Timothy Keller may refer to:
Our culture says that feelings of love are the basis for actions of love. And of course that can be true. But it is truer to say that actions of love can lead consistently to feelings of love.
The gospel is not about choosing to follow advice; it's about being called to follow a King.
Disordered love always leads to misery and breakdown. The only way to 'reorder' our loves is to love God supremely.
Christians tend to motivate others with guilt. We tend to say: You would do this if you were really committed Christians, indicating that we are committed and all that is needed is for others to become as good as we are! This is why so many churches quench the motivation of people for ministry. In our shoes, Paul would say: Remember the grace God has showered on you—what does living out and enjoying that grace look like in this situation?
The Gospel is news of what God has done to reach us. It is not advice about what we must do to reach God.
It is remarkable that in all of his writings Paul's prayers for his friends contain no appeals for changes in their circumstances.
Ministry to the poor is a crucial sign that we believe the gospel.
Christmas is telling you that you could never get to heaven on your own. God had to come to you.
We have to be careful not to elevate our preferences to moral standards and judge others by them. We only do so to feel superior.
Jesus is the only Lord who, if you receive him, will fulfill you completely, and, if you fail him, will forgive you eternally.
Some suffering is given in order to chastise and correct a person for wrongful patterns of life (as in the case of Jonah imperiled by the storm), some suffering is given not to correct past wrongs but to prevent future ones (as in the case of Joseph sold into slavery), and some suffering has no purpose other than to lead a person to love God more ardently for himself alone and so discover the ultimate peace and freedom.
You are more sinful than you could dare imagine and you are more loved and accepted than you could ever dare hope.
To stand in the presence of God, that is what the Gospel is. The Gospel is not primarily about forgiveness. It’s not primarily about good feelings. It’s not primarily about power. All those things are byproducts, sparks. It’s primarily about the presence of God.
Those who understand the gospel cannot possibly look down on anyone, since they were saved by sheer grace, not by their perfect doctrine or strong moral character.
Work is taking the raw material of creation and developing it for the sake of others.
The Cross is not simply a lovely example of sacrificial love. Throwing your life away needlessly is not admirable — it is wrong. Jesus’ death was only a good example if it was more than an example, if it was something absolutely necessary to rescue us. And it was. Why did Jesus have to die in order to forgive us? There was a debt to be paid — God himself paid it. There was a penalty to be born — God himself bore it. Forgiveness is always a form of costly suffering.
God loves and defends those with the least economic and social power, and so should we.
There is a direct relationship between a person's grasp and experience of God's grace, and his or her heart for justice and the poor.
Everyone says they want community and friendship. But mention accountability or commitment to people, and they run the other way.
What is an idol? It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give.