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Nothing can be more cruel than the leniency which abandons others to their sin. Nothing can be more compassionate than the severe reprimand which calls another Christian in one’s community back from the path of sin.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Age: 39 †
Born: 1906
Born: February 4
Died: 1945
Died: April 8
Pastor
Philosopher
Poet
Resistance Fighter
Theologian
Breslau
Bonhoeffer
Another
Compassionate
Back
Abandon
Nothing
Calls
Sin
Reprimand
Path
Leniency
Community
Abandons
Christian
Severe
Others
Cruel

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The essence of grace, we suppose, is that the account has been paid in advance and, because it has been paid, everything can be had for nothing.
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The right way to requite evil, according to Jesus, is not to resist it. This saying of Christ removes the Church from the sphere of politics and law.
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Ultimate seriousness in not without a dose of humor.
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The right way to pray is to stretch out our hands and ask of One who we know has the heart of a Father.
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Man seeks, in his manhood, not orders, not laws and peremptory dogmas, but counsel from one who is earnest in goodness and faithful in friendship, making man free.
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In normal life we hardly realize how much more we receive than we give, and life cannot be rich without such gratitude. It is so easy to overestimate the importance of our own achievements compared with what we owe to the help of others.
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The physical presence of other Christians is a source of incomparable joy and strength to the believer.
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Salvation is free, but discipleship will cost you your life
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Politics are not the task of a Christian.
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Cheap grace is grace without discipleship.
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The time is short. Eternity is long. It is the time of decision.
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The responsible person seeks to make his whole life a response to the question and call of God.
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The wars of Israel were the only 'holy wars' in history... there can be no more wars of faith. The only way to overcome our enemy is by loving him.
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It is much easier for me to imagine a praying murderer, a praying prostitute, than a vain person praying. Nothing is so at odds with prayer as vanity.
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The life of discipleship is not the hero-worship we would pay to a good master, but obedience to the Son of God.
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Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating. By judging others we blind ourselves to our own evil and to the grace which others are just as entitled to as we are.
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The Lord stands above the new day, for God has made it. All restlessness, all worry, and anxiety flee before him.
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Who among us will celebrate Christmas correctly? Whoever finally lays down all power, l honor, all reputation, all vanity, all arrogance, all individualism beside the manger whoever remains lowly and lets God alone be high whoever looks at the child in the manger and sees the glory of God precisely in his lowliness.
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