---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A religion without the Holy Ghost, though…"
description: "\"A religion without the Holy Ghost, though it had all the ordinances and all the doctrines of the New Testament, would certainly not be Christianity.\" —..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/467/william-arthur-ward-2681_christianity_a-religion-without-the-holy-ghost-though_813196.png"
---

#  A religion without the Holy Ghost, though it had all the…

![“A religion without the Holy Ghost, though it had all the ordinances and all the doctrines of the New Testament, would certainly not be Christianity.” quote by William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/467/william-arthur-ward-2681_christianity_a-religion-without-the-holy-ghost-though_813196.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/467/william-arthur-ward-2681_christianity_a-religion-without-the-holy-ghost-though_813196.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/467/william-arthur-ward-2681_christianity_a-religion-without-the-holy-ghost-though_813196.png)

> “A religion without the Holy Ghost, though it had all the ordinances and all the doctrines of the New Testament, would certainly not be Christianity.”

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A faith lacking the Holy Spirit, despite doctrinal completeness, cannot be considered true Christianity.

**In simple terms:** Spirit is essential to genuine Christianity.

Key Takeaway

Seek spiritual depth.

Themes

faith spirituality religion theology

Mood

contemplative inquisitive

Type

theological philosophical

When to use this quote

- church services
- personal devotion
- theological study

Key Concepts

Holy Spirit doctrinal authenticity

Questions to Reflect On

- Can rituals replace spiritual experience?
- How does one recognize the Holy Spirit?

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Certainly Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certainly-christianity-284109/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Doctrine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doctrine/) [Ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ghost/) [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Holy ghost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-ghost/) [Holy spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-spirit/) [New testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-testament/) [Ordinances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ordinances/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Religion Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion-holy-284110/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/testament/)

## Related quotes

> [I believe that there is one only living and true God, existing in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-sherman/i-believe-that-there-is-one-only-living-and-true-god-existing-in/)

[Roger Sherman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-sherman/)

> [My knowledge is, if you will follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and his Apostles, as recorded in the New Testament, every man and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/my-knowledge-is-if-you-will-follow-the-teachings-of-jesus-christ-and/)

[Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/)

> [“If you want to find out if someone is truly holy, don't ask them whether they believe in god, ask them instead, what they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/if-you-want-to-find-out-if-someone-is-truly-holy-don-t-ask-them-2/)

[Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/)

> [“The saint is the apology for the Christian religion. He is holy, however, because he allows Christ to live in him and it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hans-urs-von-balthasar/the-saint-is-the-apology-for-the-christian-religion-he-is-holy/)

[Hans Urs von Balthasar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hans-urs-von-balthasar/)

> [That’s what religion does. It points a finger. It causes wars. It breaks apart countries. It’s a petri dish for stereotypes to grow in.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/that-s-what-religion-does-it-points-a-finger-it-causes-wars-it-breaks/)

[Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/)

> [The God of popular religion is not holy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-c-sproul/the-god-of-popular-religion-is-not-holy/)

[R. C. Sproul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-c-sproul/)

> [Now, we have the Holy Ghost. Each one of us who is a member of the Church has had hands laid upon his head…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-g-romney/now-we-have-the-holy-ghost-each-one-of-us-who-is-a-member-of-the/)

[Marion G. Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-g-romney/)

> [Baptism by immersion for the remission of sins is an essential covenant to make with the Lord. Faith and repentance precede this ordinance. Confirmation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-theodore-tuttle/baptism-by-immersion-for-the-remission-of-sins-is-an-essential/)

[A. Theodore Tuttle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-theodore-tuttle/)

> [Do you young people want a sure way to eliminate the influence of the adversary in your life? Immerse yourself in searching for your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/do-you-young-people-want-a-sure-way-to-eliminate-the-influence-of-the/)

[Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/)

> [“It is not then the existence or the non-existence, of the persons that I trouble myself about; it is the fable of Jesus Christ,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/it-is-not-then-the-existence-or-the-non-existence-of-the-persons-that/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

> [“A spirit, who has not been refreshed by the union with Christ, will continue in it’s death condition. Jesus Christ is the only one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-mendez-ferrell/a-spirit-who-has-not-been-refreshed-by-the-union-with-christ-will/)

[Ana Mendez Ferrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-mendez-ferrell/)

> [I'm a New Testament Christian. I reject and throw out titles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bright/i-m-a-new-testament-christian-i-reject-and-throw-out-titles/)

[Bill Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bright/)

> [Who wrote the Bible? Current scholarship, to my knowledge, assumes that the material that constitutes the Old Testament was put together from various oral…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/who-wrote-the-bible-current-scholarship-to-my-knowledge-assumes-that/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [Someone gave me a New Testament. I had never before read it systematically. Some parts made sense, some parts shocked me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-blue/someone-gave-me-a-new-testament-i-had-never-before-read-it/)

[Lionel Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-blue/)

> [What is it the Bible teaches us? - raping, cruelty, and murder. What is it the New Testament teaches us? - to believe that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-paine/what-is-it-the-bible-teaches-us-raping-cruelty-and-murder-what-is-it/)

[Thomas Paine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-paine/)

## More by William Arthur Ward

> [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [“If you can imagine it, you can create it. If you can dream it, you can become it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/if-you-can-imagine-it-you-can-create-it-if-you-can-dream-it-you-can/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [A friend is one with whom you are comfortable, to whom you are loyal, through whom you are blessed, and for whom you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/a-friend-is-one-with-whom-you-are-comfortable-to-whom-you-are-loyal/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [We must be silent before we can listen. We must listen before we can learn. We must learn before we can prepare. We must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/we-must-be-silent-before-we-can-listen-we-must-listen-before-we-can/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [The greatest failure is the failure to try.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/the-greatest-failure-is-the-failure-to-try/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Too many of us hear without heeding, read without responding, confess without changing, profess without practicing, worship without witnessing, and seek without sharing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/too-many-of-us-hear-without-heeding-read-without-responding-confess/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [“‎"Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/do-more-than-belong-participate-do-more-than-care-help-do-more-than/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [There is one thing we can do better than anyone else: we can be ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/there-is-one-thing-we-can-do-better-than-anyone-else-we-can-be/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Enthusiasm is the match that lights the candle of achievement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/enthusiasm-is-the-match-that-lights-the-candle-of-achievement/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Today's patience can transform yesterday's discouragements into tomorrow's discoveries. Today's purposes can turn yesterday's defeats into tomorrow's determination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/today-s-patience-can-transform-yesterday-s-discouragements-into/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [A life lived without forgiveness is a prison.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/a-life-lived-without-forgiveness-is-a-prison/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Every person has the power to make others happy. Some do it simply by entering a room others by leaving the room. Some individuals…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/every-person-has-the-power-to-make-others-happy-some-do-it-simply-by/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Prepare while others are daydreaming.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/prepare-while-others-are-daydreaming/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Every day is a good day to examine our prime-time priorities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/every-day-is-a-good-day-to-examine-our-prime-time-priorities/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

> [Another fresh new year is here... Another year to live! To banish worry, doubt, and fear, to love and laugh and give!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/another-fresh-new-year-is-here-another-year-to-live-to-banish-worry/)

[William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

[Explore all 155 William Arthur Ward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/)

## More Christianity quotes

> [Christianity was never meant to be defined by its disciplines, but by its passions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-johnson/christianity-was-never-meant-to-be-defined-by-its-disciplines-but-by/)

[Bill Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-johnson/)

> [I think, here's what I've realized from interviewing people, and I've been very open about my Catholicism and my love of Christ and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mohr/i-think-here-s-what-i-ve-realized-from-interviewing-people-and-i-ve/)

[Jay Mohr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mohr/)

> [“God hates Hell. He hates the idea of people going there. He hates it so much that He was willing to take on human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-minton/god-hates-hell-he-hates-the-idea-of-people-going-there-he-hates-it-so/)

[Evan Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-minton/)

> [“some of my good Baptist brethren in Georgia had done a little preaching from the pulpit against the KKK, I would have a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-moss/some-of-my-good-baptist-brethren-in-georgia-had-done-a-little/)

[Norman Moss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-moss/)

> [I pray that wherever we are and whatever duties we have in the priesthood of God, we will be united in the cause to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/i-pray-that-wherever-we-are-and-whatever-duties-we-have-in-the/)

[Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/)

> [Why do Christians sing when they are together? The reason is, quite simply, because in singing together it is possible for them to speak…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/why-do-christians-sing-when-they-are-together-the-reason-is-quite/)

[Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/)

> [“every church can treat each discipleship class and each worship service as an opportunity for continual rehearsal of what the words, stories, symbols, rituals,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-arthur/every-church-can-treat-each-discipleship-class-and-each-worship/)

[Sarah Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-arthur/)

> [The ability of the gospel to unite us on common strengths and common truths is one of the great miracles . . . of the gospel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-ability-of-the-gospel-to-unite-us-on-common-strengths-and-common/)

[Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/)

> [“A question for Christians who accept evolution: When did we gain a "soul"? Did Homo habilis have a soul? Homo ergaster? Did God only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-g-mcafee/a-question-for-christians-who-accept-evolution-when-did-we-gain-a/)

[David G. McAfee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-g-mcafee/)

> [The notion of a non-religious Christmas is ridiculous. But so is the insistence on the part of Christians that politicians and retailers carry out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-campos-duffy/the-notion-of-a-non-religious-christmas-is-ridiculous-but-so-is-the/)

[Rachel Campos-Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-campos-duffy/)

> [A real Christian in an odd number anyway. He feels supreme love for One whom he has never seen, talks familiarly every day to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-real-christian-in-an-odd-number-anyway-he-feels-supreme-love-for/)

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

> [Because the truth is that gossip is as good as gospel in this town. You can save face but you won't ever save your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conor-oberst/because-the-truth-is-that-gossip-is-as-good-as-gospel-in-this-town/)

[Conor Oberst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conor-oberst/)

> [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/)

[Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/)

> [Every saved person this side of heaven owes the gospel to every lost person this side of hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-platt/every-saved-person-this-side-of-heaven-owes-the-gospel-to-every-lost/)

[David Platt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-platt/)

> [I grew up in Synagogue in the boys' choir. We didn't listen to music in the house; only at temple. Then I went to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandy-patinkin/i-grew-up-in-synagogue-in-the-boys-choir-we-didn-t-listen-to-music-in/)

[Mandy Patinkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandy-patinkin/)

[Browse all 14,385 Christianity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "A religion without the Holy Ghost, though it had all the ordinances and all the doctrines of the New Testament, would certainly not be Christianity.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Arthur Ward"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/a-religion-without-the-holy-ghost-though-it-had-all-the-ordinances/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Christianity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/a-religion-without-the-holy-ghost-though-it-had-all-the-ordinances/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/467/william-arthur-ward-2681_christianity_a-religion-without-the-holy-ghost-though_813196.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/467/william-arthur-ward-2681_christianity_a-religion-without-the-holy-ghost-though_813196.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/467/william-arthur-ward-2681_christianity_a-religion-without-the-holy-ghost-though_813196.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“A religion without the Holy Ghost, though it had all the ordinances and all the doctrines of the New…” — William Arthur Ward",
                "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": "William Arthur Ward",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "A religion without the Holy Ghost,...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/a-religion-without-the-holy-ghost-though-it-had-all-the-ordinances/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/a-religion-without-the-holy-ghost-though-it-had-all-the-ordinances/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
