, there would be no need of confessing Christ at all. It is just because you are not good enough, that Christ says to you, \"Foll..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/washington-gladden-33869_believe_if-you-were-good-enough-there-would-be-n_794897.png"
---

#  If you were good enough, there would be no need of…

![“If you were good enough, there would be no need of confessing Christ at all. It is just because you are not good enough, that Christ says to you, "Follow me." He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. It is not the perfect people whom He wants in His church, but those who have…” quote by Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/washington-gladden-33869_believe_if-you-were-good-enough-there-would-be-n_794897.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/washington-gladden-33869_believe_if-you-were-good-enough-there-would-be-n_794897.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/washington-gladden-33869_believe_if-you-were-good-enough-there-would-be-n_794897.png)

> “If you were good enough, there would be no need of confessing Christ at all. It is just because you are not good enough, that Christ says to you, "Follow me." He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. It is not the perfect people whom He wants in His church, but those who have a deep sense of their own imperfection, and who believe that His strength is made perfect in weakness.”

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

## 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 emphasizes that Christ invites those who recognize their own inadequacy, not the self‑righteous, to rely on His strength through humility.

**In simple terms:** Christ calls the humble, not the perfect.

Key Takeaway

Embrace humility and seek Christ’s strength.

Themes

humility faith repentance grace

Mood

reflective hopeful

Type

spiritual inspirational

When to use this quote

- personal confession
- church community
- spiritual counseling
- mission work

Key Concepts

Christian doctrine theology of weakness spiritual dependence

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you see your flaws as barriers or gateways?
- How does humility shape your relationship with God?

A Different Perspective

It may overlook the value of personal growth and responsibility.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christ/) [Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/church/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Imperfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imperfection/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Perfect people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfect-people/) [Repentance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repentance/) [Righteous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/righteous/) [Weakness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/weakness/)

## Related quotes

> [Church is not just about Sunday morning; you need to get this. This confessing, this joining together, can't all happen on Sunday morning. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/church-is-not-just-about-sunday-morning-you-need-to-get-this-this/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“If I profess, with the loudest voice and the clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-edgar/if-i-profess-with-the-loudest-voice-and-the-clearest-exposition-every/)

[William Edgar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-edgar/)

> [“One obvious and rather sobering meaning of losing your life by confessing Christ is to lose it, literally, physically, in sustaining and defending your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-todd-christofferson/one-obvious-and-rather-sobering-meaning-of-losing-your-life-by/)

[D. Todd Christofferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-todd-christofferson/)

> [Making an open stand against all the ungodliness and unrighteousness which overspreads our land as a flood is one of the noblest ways of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/making-an-open-stand-against-all-the-ungodliness-and-unrighteousness/)

[John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/)

> [For whenever unbaptized persons die confessing Christ, this confession is of the same efficacy for the remission of sins as if they were washed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/for-whenever-unbaptized-persons-die-confessing-christ-this-confession/)

[Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/)

> [“Then said the giant, "Thou practices the craft of a kidnapper. Thou gatherest up woman and children and carriest them into a strange country,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/then-said-the-giant-thou-practices-the-craft-of-a-kidnapper-thou/)

[John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/)

> [It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus-christ/it-is-not-the-healthy-who-need-a-doctor-but-the-sick-i-have-not-come/)

[Jesus Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus-christ/)

> [I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/i-came-not-to-call-the-righteous-but-sinners-to-repentance/)

Myself

> [“I come not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/compton-gage/i-come-not-to-call-the-righteous-but-sinners-to-repentance/)

[Compton Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/compton-gage/)

> [They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesus/they-that-are-whole-need-not-a-physician-but-they-that-are-sick-i/)

[Jesus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesus/)

> [“You see, this is the true heart of Jesus. He wants people to repent and believe in what He has done for them on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-cahill/you-see-this-is-the-true-heart-of-jesus-he-wants-people-to-repent-and/)

[Mark Cahill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-cahill/)

> [If I profess with loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except that little point which the world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-i-profess-with-loudest-voice-and-clearest-exposition-every-portion/)

[Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/)

> [“If I profess, with the loudest voice and clearest exposition, every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-and-jason-benham/if-i-profess-with-the-loudest-voice-and-clearest-exposition-every/)

David and Jason Benham

> [“If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/if-i-profess-with-the-loudest-voice-and-clearest-exposition-every-2/)

[Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/)

> [There is a difference between admitting and confessing. Admitting involves softening, making excuses for things that cannot be excused; confessing just names the crimes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/there-is-a-difference-between-admitting-and-confessing-admitting/)

[Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/)

## More by Washington Gladden

> [But what an mortal man do to secure his own salvation?" Mortal man can do just what God bids him do. Be can repent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/but-what-an-mortal-man-do-to-secure-his-own-salvation-mortal-man-can/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [Slander, in the strict meaning of the term, comes under the head of lying; but it is a kind of lying which, like its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/slander-in-the-strict-meaning-of-the-term-comes-under-the-head-of/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [It is by speech that many of our best gains are made. A large part of the good we receive comes to us in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/it-is-by-speech-that-many-of-our-best-gains-are-made-a-large-part-of/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [You are not so good a Christian when you are neglecting a plain duty as when you are performing it. And joining the church…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/you-are-not-so-good-a-christian-when-you-are-neglecting-a-plain-duty/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [Christian discipleship does not involve the abandonment of any innocent enjoyment. Any diversion or amusement which we can use so as to receive pleasure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/christian-discipleship-does-not-involve-the-abandonment-of-any/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [Every one of us may know what is the ruling purpose of his life; and he who knows that his ruling purpose is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/every-one-of-us-may-know-what-is-the-ruling-purpose-of-his-life-and/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [The substance of all realities is in this religion of Jesus Christ; but it can be real only to those who will do His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/the-substance-of-all-realities-is-in-this-religion-of-jesus-christ/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [Will you tell Him frankly, that you cannot carry your load, and that you need help? Will you suffer Him to help you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/will-you-tell-him-frankly-that-you-cannot-carry-your-load-and-that/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [It is better to say, "This one thing I do" than to say, "These forty things I dabble in."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/it-is-better-to-say-this-one-thing-i-do-than-to-say-these-forty/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [When any duty is to be done, it is fortunate for you if you feel like doing it; but, if you do not feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/when-any-duty-is-to-be-done-it-is-fortunate-for-you-if-you-feel-like/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [Gentle words, quiet words, are after all the most powerful words. They are more convincing, more compelling, more prevailing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/gentle-words-quiet-words-are-after-all-the-most-powerful-words-they/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [“In the bitter waves of woe, Beaten and tossed about By the sullen winds that blow From the desolate shores of doubt,­­ When the anchors that faith had cast Are dragging in the gale, I am quietly holding fast To the things that cannot fail: In the darkest night of the year, When the stars have all gone out,  That courage is better than fear,  That faith is truer than doubt; And fierce though the fiends may fight,  And long though the angels hide, I know that Truth and Right Have the universe on their side; And somewhere, beyond the stars, Is a Love that is better than fate; When the night unlocks her bars I shall see Him, and I will wait”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/in-the-bitter-waves-of-woe-beaten-and-tossed-about-by-the-sullen/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

> [No, there are no long stages of preparation through which you must pass; all things are now ready; there is nothing to hinder you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/no-there-are-no-long-stages-of-preparation-through-which-you-must/)

[Washington Gladden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

[Explore all 14 Washington Gladden quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/)

## More Believe quotes

> [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/)

[Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/)

> [Some people still believe you should just fall in line with what's going on - and that's scary. It makes a mockery of freedom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-robison/some-people-still-believe-you-should-just-fall-in-line-with-what-s/)

[Emily Robison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-robison/)

> [The truth seems to be that propaganda on its own cannot force its way into unwilling minds; neither can it inculcate something wholly new;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-hoffer/the-truth-seems-to-be-that-propaganda-on-its-own-cannot-force-its-way/)

[Eric Hoffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-hoffer/)

> [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/)

[Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/)

> [There is no such word as item girl in the dictionary. People have created this word and I don't believe that I am an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shefali-zariwala/there-is-no-such-word-as-item-girl-in-the-dictionary-people-have/)

[Shefali Zariwala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shefali-zariwala/)

> [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/)

[Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/)

> [I don't really like too much credit. I know nobody's going to believe this, but I'd rather be able to score goals and nobody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bradley-wright-phillips/i-don-t-really-like-too-much-credit-i-know-nobody-s-going-to-believe/)

[Bradley Wright-Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bradley-wright-phillips/)

> [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. When you say you believe something in your heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/penn-jillette/what-i-have-a-problem-with-is-not-so-much-religion-or-god-but-faith/)

[Penn Jillette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/penn-jillette/)

> [Bush reiterated his stand to conservatives opposing his decision on stem cell research. He said today he believes life begins at conception and ends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/bush-reiterated-his-stand-to-conservatives-opposing-his-decision-on/)

[Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/)

> [Never underestimate the power of the human mind to believe what it wants to believe, no matter the conflicting evidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-herbert/never-underestimate-the-power-of-the-human-mind-to-believe-what-it/)

[Brian Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-herbert/)

> [To believe in love, to be ready to give up anything for it, to be willing to risk your life for it, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/to-believe-in-love-to-be-ready-to-give-up-anything-for-it-to-be/)

[Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/)

> [That's why I don't generally talk about endorsements because I don't believe we have to tell people who to vote for.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-iii/that-s-why-i-don-t-generally-talk-about-endorsements-because-i-don-t/)

[Martin Luther King III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-iii/)

> [Mankind have been slow to believe that order reigns in the universe-that the world is a cosmos and a chaos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-a-garfield/mankind-have-been-slow-to-believe-that-order-reigns-in-the-universe/)

[James A. Garfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-a-garfield/)

> [We instantly believe everything we think. Isn't that insane? It's good for us to explore the depravity of our minds, so we know we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krishna-das/we-instantly-believe-everything-we-think-isn-t-that-insane-it-s-good/)

[Krishna Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krishna-das/)

Browse all 47,704 Believe quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "If you were good enough, there would be no need of confessing Christ at all. It is just because you are not good enough, that Christ says to you, \"Follow me.\" He came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. It is not the perfect people whom He wants in His church, but those who have a deep sense of their own imperfection, and who believe that His strength is made perfect in weakness.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Washington Gladden"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/if-you-were-good-enough-there-would-be-no-need-of-confessing-christ/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Believe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/if-you-were-good-enough-there-would-be-no-need-of-confessing-christ/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/washington-gladden-33869_believe_if-you-were-good-enough-there-would-be-n_794897.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/washington-gladden-33869_believe_if-you-were-good-enough-there-would-be-n_794897.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/902/washington-gladden-33869_believe_if-you-were-good-enough-there-would-be-n_794897.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“If you were good enough, there would be no need of confessing Christ at all. It is just because you are not…” — Washington Gladden",
                "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": "Washington Gladden",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-gladden/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "If you were good enough, there...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/if-you-were-good-enough-there-would-be-no-need-of-confessing-christ/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-gladden/if-you-were-good-enough-there-would-be-no-need-of-confessing-christ/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```