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Dallas Willard Quotes

Philosopher

Dallas Willard was an American philosopher known for his contributions to practical theology and moral philosophy. His works explored faith, moral life, and spiritual practice, having a profound impact on contemporary Christian philosophy.

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Famous Dallas Willard Quotes

“Jesus's words are the best information on the subjects of greatest importance to human beings—whether they know it or not. He is the only solid foundation for our ideas. So here's an example of a big idea from Jesus: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 4:17, KJV). The time is fulfilled. The kingdom of the heavens is right here. That is what Jesus preached. He preached the immediate availability of the kingdom of the heavens to anyone who would simply turn and walk into it. He preached discipleship as the greatest opportunity that any human being will ever have. He preached discipleship, because discipleship is how we get our ideas corrected.”

Ideas Jesus Heaven Christianity Information Kingdom Discipleship

Book:The Allure of Gentleness: Defending the Faith in the Manner of Jesus

Source: The Allure of Gentleness: Defending the Faith in the Manner of Jesus

“I believe that every human being is sufficiently depraved that when we get to heaven, no one will be able to say, I merited this.”

Believe Humans Able I Believe Heaven Human Beings Depraved

Author:Dallas Willard

“So when Jesus directs us to pray, “Thy kingdom come,” he does not mean we should pray for it to come into existence. Rather, we pray for it to take over at all points in the personal, social, and political order where it is now excluded: “On earth as it is in heaven.” With this prayer we are invoking it, as in faith we are acting it, into the real world of our daily existence”

World Should Mean Doe Real Earth Political Order Jesus Heaven Social Prayer Acting Existence Praying Kingdoms Real World Excluded Kingdom Come

Author:Dallas Willard

“In the story of the good Samaritan, Jesus not only teaches us to help people in need; more deeply, he teaches us that we cannot identify who “has it”, who is “in” with God, who is “blessed”, by looking at exteriors of any sort. That is a matter of the heart. There alone the kingdom of the heavens and human kingdoms great and small are knit together. Draw any cultural or social line you wish, and God will find his way beyond it.”

People Way Needs Humans Heart Matter Helping Stories Together Jesus Heaven Wish Social Lines Teach Draws Blessed Gods Will Kingdoms Exterior Matters Of The Heart Samaritans

Author:Dallas Willard

“What you present as the gospel will determine what you present as discipleship. If you present as the gospel what is essentially a theory of the atonement, and you say, If you accept this theory of the atonement, your sins are forgiven, and when you die you will be received into heaven, there is no basis for discipleship.”

Ifs Dies Heaven Sin Accepting Theory Bases Determine Forgiven Discipleship Atonement

Author:Dallas Willard

“Other kingdoms are still present on earth along with the kingdom of the heavens. That is the human condition.”

Humans Stills Earth Heaven Conditions Kingdoms Human Condition

Book:The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God

Source: The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life In God

“Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens is at hand' (Matt 3:2, 4:17, 10:7). This is a call for us to reconsider how we have been approaching our life, in light of the fact that we now, in the presence of Jesus, have the option of living within the surrounding movements of God's eternal purposes, of taking our life into his life.”

Has Beens Facts Hands Light Purpose Jesus Heaven Our Lives Movement Eternal Kingdoms Repent

Book:The Divine Conspiracy: Jesus' Master Class for Life : Participant's Guide

Source: The Divine Conspiracy: Jesus' Master Class for Life : Participant's Guide

“In thus sending out his trainees, [Jesus] set afoot a perpetual world revolution: one that is still in process and will continue until God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven.... He has chosen to accomplish this with and, in part, through his students.”

World Stills Done Earth Jesus Heaven Process Students Revolution Accomplish Gods Will Chosen Perpetual Trainees

Author:Dallas Willard

“One does not miss heaven by a hair, but by constant effort to avoid and escape God.”

Doe Heaven Effort Missing Hair Constant

Author:Dallas Willard

“What Paul is clearly saying is that if anyone is worthy of being saved, they will be saved. At that point many Christians get very anxious, saying that absolutely no one is worthy of being saved. The implication of that is that a person can be almost totally good, but miss the message about Jesus, and be sent to hell. What kind of a God would do that? I am not going to stand in the way of anyone whom God wants to save. I am not going to say 'he can't save them.' I am happy for God to save anyone he wants in any way he can. It is possible for someone who does not know Jesus to be saved.”

“The greatest issue facing the world today, with all its heartbreaking needs, is whether those who, by profession or culture, are identified as ‘Christians’ will become disciples – students, apprentices, practitioners – of Jesus Christ, steadily learning from him how to live the life of the Kingdom of the Heavens into every corner of human existence.”

Source: The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship

“Individually the disciple and friend of Jesus who has learned to work shoulder to shoulder with his or her Lord stands in this world as a point of contact between heaven and earth, a kind of Jacob’s ladder by which the angels of God may ascend from and descend into human life. Thus the disciple stands as an envoy or a receiver by which the kingdom of God is conveyed into every quarter of human affairs.”

World Humans Kind May Earth Jesus Heaven Lord This World Angel Affair Shoulders Kingdoms Contact Human Life Quarters Disciple Ladders Kingdom Of God Heaven And Earth Jacob Receiver

Author:Dallas Willard

“No one need worry about our getting the best of God in some bargain with him, or that we might somehow succeed in using him for our purposes. Anyone who thinks this is a problem has seriously underestimated the intelligence and agility of our Father in the heavens. He will not be tricked or cheated.”

Thinking Needs Problem Might Purpose Father Heaven Worry Succeed Our Father Bargains Cheated Underestimated Agility

Author:Dallas Willard

“A disciple is a learner, a student, an apprentice – a practitioner… Disciples of Jesus are people who do not just profess certain views as their own but apply their growing understanding of life in the Kingdom of the Heavens to every aspect of their life on earth.”

People Earth Certain Jesus Heaven Understanding Views Growing Students Aspect Kingdoms Disciple Learners Apprentice

Book:The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship

Source: The Great Omission: Reclaiming Jesus’s Essential Teachings on Discipleship

“Consumer Christianity is now normative. The consumer Christian is one who utilizes the grace of God for forgiveness and the services of the church for special occasions, but does not give his or her life and innermost thoughts, feelings, and intentions over to the kingdom of the heavens. Such Christians are not inwardly transformed and not committed to it.”

Giving Doe Feelings Christian Heaven Church Christianity Grace Special Intention Committed Kingdoms Occasions Consumers Transformed Grace Of God Special Occasion

Author:Dallas Willard