There is meaning in every journey that is unknown to the traveler. Dietrich Bonhoeffer More Quotes by Dietrich Bonhoeffer More Quotes From Dietrich Bonhoeffer If any man would come after me, let him deny himself." The disciple must say to himself the same words Peter said of Christ when he denied him: "I know not this man." Self-denial is never just a series of isolated acts of mortification or asceticism. It is not suicide, for there is an element of self-will even in that. To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us. Once more, all that self denial can say is: "He leads the way, keep close to him. Dietrich Bonhoeffer suicide self men It is remarkable how I am never quite clear about the motives for any of my decisions. Is that a sign of confusion or inner dishonesty or is it a sign that we are guided without our knowing or is it both ...The reasons one gives for an action to others and to one's self are certainly inadequate. One can give a reason for everything. In the last resort one acts from a level which remains hidden from us. So one can only ask God to judge us and to forgive us.... At the end of the day I can only ask God to give a merciful judgement on today and all its decisions. It is now in his hand. Dietrich Bonhoeffer knowing self hands Christian love draws no distinction between one enemy and another, except that the more bitter our enemy's hatred, the greater his need of love. Be his enmity political or religious, he has nothing to expect from a follower of Jesus but unqualified love. In such love there is not inner discord between the private person and official capacity. In both we are disciples of Christ, or we are not Christians at all. Dietrich Bonhoeffer religious christian jesus Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Not only do the followers of Jesus renounce their rights, they renounce their own righteousness too. They get no praise for their achievements or sacrifices. They cannot have righteous– ness except by hungering and thirsting for it (this applies equally to their own righteousness and to the righteousness of God on earth ), always they look forward to the future righteousness of God, but they cannot establish it for themselves. Those who follow Jesus grow hungry and thirsty on the way. Dietrich Bonhoeffer sacrifice blessed jesus I can never know beforehand how God’s image should appear in others. That image always manifests a completely new and unique form that comes solely from God’s free and sovereign creation. To me the sight may seem strange, even ungodly. But God creates every man in the likeness of His Son, the Crucified. After all, even that image certainly looked strange and ungodly to me before I grasped it. Dietrich Bonhoeffer unique men son Every Christian community must realize that not only do the weak need the strong, but also that the strong cannot exist without the weak. The elimination of the weak is the death of fellowship. Dietrich Bonhoeffer community strong christian Nothing is so at odds with prayer as vanity. Dietrich Bonhoeffer vanity odds prayer Desires repeatedly mastered for the sake of present duty make us richer. Lack of desire is poverty. Dietrich Bonhoeffer poverty sake desire If religion is onlya garment of Christianityand even this garment has looked very different at different timesthen what is religionless Christianity? Dietrich Bonhoeffer garments different christianity The cross is God's truth about us, and therefore it is the only power thatcanmakeustruthful.Whenwe know the cross we are no longer afraid of the truth. Dietrich Bonhoeffer crosses knows Politics are not the task of a Christian. Dietrich Bonhoeffer political tasks christian Only in Jesus are we able to pray, and with Him we also know that we shall be heard. Dietrich Bonhoeffer able praying jesus A pastor who does not pray daily for his congregation is not a pastor. Dietrich Bonhoeffer pastor praying doe Right speech comes out of silence and right silence comes out of speech. Dietrich Bonhoeffer speech silence Only what is essential must be said. Dietrich Bonhoeffer essentials said ... there are not two realities, but only one reality, and that is the reality of God, which has become manifest in the Christ event/redemption and creation. Dietrich Bonhoeffer events two reality Originally man was made in the image of God, but now his likeness to God is a stolen one. As the image of God man draws his life entirely from his origin in God, but the man who has become like God has forgotten how he was at his origin and has made himself his own creator and judge. Dietrich Bonhoeffer origin-of-life judging men Many Christians are unthinkably horrified when a real sinner is suddenly discovered among the righteous. So we remain alone with our sin, living in lies and hypocrisy...He who is alone with his sins is utterly alone. Dietrich Bonhoeffer real christian lying The only man who has the right to say that he is justified by grace alone is the man who has left all to follow Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer justified grace men If the heart is devoted to the mirage of the world, to the creature instead of the Creator, the disciple is lost... However urgently Jesus may call us, His call fails to find access to our hearts... for they have already been given to another. Dietrich Bonhoeffer mirages heart jesus
