Billy Graham preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to some 215 million people through his crusades and simulcasts around the world. He passed away today, February 21, 2018 at his home in Montreat, North Carolina. He was 99. Although we are grieving, Heaven rejoices. Here is a collection of some of Billy Graham’s most treasured quotes.
“My father, Billy Graham, is known for speaking out about the one and only thing that matters in this world: the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He remembers the call of God more than seventy years ago to preach the Word of God to all those who would listen about salvation that comes only through Christ. He took this high calling with seriousness and boldness in obedience to the God of all creation. He once said, “I will travel anywhere in the world to preach if there are no strings on what I am to say.”
Billy Graham has been quoted and misquoted countless times, which led him to clarify words from his own lips: “I am constantly concerned about being quoted in the press and perhaps saying the wrong thing or having what I say misinterpreted and bringing reproach to the name of Christ. People do not come to hear what Billy Graham has to say; they want to hear what God has to say. Jesus tells us not to be misled by the voices of strangers. There are so many strange voices being heard in the religious world of our day. We must compare what they say with the Word of God.”
My father’s sermons are anchored to the Scriptures. I have often heard him say, “Man will surrender to the impact of the Word of God.”
“When we preach or teach the Scriptures,” he wrote, “we open the door for the Holy Spirit to do His work. God has not promised to bless oratory or clever preaching. He has promised to bless His Word.” My father prayed that his words would reflect God’s standard of truth as the basis to claim, “I have given them Your word” (John 17:14 NKJV).”
— Franklin Graham, Billy Graham in Quotes
Billy Graham Quotes on Salvation
“Salvation is an act of God. It is initiated by God, wrought by God, and sustained by God.”
“Is it not arrogance or narrow-mindedness to claim that there is only one way of salvation or that the way we follow is the right way? I think not. After all, do we fault a pilot for being narrow-minded when he follows the instrument panel [while] landing in a rainstorm? No, we want him to remain narrowly focused!”
“Salvation is always “good news.” It is news of God’s love and forgiveness—adoption into His family— fellowship with His people—freedom from the penalty of sin— liberation from the power of sin.”
Billy Graham Quotes on Jesus
“Jesus made everything so simple and we have made it so complicated. He spoke to the people in short sentences and everyday words, illustrating His messages with never-to-be forgotten stories.”
“Many people are willing to have Jesus as part of their lives— as long as it doesn’t cost them anything. They may even profess faith in Jesus and join a church. But Jesus to them is almost like an insurance policy— something they obtain and then forget about until they die. What keeps you from being His disciple?”
“I trust Jesus with all my tomorrows, knowing that He will solve the mystery of life beyond the grave.”
Billy Graham Quotes on the Heart
“When Scripture talks about the heart, it’s not talking about that life-sustaining muscle. It’s talking about our entire inner being. The heart is the seat of our emotions, the seat of decisive action, and the seat of belief (as well as doubt).”
“Don’t ever hesitate to take to [God] whatever is on your heart. He already knows it anyway, but He doesn’t want you to bear its pain or celebrate its joy alone.”
“I am convinced that when a man sincerely searches for God with all his heart, God will reveal Himself in some way.”
Billy Graham Quotes on Forgiveness
“Forgiveness does not come easily to us, especially when someone we have trusted betrays our trust. And yet if we do not learn to forgive, we will discover that we can never really rebuild trust.”
“We cannot ask forgiveness over and over again for our sins, and then return to our sins, expecting God to forgive us. We must turn from our practice of sin as best we know how, and turn to Christ by faith as our Lord and Savior.”
“When God forgives us and purifies us of our sin, He also forgets it. Forgiveness results in God dropping the charges against us.”
Billy Graham Quotes on the Bible
“The Bible is actually a library of books—some long, some short— written over hundreds of years by many authors. Behind each one, however, was [the] Author: the Spirit of God.”
“The very practice of reading [the Bible] will have a purifying effect upon your mind and heart. Let nothing take the place of this daily exercise.”
“I learned the importance of the Bible and came to believe with all my heart in its full inspiration. It became a sword in my hand to break open the hearts of men, to direct them to the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Billy Graham Quotes on the Holy Spirit
“The Bible is clear that the Holy Spirit is God Himself.”
“The Holy Spirit gives liberty to the Christian, direction to the worker, discernment to the teacher, power to the Word, and fruit to faithful service. He reveals the things of Christ.”
“If you know Christ, you don’t need to beg for the Holy Spirit to come into your life; He is already there— whether you “feel” His presence or not. Don’t confuse the Holy Spirit with an emotional feeling or a particular type of spiritual experience.”
Billy Graham Quotes on Eternity
“Heaven is real and hell is real, and eternity is but a breath away.”
“God can use the fear that grips the hearts of men today to point them to eternal truths— the truth of God’s eternal judgment, and the truth of His eternal love.”
“Life is just a schoolroom with a glorious opportunity to prepare us for eternity.”