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In religion, you obey because God is useful. In Christianity, you obey because God is beautiful.

Timothy Keller

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

Accept Acceptable God Gospel Obey Operate Principle Religion
We instinctively tend to limit for whom we exert ourselves. We do it for people like us, and for people whom we like. Jesus will have none of that.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Brother Exert Instinctively Jesus Limit Ourselves Race
The basic premise of religion– that if you live a good life, things will go well for you– is wrong. Jesus was the most morally upright person who ever lived, yet He had a life filled with the experience of poverty, rejection, injustice, and even torture.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Basic Good Jesus Life Live Morality Most Person Premise Religion Upright Wrong
Are you living to justify yourself, or are you living because you are justified?
TIMOTHY KELLER

Justified Justify Living Yourself
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
When Job was prospering, he prayed. When he was suffering, he still prayed.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Pray Proper Still Suffer
If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Changing Dead Everything Jesus Life Rose Said Teach Worry
Jesus warns people far more often about greed than about sex, yet almost no one thinks they are guilty of it.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Almost Greed Guilty Jesus More People Sex Think Warm
It is impossible to forgive someone if you feel superior to him or her.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Forgive Her Him Impossible Someone Superior
The lack of joy in your life is due to your lack of mission.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Due Joy Lack Life Mission
After creation God said, ‘It is finished’-and he rested. After redemption Jesus said, ‘It is finished’-and we can rest.
TIMOTHY KELLER

After Creation Finish God Jesus Redemption Rest
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
Religion says earn your life. Secular society says create your life. Jesus says, ‘My life for your life.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Create Earn Jesus Life Religion Say Secular Society
If you love anything in this world more than God, you will crush that object under the weight of your expectations.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Anything Crush Expectation Love More Object Under Weight World
Tolerance isn’t about not having beliefs. It’s about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Belief Disagree People Tolerance Treat
We were designed to know, serve, and love God supremely – and when we are faithful to that design, we flourish.
TIMOTHY KELLER

Design Dream Faithful Flourish Love Service Supremely

In religion, you obey because God is useful. In Christianity, you obey because God is beautiful.

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In religion, you obey because God is useful. In Christianity, you obey because God is beautiful.

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