Historical and current quotes are everywhere. People have a lot to say and there are one liners that are memorable. As all Christians know, not everything shared is from Christians or is a Biblical Worldview. In fact, God in His Word gives an example of what every Christian is to do when they listen to pastors preach, or listen to Christian teachers teach – Search Scripture like a Berean to see if what is being taught is the truth – Acts 17:11. Verify the words being spoken. God’s Word is His physical authoritative presence here on earth.
For every Christian – to keep your mind thinking right, and not easily persuaded by those who speak with authority, is to know the truth, Jesus Christ, and to test everything said by His Word, which will always be authority.
So, the best thing to do when you approach historical and current quotes is to ask whether you agree with what is being said. In some instances, you may agree with a portion of what is being said, but not the entire statement. Or, you may agree with everything that is being said. Or, you might not agree with the statement at all. Are you able to clearly convey why you agree or disagree?
These historical and current quotes have been shared by people on the topics of: Ability, Accountability, Argument, and Authority.
If you share a Christian Biblical Worldview regarding these topics, what would you say?
Historical and Current Quotes on Ability
1. Every one excels in something in which another fails.
Publius Syrus, B.C. 85-42, Latin Writer, a Syrian from Antioch brought as a slave to Roman Italy, from Maxim 17
2. Heart to conceive, the understanding to direct, or the hand to execute.
Junius, 1740-1818, (possible pseudonym for Francis Sir Philip, an Irish-born British politician), from Letter xxxvii. Feb. 14, 1770
3. The world means something to the capable.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1749-1832, German Poet, Playwright, Novelist, Scientist, from Faust.
4. Natural abilities are like natural plants, that need pruning by study.
Francis Bacon, 1561-1626, English Lawyer, Courtier, Philosopher, Essayist
5. Ability does not mean responsibility.
Alysa VanderWeerd, Doctoral Candidate in Community Care and Counseling: Family and Marriage, Author
6. What we do upon a great occasion will probably depend upon what we already are; what we are will be the result of previous years of self-discipline, under the grace of Christ or the absence of it.
H.P Liddon, 1829-1890, English Theologian, from Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert’s Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, 1895
Historical and Current Quotes on Accountability
7. When we live in light of God’s accountability, we see sin for what it is. We do not look to outward signs to confirm our actions – we look to God’s word. As mature Christians knowing right from wrong, we measure our actions with God’s truth.
Alysa VanderWeerd, Doctoral Candidate in Community Care and Counseling: Family and Marriage, Author, from Revival of the Hearts, 2020
8. Moral conduct includes everything in which men are active and for what they are accountable. They are active in their desires, their affections, their designs, their intentions, and in everything they say and do of choice; and for all these things they are accountable to God.
Nathaniel Emmons, 1745-1840, American Congregational Minister, Theologian, from Josiah Hotchkiss Gilbert’s Dictionary of Burning Words of Brilliant Writers, 1895
9. A body of men holding themselves accountable to nobody ought not to be trusted by anybody.
Thomas Paine, 1737-1809, English-born American political activist, from The Rights of Man, 1791
10. Accountability is the measure of a leader’s height.
Jeffrey Benjamin, Speaker, Founder of Breakthrough Training
11. Having authority implies accountability. If you reject the blame for failures under your watch, people reject your leadership.
Rick Warren, Christian Pastor of Saddleback Church, Author of Purpose Driven Life, 2002
Historical and Current Quotes on Argument
12. The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert 1754–1824 French writer: Pensées de J. Joubert (1848)
13. There is no good in arguing with the inevitable. The only argument available with an east wind is to put on your overcoat.
James Russell Lowell 1819–91 American poet: Democracy and other Addresses (1887) ‘Democracy’
Quotes on Authority
14. Authority without wisdom is like a heavy axe without an edge, fitter to bruise than polish.
Anne Bradstreet, c 1612-1672, English-born American poet, from The Tenth Muse (1650) ‘Meditations Divine and Moral’
15. The tyrant grinds down his slaves and they don’t turn against him, they crush those beneath them.
Emily Bronte, 1818-1848, English Novelist, Poet, from Wuthering Heights (1847) ch. 11
16. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did, and it never will.
Frederick Douglass, c.1818–95, American former slave and civil rights campaigner: letter to Gerrit Smith, 30 March 1849
17. The hate of men will pass, and dictators die, and the power they took from the people will return to the people.
The Great Dictator 1940 film: written by Charlie Chaplin
18. I claim not to have controlled events, but confess plainly that events have controlled me.
Abraham Lincoln, 1809–65, American statesman, 16th President 1861–5: letter to A. G. Hodges, 4 April 1864
19. When you make your peace with authority, you become an authority.
Jim Morrison, 1943–71, American rock singer and songwriter: Andrew Doe and John Tobler In Their Own Words: The Doors (1988)
20. You only have power over people as long as you don’t take everything away from them. But when you’ve robbed a man of everything he’s no longer in your power — he’s free again.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn, 1918–2008, Russian novelist: The First Circle (1968) ch. 17