J. N. Darby Quotes on Faith, Christ, Grace and the Love of God
John Nelson Darby (1800–1882) was the leading teacher of the early Plymouth Brethren and the man most responsible for the way many evangelicals read Bible prophecy. He's often remembered for his system. But readers of his Bible notes find something else too: short, searching sentences about faith, dependence on God and the love of Christ.
Every quotation below is copied exactly from his books in TheWay Library, with the book and chapter it comes from. Lines he quotes from others are left out. For his life story, see who was J. N. Darby. For a guide to his books, see J. N. Darby books.
On faith and circumstances
Darby's best-known line comes from his notes on Psalm 16. It sums up a lot of what he taught about trusting God.
Nature has circumstances between itself and God; faith has God between the heart and circumstances.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalm 16
For faith looks through everything to God, because He is faithful, and His favour better than life.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalm 60
Outward trials are but instruments of purification and of trying the heart as to faith.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalm 12
The power of evil is below the power of God.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalm 4
Daniel, who had faith, spoke as faith always does; for it sees as God sees.
Studies on the Book of Daniel, Lecture II
God made him feel his dependance; but he had faith, and faith and dependance are identified.
Studies on the Book of Daniel, Lecture I
On God Himself
Darby kept turning readers away from God's gifts to God Himself.
It is not what He gives, which assures the heart, but Himself.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalm 23
The root and essence of personal piety is the soul’s own desire after God.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalm 84
This clinging to God Himself in spite of all is to be learnt.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalm 44
The great point is, that it is God as such who is our refuge and strength.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalm 46
As we are in the world, it does make us feel alone, but alone with God.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalms 72–74
On Christ and the cross
In Luke, Darby saw Christ as the perfect, dependent Man. In the Psalms he saw the cross where God and sin met.
From the manger to the cross, all in Christ was simple obedience.
Notes on the Gospel of Luke, Luke 2
Thus, He presented perfect God to man, and perfect man to God.
Notes on the Gospel of Luke, Luke 4
The cross was God meeting sin, and sin meeting God in man.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalms 50–51
A broken spirit is what suits the cross, suits Christ’s broken body and forgiven sins.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalms 50–51
The Lord Himself is the security of His people, and let the world go on as it may, no events can touch Christ.
Notes on the Gospel of Luke, Luke 8
On grace
Darby set grace sharply against law. He loved the story of the sinful woman in Luke 7.
It is a tale of grace, of pure, plenary, pardoning grace, which rests not till its object is dismissed in perfect peace.
Notes on the Gospel of Luke, Luke 7
Flesh and law go together, but grace and law, God’s righteousness and man’s, will never mix.
Notes on the Gospel of Luke, Luke 5
However dark the dispensation may be, there is exactly the grace that is needed for the position.
Notes on the Gospel of Luke, Luke 9
He loves His people, but He has no resource for blessing them but His own grace.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalms 76–78
On the love of God
These come from his lectures on the First Epistle of John, given in London and printed from a reporter's notes.
The great purpose of God in all His dealings in grace is to bring us individually into fellowship with Himself.
Nine Lectures on the First Epistle of John, Lecture I
God is love, that is the only God I know, and the only way that I can know Him.
Nine Lectures on the First Epistle of John, Lecture VII
The moment any soul finds its need of God, there and then God is waiting to meet its need.
Nine Lectures on the First Epistle of John, Lecture VII
God loved us when we hated Him; we are to love those who do not love us, and thus show the character of God down here.
Nine Lectures on the First Epistle of John, Lecture II
Love never takes us out of the place of obedience.
Nine Lectures on the First Epistle of John, Lecture VIII
I don’t know Christ’s love rightly if one saint is left out.
Nine Lectures on the First Epistle of John, Lecture VIII
On praise and the world
The Christian is never, according to the Spirit, in a state of soul in which he cannot praise.
Practical Reflections on the Psalms, Psalm 65
There’s nothing takes the energy of the Spirit out of the heart like the world.
Nine Lectures on the First Epistle of John, Lecture VIII
Read them in context
The best book to start with is Practical Reflections on the Psalms, where most of these lines come from. Darby wrote it for the heart, not for argument, and you can read it one psalm at a time. If you love 1 John, try his Nine Lectures on the First Epistle of John. All four of his books are on the J. N. Darby author page.