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Religion operates on the principle ‘I obey-therefore I am accepted by God.’ But the operating principle of the gospel is ‘I am accepted by God through what Christ has done-therefore I obey.’

Timothy Keller

…Singles, too, must see the penultimate status of marriage. If single Christians don’t develop a deeply fulfilling love relationship with Jesus, they will put too much pressure on their DREAM of marriage, and that will create pathology in their lives as well.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Christian Deeply Dream Jesus Marriage Must Relationship Single Status
The infallible test of spiritual integrity, Jesus says, is your private prayer life.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Infallible Integrity Jesus Life Prayer Private Spiritual Test
Religion is ‘if you obey, then you will be accepted’. But the Gospel is, ‘if you are absolutely accepted, and sure you’re accepted, only then will you ever begin to obey’. Those are two utterly different things. Every page of the Bible shows the difference.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Accept Accepted Bible Different Every Gospel Page Religion Show Utterly
…the essence of gospel-humility is not thinking more of myself or thinking less of myself, it is thinking of myself less.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Essence Gospel Humility Less More Myself Religious Think
Fear-based repentance makes us hate ourselves. Joy-based repentance makes us hate the sin.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Base Bases Fear Hate Joy Make Ourselves Repentance Sin
This leads to deep humility and deep confidence at the same time. It undermines both swaggering and sniveling. I cannot feel superior to anyone, and yet I have nothing to prove to anyone. I do not think more of myself nor less of myself. Instead, I think of myself less.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Anyone Deed Humanity Less Myself Nothing Superior Swagger Think Undermine
If anything becomes more fundamental than God to your happiness, meaning of life, and identity then it is an idol.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Anything Become Fundamental God Identity Idol Idols Life Meaning
So we find messages of self-salvation extremely attractive, whether they are religious (Keep these rules and you earn eternal blessing) or secular (Grab hold of these things and you’ll experience blessing now).
TIMOTHY KELLER

Bless Eternal Experience Many People Promise Succes Thing Time
Suffering is unbearable if you aren’t certain that God is for you and with you.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Certain God Suffer Unbearable With You
When Jesus looked down from the cross, he didn’t think “I am giving myself to you because you are so attractive to me.”
TIMOTHY KELLER

Attractive Cross Down Give Jesus Look Myself Think
Trust is accepting what God sends into your life whether you understand it or not.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Accept Defensive God Life Most Now Send Trust
How does Satan accuse us? By causing us to look at our sin rather than our Savior.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Accuse Cause Look Our Satan Savior Sin
The resurrection was God’s way of stamping PAID IN FULL right across history so that nobody could miss it.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Access Dull God History Miss Nobody Paid Resurrection Right Stamp
Forgiveness always comes at a cost to the one granting the forgiveness. To not retaliate is to absorb the cost.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Absorb Always Come Cost Forgiveness Grant One Retaliate
Our character is mainly shaped by our primary social community – the people with whom we eat, play, converse, and study.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Character Community Converse Eat Mainly Person Play Primarily Social Strap Study
Jesus Christ was treated as we deserved so that when we believe in Jesus, God treats us as Jesus deserves.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Believe Christ Deserve God Jesus Treat

Religion operates on the principle ‘I obey-therefore I am accepted by God.’ But the operating principle of the gospel is ‘I am accepted by God through what Christ has done-therefore I obey.’

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Religion operates on the principle ‘I obey-therefore I am accepted by God.’ But the operating principle of the gospel is ‘I am accepted by God through what Christ has done-therefore I obey.’

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Timothy Keller Quotes