Inspirational Quotes by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Aqui, as bem-aventuranças de Jesus se distinguem completamente da caricatura que delas fazem na forma de programas políticos e sociais. O anticristo também declara os pobres bem-aventurados, mas não o faz por causa da cruz, que abrange toda a pobreza e na qual a pobreza é bem-aventurada, mas justamente para, mediante ideologias políticas e sociais, rejeitar a cruz. Pode, inclusive, chamar tal ideologia de cristã, e é exatamente o que o torna antagonista de Cristo.”

“Billige Gnade ist Predigt der Vergebung ohne Buße, ist Taufe ohne Gemeindezucht, ist Abendmahl ohne Bekenntnis der Sünden, ist Absolution ohne persönliche Beichte. Billige Gnade ist Gnade ohne Nachfolge, Gnade ohne Kreuz, Gnade ohne den lebendigen, menschgewordenen Jesus Christus.”

“it was Dietrich Bonhoeffer who more than anybody else realized that nothing less than a return to the Christian faith could save Germany.”

“Judging others makes us blind, whereas love is illuminating.”

“Forgiveness is the Christlike suffering which it is the Christian's duty to bear.”

“Assim como Cristo manteve a comunhão com o Pai ao levar fardos, o discípulo, ao levar fardos, mantém a comunhão com Cristo.”

“Desde a vinda de Jesus, não existe mais para seus discípulos a possibilidade de relações sem o Mediador, quer sejam naturais e históricas, quer sejam cotidianas. Entre filho e pai, entre homem e mulher, entre indivíduo e sociedade, está Cristo, o Mediador, mesmo que não se saiba reconhecê-lo. para nós, já não existe um caminho para o próximo que não seja Cristo, sua palavra e seu discipulado. A relação com o mundo sem o Mediador é pura ilusão.”

“Either man models himself on the God of his own invention, or the true and living God molds the human form into His image. There must be a complete transformation -a metamorphosis- if man is to be restored to the image of God. How then is that transformation to be effected? Since fallen men cannot rediscover and assimilate the image of God, the only way is for God to take the form of man and come to him. The Son of God, who dwelt in the form of God the Father lays aside that form and comes to man in the form of a slave. The change of form, which could not take place in man, now takes place in God. The divine image which had existed from eternity with God assumes the image of fallen, sinful man. God sends his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh. God sends his Son. Here lies the only remedy. It is not enough to give men a new philosophy or a better religion. A Man comes to men. ...Now in Jesus Christ, this is just what has happened. The Image of God has entered our midst in the form of our fallen life in the likeness of sinful flesh. In the teaching and acts of Christ, in his life and death, the image of God is revealed. In Him, the divine image has been recreated on earth.”

“Die Kraft des Menschen ist das Gebet. Beten ist Atem holen aus Gott. Beten heißt sich Gott anvertrauen. Das Gebet ist das Herz christlichen Lebens.”

“Gehorsam folgt blind, Freiheit hat offene Augen. Gehorsam handelt ohne zu fragen, Freiheit fragt nach dem Sinn. Gehorsam hat gebundene Hände, Freiheit ist schöpferisch.”

“Herr, was dieser Tag auch bringt – dein Name sei gelobt.”

“Gott vergilt nicht Gleiches mit Gleichem, und so soll es auch der Gerechte nicht tun. Nicht verurteilen, nicht schelten, sondern segnen. Die Welt hätte keine Hoffnung, wenn dies nicht wäre. Vom Segen Gottes und der Gerechten lebt die Welt und hat sie eine Zukunft. Segnen, das heißt die Hand auf etwas legen und sagen: du gehörst trotz allem Gott. So tun wir es mit der Welt, die uns solches Leiden zufügt. Wir verlassen sie nicht, wir verwerfen, verachten, verdammen sie nicht, sondern wir rufen sie zu Gott, wir geben ihr Hoffnung, wir legen die Hand auf sie und sagen: Gottes Segen komme über dich, er erneuere dich, sei gesegnet, du von Gott geschaffene Welt, die du deinem Schöpfer und Erlöser gehörst. Wir haben Gottes Segen empfangen in Glück und in Leiden. Wer aber selbst gesegnet wurde, der kann nicht mehr anders als diesen Segen weitergeben, ja er muß dort, wo er ist, ein Segen sein.”

“Beten heißt Gott nahekommen und nahe bleiben wollen, weil er uns nahegekommen ist. Beten können wir nur, weil Christus da ist, in ihm hat unser Gebet seinen Grund, denn durch ihn haben wir Gott zum Vater.”

“God says, “I will speak to you,” but Daniel cannot hear. Can we? Is it not so with us, that in this unholy turmoil and helplessness, we say, “God go away!” Yes, we know it is stupid. But if you come, then it is all over.”

“The blessedness of waiting is lost on those who cannot wait, and the fulfillment of promise is never theirs. They want quick answers to the deepest questions of life and miss the value of those times of anxious waiting, seeking with patient uncertainties until the answers come. They lose the moment when the answers are revealed in dazzling clarity.”

“We are blessed as those who wait, as those who keep awake in their waiting. Be like the one who waits for the Lord. “Blessed are those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.”

“Our text makes two powerful demands clear, helping us to understand the true nature of the Advent event. It is not the miserable, weak, anxious Advent of popular “Christian” celebration, which we are so often contented with and which Christ deplores. The two demands are clear: “Look up. Raise your head.” Advent makes people whole: new people. We can also become new people in Advent. Stand up, look up, your view is too much down towards the earth, fixed upon the superficial changes and happenings of this earth. Look up, you who have turned away disappointed from heaven, see this Advent word. Look up, you whose eyes are heavy with tears and who mourn that the earth has snatched everything from you. Look up, you who are so heavy laden with guilt that you feel you cannot look up. Look up, your salvation draws near. When you look up, things look quite different from what you have seen day by day, more real, far greater, and more powerful. If only it were true. Be patient. Wait for a little while longer. Wait and something quite new will come over you. God will come. Jesus comes and takes up his abode with you and you become a redeemed people. Look up, stand, and watch. Keep your eyes open, waiting for the approaching deliverance. Lift up your heads—you army of men and women, bowed down with sorrow, demoralized, without hope, you defeated army of drooping heads. The battle is not yet lost. Lift up your heads. Yours is the victory. Take courage. Have no fear, no anxiety, no sorrow. Courage! Make the victory sure. Be strong, be able. Here there is no reason to droop your head, no more doubts, no uncertainty of the way. Freedom, salvation, and deliverance come. Look up; raise your heads. Be fearless and strong! Because Christ comes.”

“Being saved by discipleship is not a human possibility, but for God all things are possible.”

“It became clear to me that the life of a servant of Jesus Christ must belong to the Church, and step by step it became clearer to me how far that must go.”

“Discipleship is not a human offer. The call alone creates the situation.”