Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Daring to hope

“The gospel of justifying faith means that while Christians are, in themselves still sinful and sinning, yet in Christ, in God’s sight, they are accepted and righteous. So we can say that we are more wicked than we ever dared believe, but more loved and accepted in Christ than we ever dared hope — at the very same time. This creates a radical new dynamic for personal growth. It means that the more you see your own flaws and sins, the more precious, electrifying, and amazing God’s grace appears to you. But on the other hand, the more aware you are of God’s grace and acceptance in Christ, the more able you are to drop your denials and self-defenses and admit the true dimensions and character of your sin.” 


Tim Keller, The Reason for God



8 comments:

Richard Pennystan said...

This is fantastic, I love what Keller brings to evangelicalism. Over the past 5 years I have been wrestling with the truths of us being created in God's image and defined as loveable by God, yet that image marred in us and the gospel pronouncing us as sinful. (are our hearts fundamentally good or bad? - IMHO the former emphasised by those with pastoral gifts, the latter by evangelists) - But recently the truth of the BOTH/AND of our identity in the gospel has come alive to me. Our rebellion has left us dead, but the Creator, the one who has authority defines us as loveable.
Keller expresses that beautifully here.
On Sunday I felt stirred to pray for Keller, when it occurred to me, that the people who listen to Piper and Driscoll also respect him. So I pray that he can be a voice of grace, truth and God's love amidst some of what others around him produce.

David Cooke said...

Thank you Richard for your thoughts on Keller.

At a time when there seems to be no Stott to lead evangelicalism I think he may be the one to step into such shoes. I know you have concerns about those who have become known as 'the new Calvinist's' and it's interesting to me to work out just why this movement seems to be growing so rapidly in popularity.

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