Christianity is not a purely intellectual, internal faith. It can only be lived in community. Philip Yancey More Quotes by Philip Yancey More Quotes From Philip Yancey I doubt God keeps track of how many arguments we win; God may indeed keep track of how well we love. Philip Yancey track doubt winning I once heard a theologian remark that in the Gospels people approached Jesus with a question 183 times whereas he replied with a direct answer only three times. Instead, he responded with a different question, a story, or some other indirection. Evidently Jesus wants us to work out answers on our own, using the principles that he taught and lived. Philip Yancey work-out people jesus Jesus tended to honor the losers of this world, not the winners. Our modern culture extravagantly rewards beauty, athletic skill, wealth, and artistic achievement, qualities which seemed to impress Jesus not at all. Philip Yancey achievement skills jesus The Bible never belittles human disappointment ... but it does add one key word: temporary. Philip Yancey keys disappointment doe I have come to know a God who has a soft spot for rebels, who recruits people like the adulterer David, the whiner Jeremiah, the traitor Peter, and the human-rights abuser Saul of Tarsus. I have come to know a God whose Son made prodigals the heroes of his stories and the trophies of his ministry. Philip Yancey rights hero son One of the things I found is that the things we want to say for well-intentioned motives often cause more harm than good. People don't need our words. They mainly need our presence, they need our love. And if you come in too quickly with explanations, you may do more harm than good. Philip Yancey our-words people needs Any discussion of how pain and suffering fit into God's scheme ultimately leads back to the cross. Philip Yancey pain easter christ-on-the-cross No one ever converted to Christianity because they lost the argument. Philip Yancey choices religious christian ... the issue is not whether I agree with someone but rather how I treat someone with whom I profoundly disagree. We Christians are called to use the "weapons of grace," which means treating even our opponents with love and respect. Philip Yancey issues christian mean In the stories of extravagant grace given to us by Jesus, there are no loopholes disqualifying us from God's love. Philip Yancey grace stories jesus Jesus never tried to hide his loneliness and dependence on other people. He chose his disciples not as servants but as friends. He shared moments of joy and grief with them, and asked for them in times of need. They became his family, his substitute mother and brothers and sisters. They gave up everything for him, as he had given up everything for them. He loved them, plain and simple. Philip Yancey brother mother jesus Politics draws lines between people; in contrast, Jesus' love cuts across those lines and dispenses grace. That does not mean, of course, that Christians should not involve themselves in politics. It simply means that as we do so we must not let the rules of power displace the command to love. Philip Yancey christian mean jesus The giants of the faith all had one thing in common: neither victory nor success, but passion. Philip Yancey coaching victory passion Grace means that God already loves us as much as an infinite God can possibly love. Philip Yancey infinite grace mean When I am tempted to complain about God's lack of presence, I remind myself that God has much more reason to complain about my lack of presence. Philip Yancey tempted reason complaining When Jesus came to earth, demons recognized him, the sick flocked to him, and sinners doused his feet and head with perfume. Meanwhile he offended pious Jews with their strict preconceptions of what God should be like. Their rejection makes me wonder, could religious types be doing just the reverse now? Could we be perpetuating an image of Jesus that fits our pious expectations but does not match the person portrayed so vividly in the Gospels? Philip Yancey religious feet jesus Jesus gave us a model for the work of the church at the Last Supper. While his disciples kept proposing more organization - Hey, let's elect officers, establish hierarchy, set standards of professionalism - Jesus quietly picked up a towel and basin of water and began to wash their feet. Philip Yancey organization feet jesus I go to church as an expression of my need for God and for God's family. Philip Yancey church expression needs I would far rather convey grace than explain it. Philip Yancey grace Politics deals with externals: borders, wealth, crimes. Authentic forgiveness deals with the evil in a persons heart, something for which politics has no cure. Virulent evil (racism, ethnic hatred) spreads through society like an airborne disease, one cough infects a whole busload. When moments of grace do occur, the world must pause, fall silent, and acknowledge that indeed forgiveness offers a kind of cure. There will be no escape from wars, from hunger, from misery, from rancid discrimination, from denial of human rights, if our hearts aren't changed. Philip Yancey heart war fall
