Boasting in Nothing Except the Cross | Galatians 6

Tim Keller speaks at The Gospel Coalition's 2017 National Conference celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation, unleashed by God in 1517 when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg door. This was the last of six plenary talks that proclaimed the gospel of grace from Paul's inspired letter to the Galatians.
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[@simei74]

God used Mr. Keller to bring me back to Him. 46 years I've been living in a false identity, regularly going to church and praying but my heart never accepted Him as my saviour. Through Tim's sermons God has found me, and wow what a joy I feel in my heart now every time I hear and worship His name. Every morning I thirst to hear His words. Jesus is my saviour, I am His child, and I will dedicate my life for His glory. Thank you Jesus for finding me. Thank you Mr. Keller for your tireless duty in serving the Lord.

[@Nancybelongs2Jesus]

InductedMoss i’m so thankful for your testimony! if I might encourage you...being a stranger, I hope that I can. I’m praying you are not allowing the enemy of our souls to make you dwell in guilt for all that you’ve missed. One heart, faith-filled and rejoicing, can do more than a lifetime of dry, emotionless and religious service. You know, because of your journey, that you’ve been forgiven much...therefore, much love can flow through your surrendered life. I praise God for His faithful pursuit! Eternity is before us! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Tim Keller is quite a gift to the body of Christ.

[@michaelbrickley2443]

InductedMoss, so glad to hear you’ve gone from lukewarm to fiery follower. Feed your spirit daily as you are. Stoke the fire daily. I was blessed by your words...

[@celenecranenburgh9566]

Glad to have you in God's grace and in his family! "The kingdom of God is advancing..."... Xxx

[@timhennessey7348]

Wow,This is powerful...I am going thru that same path now....

[@chrystalbrown9600]

Inductedmoss Praying for you in January 2022 🙏

[@DonVHaley]

I miss Tim Keller so much. What a great man that added so much value to so many individuals lives.

[@nathanh2664]

God bless everyone reading this and may your heart be filled with the faith, love, and peace of Christ.

[@unitytira4954]

Listening to this message brings me to tears for what Jesus Christ has done for me a sinner and with these tears lead to deeply love my redeemer JesusChrist, it brings me freedom to live alone for Jesus Christ and to hate sin, thank you so much Tim for clearly pounding the The Goodnews in my head and my heart. God bless you Gospel Coalition for sharing this video.

[@hlengimageba9206]

Tim Keller has made me really understand the essentiality of the doctrine of the cross, how it saves us from vainglorious behavior and make us to be faithful servants of Christ who boast in nothing else but the cross, who are ready to lay down their lives for the gospel 🙏. TGC is a great platform to grow in Christ with sound bible teachings 🙌

[@user-ts2wl7hy1m]

One of his best sermons and he has had many great ones

[@lilybug362230]

Timothy keller seems so authentic his sermons are wise and heartfelt you can tell his Love of God is real and his love of sharing Gods word is deep

[@booksie1]

Wow! This brother really brings the gospel to life. How he describes how we look to others to fulfil us when only God can do that…

[@wongsikiongwongsikiong4296]

You need to be born again,a new creation,to be conformed to the image of the Son of God.

[@enamhanna9345]

Dr Keller I don’t know what to say but to give thanks to our Lord for the work of God in you. You always have genius ideas and different it really amazes me. I know for sure it’s lead by His Spirit. Your explanation and the examples you gave are just great. I listen to through podcast in my walk in the morning I told two persons about you. Thank you sir so much for the wisdom of God in you. I pray that the Lord put His hands and increase your rotatory and heal you. Please Jesus. You and Kathy are so much loved. Thank you again.

[@scottmercer86]

Keller has a way in which he presents the Gospel so that it exposes our heart for what it most desires. His Gospel-Centered exposition is unrivaled in our generation. Such an honor to be a student under it.

[@ellenhenderson6865]

Scott Mercer Tim Mackie does a good job too. But you are right!

[@radicalchangeofmind1368]

You really think so? Tim Keller loves Harry Potter. Harry is a wizard, something God condemns and hates. His fancy jusitification that is has a 'redemptive story' is so utterly shallow that he actually teaches against God Word. We are NOT to love this world. Keller is intoxicated by worldliness and leading many astray. May God grant him repentance. Charles Spurgeon even warned against this corruption in the church read this: www.middletownbiblechurch.org/christia/spurgeon.htm

[@ngarumurray]

@@radicalchangeofmind1368 😂😂😂😂😂😂oh my goodness

[@steveweltymusic5666]

I'm 20 mins in and have literally written down everything he has said. Brilliant!

[@alinabrito8576]

This is one of the most important messages I've ever heard

[@wongsikiongwongsikiong4296]

I only boast of the Cross for He is the bridge to God through which God reconciled me, a sinner with Him.

[@unmaskingpurpose]

Thank you Tim Keller 🙏

[@godsbabeborn-again5945]

God bless Mr Keller and keep him humble. I'm so honoured to be listening to him and learning all these godly teachings.

[@radicalchangeofmind1368]

If he is humble why has he not made a public announcement that he recants his satanic exultation in Harry Potter? He loves Harry Potter. Hear from an ex WIZARD: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5rMYX55icR_gZY

[@rhuechantal6316]

This is one of the best sermons ever. Thank you, Timothy Keller, for getting at the heart of our faith. The feeedom our Lord Jesus Christ has given to us by his loving sacrifice of himself surrenders my heart and thereby liberates me. Please know many of my friends have also been blessed by your faithful reminder of the Love of God. There is nothing more beautiful, powerful and pure than self sacrifice in love.

[@rebanelson607]

As I write this the world is quickly unravelling and facing nuclear threats, catastrophic weather changes and religious brutality. But I will glory in the CROSS of Christ, the only hope for me and the only hope for the world. The world needs to hear the truth of the Gospel.

[@MerBlack]

Wow... hits home. Thank you, Pastor Keller 🙏🏼

[@mcoz6934]

EXACTLY‼️ _How_ can we live a life of "praise to glory of his grace" (EPH 1:6) if we don't acknowledge & confess (to God, ourselves, & _especially_ other people) that we are creatures in _desperate_ need of His grace⁉️

[@unmaskingpurpose]

Thank you. Gospel coalition has helped my walk with Jesus.

[@thegospelcoalition]

Thank you for this encouragement! We're so glad that our ministry has helped you.

[@sanetvanwyk5207]

Pastor so so thank you for the powerful message. May Hod bless you.

[@sanetvanwyk5207]

May God bless you

[@rofansdotnet]

I almost can't survive hearing this sermon. It's too convicting.

[@malcolmduanetaylor]

Amen, In Christ alone!

[@toprock1301]

A challenging but sobering reality check.

[@gracie467]

Jesus Christ was jeered so that we could get the applause of God. Amen. Forbid it Lord that I should boast save in the death of Christ of my Lord, love so amazing, so divine, demands my love, my life, my all.

[@SamOgilvieJr]

The Doctrine of the Cross--- Embrace, accept and feel the offense of the cross. Boast in the cross(and nothing else). Where does your confidence come from? Where does your validation come from? What is your identity? We boast in Christ Jesus and the cross, nothing else. You are seeking the applause of God. God looks upon us and sees Christ, sees us in Christ. He affirms us. Tells us we are okay. It means seeing what Jesus Christ did to get this affirmation from God for us. The world no longer has any claim on us. Don't be ashamed of the Cross. Finally, again, boast in the Cross.

[@let-there-be-light]

Ps Tim Keller on Galatians 6 is definitely qualified in the Hall of Classic Christian Godly Heritage.

[@dalb2081]

If I could have explain this in my language to my family would be amazing

[@ChuckDownfield2727]

This guy is well spoken

[@UltraX34]

This is literally incredible. God was speaking through Keller here. This is everything that I've been thinking about the last year.

[@andyh8475]

absolutely amazing - the whole gospel in one sermon - may life's be changed! Halleluja

[@aquablue8028]

Excellent preaching. Thank you.

[@belladonnelly8063]

Wow 😯 that gave me goosebumps don’t be ashamed to boast in the cross. All Glory to God for I am not ashamed of the cross. 😊💯

[@thenopasslook]

My favorite pastor

[@YoKinah]

Bryson Townsend my poppop

[@radicalchangeofmind1368]

Bryson Townsend : Tim Keller loves Harry Potter. He is wrong about exulting in HP, as HP is a wizard. Wizandry is sin according to the Bible. Hear this from an EX WIZARD: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n5rMYX55icR_gZY

[@Animebrity.]

I hate putting myself out there to do good works, i want Jesus to have all the praise, but have i just dont tell people what i do. Im seriously not worthy but only want to be in His eyes! I wear good works to bandage my pain.

[@steveweltymusic5666]

Thanks!

[@ginamariadirocco3095]

Pray for God to plant a seed of love in you and he will grow and explode it.

[@kimwingert8967]

Amazing!

[@SamOgilvieJr]

The Godless and horrific world system defined and described to perfection. The solution, a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, offered lovingly.

[@jewishbride5010]

I appreciate the sober mindedness of this Tim Keller very much! I admit I rather not have the lesser days and sides, which is vanglorious I believe now. I repent of that attitude where I am able and aware, or unaware for that matter. God almigthy already has not accepted to let me get away with vanglorious attitude it seems, he has more people to take care of. Therefore I believe the story of Christ is really the greatest love story ever happened. Namely, what is to heavy to carry will be taken care of by those who can carry, we do this for each other, with Jesus in our midst. God almigthy gives so many chances but beware to not being able to reach him anymore! God bless, in the name and blood of Jesus Christ, Christ is and stays marked in my body, amen. Hallelujah! Annelies Bakker, the Netherlands.

[@annecortez1757]

Praise Jesus.

[@theeredlion]

Almost the same as you shared this morning 😊

[@rickkuhn6577]

What I needed today. God bless

[@jinibell4649]

If one thinks that Tim Keller is not right on the point of what the gospel is, JESUS CHRIST, then they need to rethink as to whether they are ' born again Christians.' He is intellectualizing, because he is an Apologetic Christian Pastor who presents "historical, reasoned and evidential bases for Christianity, defending against objections." If one has listened to Tim Keller's many messages/ sermons that is obvious. He is after all talking to people who think they know, and have gotten 'it' in the world, ( whatever that is), and Keller does make sense to their 'intellectual' thinking. Some people do need to reason more than others to see the truth behind Christianity. In the end it is only God who can lead us from the dark to the light, but Pastors like Keller are truly gifted in planting the Gospel seed in us. And it is easy to determine whether a pastor is on the Gospel Point: If there is no mention of Jesus Christ in the beginning, middle and end of sermons, on a regular basis, probably better to walk away from that church. ...." GRACE AND TRUTH CAME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST." ❤️

[@mimishkaz]

I've been listening to Tim Keller's sermons for a while now and every sermon he does he always concludes with showing us the beauty of Christ and what He did for us at the cross. It makes sense to me.

[@naturehugger3350]

Amen

[@mickykua5457]

jini beligammana L

[@timothykamei7194]

Yes. I feel it the same way

[@marcelwillieniles3816]

Great! Very great...!

[@SamOgilvieJr]

Love the Billy Graham story. He stuck to the Gospel through thick and thin.

[@bobparsonsartist564]

Beautiful message big brother!

[@randrewsmith0906]

23:45: this is the difference between the gospel and 'religion'. 24:45 what sin (the fall) does to flip our perception. 41:48 desire for acceptance.

[@MrFboccia]

Amazing reaching! Wow

[@carollebump8359]

This lesson touched my heart. The bibles explanation on how to really humble ourselves and carrying someone else burdens . We want to stop carrying their burden when it doesn't work for us . Carrying someone burden IS a sacrifice ,on our part , We as Christians shouldn't give up on that person . When we make a "true sacrifice"because we carry there burden, then on only then will know the true meaning of a burden .

[@jewishbride5010]

Carolle BUMP It is carrying EACH OTHERS burdens. Beware the devil to misuse and abuse! Be blessed in Christ Jesus, amen. Annelies, the Netherlands.

[@chasvonplatten1298]

Y

[@jennybillen5430]

Subscribed!

[@krystle8287]

Wow. AMEN. ❤️🔥💯❤️🔥💯❤️🔥💯❤️🔥💯❤️🔥💯❤️🔥💯

[@dannyboey6477]

One of the best

[@jessewallace12able]

Thank you

[@fiso4christ]

sooo helpful! thanks for the message.

[@dianakatkout638]

This is amazing, yet very challenging.

[@hereandnow990]

Great sermon and reminders! Indeed, the Cross of Christ is the pinnacle of Salvation. However we must not forget that we need to lead actual righteous lives, fervently serving God, in obedience to Him, not just in boasting with the doctrine outwardly but not having it reflected in our actual deeds. We are saved by grace but if we truly believed it, it will be shown in our deeds. And if there are no deeds, it only exposes the fact that true conversion didn't happen yet. We all will stand before the Judgement Seat of God to receive whatever we did in our physical bodies, good or bad. Now in New Testament epoch we are even more responsible to lead pure lives than people before the NT epoch.

[@mcoz6934]

The danger, I think, is trying to _bypass_ the offense of the Cross & trying to produce a righteousness of our own, in our own strength. Without Christ giving us new desires, His desires, we fall back into attempts at self-righteousness, which all of Scripture condemns.

[@rosehammer9482]

Didn’t make it to the Asbury revival but was renewed and encouraged after viewing this video. Yes got woke from from lethargy. God bless!!

[@lundskygurl]

as always, a beautiful truth

[@BobbyUpchurchMusings]

Amen!

[@donnag7288]

He baptized my kids ( child dedication)

[@RenewalCreations]

In terms of boasting before going off to war, kind of the same way cheerleaders for a football team...I don't boast in words, I boast or put my confidence in my ability or my teammates ability. In what I know I can do. My skill as an athlete or as a singer who can hit the high notes or my partner who can harmonize. It's not the talk but the confidence in our skills and training as a team and individual.

[@jhq9064]

Still waiting and praying for the reformation to filter out (bad news) the Rome Catholyc/ Latin Vulgate doctryne of eternal torture.

[@mr.ic3blackraciallyaggrava972]

Are the born again free to sin by mistake? - "Everyone who has been born of God does not sin, because his seed remains in him; he is not able to sin, because he has been born of God". 1 John 3:9

[@curiousgeorge555]

"Not able to sin"? Are you without sin? "If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." 1st John 1:8.

[@mr.ic3blackraciallyaggrava972]

@@curiousgeorge555 Yes. Sin in past tense. The born again stop sinning.

[@curiousgeorge555]

@@mr.ic3blackraciallyaggrava972 "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

[@SAOProductions1955]

Trying to locate the reference Pastor Keller makes to Luther's commentary on Galatians at 2:4. Can't find it in the copy of Luther's commentary that I have. Any help would be much appreciated.

[@koinoniaaalborg828]

The exact wording will depend a little on the translation/version you are reading, but it is indeed in there. The commentary on verses 4-5 is a few pages long; the text read out can be found on the last or before last of those pages (the paragraph starts with "But here will some man say...").

[@SAOProductions1955]

Thanks. Will look into it - but Keller seems to quote Luther verbatim and I can't seem to find anything, word-for-word as Keller states it.

[@so159y]

there are two Luter's commentary on Galatian, maybe you have the other. (1519 and 1531 if my memory doesn't fail)

[@nickvoutsas5144]

I am an Orthadox Christian and although I have utmost respect for Tim’s sermons I don’t understand why religion as a concept is constantly attacked. If you think we do not believe in salvation through the grace of God then your views are distorted. If you think we do not believe in salvation through the cross then you are mistaken. If you constantly criticize the traditions of the traditional church then please get your own creed and form your own beliefs and stop following our beliefs. If you have a problem with traditions which form the bedrock of our belief then do not follow the traditional sacraments of Baptism and taking of Holy communion. I am angered not because you sincerely believe but you condemn us and follow us. Before the Bible was written our religion was based on traditions and many of our saints sacrificed their bodies so that we might not deviate from the truth. Your religion is grey even though you think in terms of black and white. Do you truly believe we are like made in the image of God and yet are garbage or dirty unless we give ourselves to God .... no these are false teachings since God has made us in his image he also sees a reflection of his goodness in us. Do not be fooled we have the breath of God within us and the purpose of good and evil is a process of exercising our own free will thereby recognizing the love of God. Traditional denominations have also gone astray. I am your brother in Jesus Christ and you are mine and we are one in The Holy Spirit. Do not be afraid God is alive in all of us and we in-turn should be united .

[@byamukama]

I am sure you misunderstand Tim's use of the word 'religion.' As you would know, words can have more than one meaning. Some use 'religion' to mean 'faith in God' while others use it to refer to 'established faith systems.' Yet others, like Keller, use it to mean 'legalism.' If you truly believe that legalism is not anti-Gospel, then I submit that you are yet to study Scripture. There are other things I could say concerning your assertions about how your religion existed and Saints 'sacrificed their bodies' 'before the Bible was written.' I would be glad to hear when you think the Bible was written. The one I read has as its last book written before the end of the first century. I could wonder which saints of your religion were dead by then, unless, of course, you refer only to the Apostles of Christ.

[@nickvoutsas5144]

The earliest known complete list of the 27 books of the New Testament is found in a letter written by Athanasius, a 4th-century bishop of Alexandria, dated to 367 AD.[1] The 27-book New Testament was first formally canonized during the councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397) in North Africa. Christianity in it’s early years was passed down not only through the written word but also through traditions. I do agree that the writings of the scriptures were originally written before the 1st century but there were many false books which were rejected. If the modern church feels so strongly that the Bible was a compilation of books from the 1st century then why do you accept the compilation as set out by the councils of Hippo in 367 ? Your denomination accepted the compilation as set out by the Orthadox and Catholic Church of the time. There were many other branches of Christianity at that time having there own books but your Christian denomination followed our compilation if this were not true then prove it that your writings in your New Testament radically differ from ours. Why would the Orthodox Church be legalistic, that’s an unfortunate label that has been used as a propaganda campaign against the original church. We believe in salvation beyond your modern understanding of salvation. We believe in the grace of God and good dead’s. Our understanding of salvation is rooted in the resurrection more than the crucifixion. That’s the reason we truly believe the Holy Eucharist to transform into the body and the blood of Christ. I am not an authority on the Orthadox religion and stand corrected. Legalism? needs to be better defined but if it means feeding the poor and giving comfort to the lonely by obeying God’s 10 commandments then what is so wrong with that? Did not Christ say look after my sheep? Perhaps a lack of so called legalism might mean we do not have to fast before taking Holly Communion, is that a good thing? I think there is a balance which should not be transgressed and grace might go hand in hand with good deeds. Unfortunately we cannot have the body of Jesus Christ divided. You are my brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all human and we will differ but at the end of the day we are one in Christ Jesus. We all make mistakes and we are all guilty of sin but God has blessed us with the greatest gift which is to willfully chose salvation. When God placed Adam and Eve in the garden he knew they were going to sin. The joy comes in us choosing God as our savior. Be Joyful in your tears and like Tim says invest your tears wisely and reap rewards of joy. Do not preach differences but rather invest your words in uniting your fellow man in love. We are killing this planet and our only salvation is respecting not only ourselves but creation as a whole. How are we going earn the right to exist if we cannot unite.

[@byamukama]

@@nickvoutsas5144 you speak of 'a complete list' as though compiling a list is the same as writing the document. But are they the same? Did Athanasius author any book in the Bible?

[@byamukama]

@@nickvoutsas5144 And no: Tim is not defining legalism as feeding the poor. That may be philanthropy, but not legalism. I suppose it helps to slow down and understand, before critiquing. Legalism is when one trusts in their 'good' works for salvation. That is what Tim's talk is about/against. That is what he means by 'religion.' Again, it may help to know that the same word can have more than one meaning. And when it does, it is proper for someone to understand how the speaker is using a word before arguing. It is only proper, Nick.

[@byamukama]

Thirdly, not everyone disagrees with everything about Orthodoxy or Roman Catholicism. At least not Tim. Again, I suppose you need to slow down and understand the talk before arguing. Tim said nothing negative in this talk about Greek Orthodoxy or Roman Catholicism. Nothing at all. I think your argument is merely strawman. It is. And besides, when you say things like 'your denomination' do you know what my denomination is? Did I tell you?

[@jamesirvin7799]

TK was pretty good years ago.

[@susanna6978]

I thought a good memory was attributed to native Americans. It’s really Irish Italians?

[@elunico13]

Did he skip over Galatians 6:7-8???

[@imcat-holic10]

TIM KELLER || Boasting in Nothing Except the Cross to be empty of glory means that you are desperate for recognition and affirmation, that you sense an emptiness and you're trying to fill it with other people's affirmation and recognition. You're desperate to prove yourself. And what that does is this. That's a natural human heart condition. . We all know that there's such a thing as an insecure person, right? Paul is saying to all of his readers, "Let's not have this condition in our lives anymore," Romans Chapter 1 and 2 tells us that all human beings know that deep down inside, we know that We were made to serve God. Romans 1 says "We were made to serve and honor God and nothing else." Which means every part of your being needs, has been created for, has been designed to hear God say to you, "Well done, good and faithful servant." The approval of God. The recognition of God. "Well done, good and faithful servant." That is what you need. You've got a cave, a cavity, a God-shaped hole, as it were. I know Augustine talks about a God-shaped hole. I'm being a little more specific than that. What you need is the recognition of God, as it were. The well-done of God. And because we don't have that, because we've turned away from God, we are desperately trying to fill that cavity at the expense of everyone else. In other words, we go out into all of our relationships, instead of going out to serve, we go out to use people. We go out into all of our relationships, in a sense, with a logic of the market, which is "How can I profit from this person? How can I profit from this relationship? How can I bolster my fragile sense of being a good person? How do I build myself up at your expense?" John Snott says if you take a look at the verse it says, "Let us not become conceited, provoking one another and envying one another," and he says " envying one another is the inferiority complex. You're comparing yourself and you're angry because you feel like you're inferior to this person so you resent it." Provoking actually means, in a sense, to compete with. It's a word that means, in a sense, to be aggressive, but the way John Stott reads it is, here's a person with a superiority complex who says "I could beat you," and the envying person...here's the person with the inferiority complex, which is "I can't beat you and I hate it." But the fact is you're going into every relationship not to serve, but asking "How does help make me feel? How does this help me or not help me bolster myself? How does it help me fill that emptiness, so I feel like I'm an important person, so I feel better about myself?" So we go out into every situation and we're comparing ourselves constantly and therefore, we're actually going out to use people and to exploit people, not to serve people and not to love people. Verses 1 - 6. What Paul is saying "Here's how I want you to live instead. Here's how you resist that condition." Look, he says, "Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you, who are spiritual, should restore him in a spirit of gentleness, but keep watch on yourself lest you too be tempted." Now, by the way, "You, who are spiritual." Almost all commentators think he's really trying to say "You with the Holy Spirit," so he's not talking about elite spiritual types. He's talking about Christians. But notice when he says "If anyone is caught in a trespass, restore them. This is not Matthew 5 or Matthew 18. This is not saying "Restore the relationship." He's not talking about someone who sinned against you. It says "Restore him." And it says, "Only if the person is caught or trapped in a trespass." What's that? A transgression. If you look at a person who obviously has a bad habit, has a character flaw and it's pulling them down, maybe they're always blowing up relationships because of their abrasiveness. Maybe they can't keep a job because of their irresponsibility or whatever. You look at a person and you see, here's a person who's in trouble. Here's a person who's constantly screwing up. Here's a person who actually is caught in some kind of character flaw. What does it say? If you have a right attitude towards yourself, It says if you're humble, if you are not self-righteous, in other words, if you have the proper attitude toward yourself, you can move in that relationship to serve him. Now, if you actually are a vainglorious person, you look at someone like that and you say "Just get me away. I'm not going to get anything out of this relationship. A vainglorious person goes into every relationship, like I said before, with the logic of the market. You add it up on cost benefit. "Am I going to get as much out of this relationship as I'm putting into it, at least, or more? Is this person going to help me meet other people I want to meet? Is this person going to make me feel good about myself, you know?" sometimes you do get into relationships, they are called enabling.... The old AA approach was right about sometimes we actually do want to get into a relationship with somebody who's a mess because we can constantly rescue them so they need us and that makes us feel good about ourselves, but that's vainglorious. You know why? Because we don't want to restore them. We want to keep them dependent on us. Or maybe we just don't want to have anything to do with them because we're too busy trying to reach our goals. We don't want to spend a lot of time with a person who's kind of a black hole. You give and you give and they just don't seem to get any better. If your attitude toward yourself is right, if your weren't vainglorious, you would move out into relationships as a servant, not using the person, either by keeping them dependent on you and not restoring them or by not getting involved with them at all because they're a wreck. He's calling for a kind of relationship that takes a unique sort of heart, a unique sort of identity, one that's been healed of the vain glory, which is the characteristic of all sinners. The need to use other people to bolster your inner sense of your self-worth to cover over the feeling you actually do have that you're alienated from God to try to make up for the fact that you don't have God saying to you "Well done, good and faithful servant." So you're out there trying to find everybody else to tell how great you are, and you can either use a person by keeping them dependent on you or you can use a person by going to find somebody else who's not a mess. So in verse 2 when it says, "Bear one another's burdens," usually we talk about that almost as a standalone, but it's almost certainly talking about verse 1. That means... . If somebody is struggling with a 100-pound load and they can't get it, if you come to help them, how do you help them? You can only help them by taking... "If you take that end, I take this end, now you've got 50 pounds on you and... I mean, the reason why the two of you can carry it, you grab this end of the chest, he grabs the other end of the chest, is because you're both actually carrying 50 pounds now. You're not really carrying 100 pounds. It's not all on you. If you had to pick the whole thing up, you'd have 100 pounds. If two of you pick it up, you've got 50 pounds. If four of you pick it up, you've got 25 pounds each. The metaphor is; you can never help somebody without some of that person's burden falling on you. And that's the something that a lot of us don't want. Jonathan Edwards has a great place in his great essay on helping the poor where he deals with objections, that when he has preached to people and said, "You need to help the poor," very often people give him objections. And one of the objections was, "I cannot afford it. I'd love to help the poor, but I cannot afford it." And Jonathan Edwards, as usual, puts it like this. He says, "If we're never obliged to relieve other's burdens, but when we do it without burdening ourselves, how do we bear our neighbor's burdens when we bear no burden at all?" What he's trying to say is, when you say "I can't afford it," what you mean is "I can't afford it without burdening myself." He says, "But that's the whole point. Galatians Chapter 6, verse 2. When you see someone in trouble, in this case, financial trouble, there is no way to help that person without some of that person's financial burden falling on you. It's called a sacrifice. Paul is talking about a kind of relationship here that we are actually not really capable of on our own. We can only help people when it helps us feel good about ourselves. Those of us who go out raising money for various charitable purposes, ministry purposes, helping the needy and the poor in our community and all that, you know how people do that so often. You know that they're giving so that they can feel good about themselves. You know that they're doing it to the degree that it doesn't burden them but simply builds them up because they're vainglorious. Paul says, "I want a whole different kind of relationship." Even verses 3, 4... "For anyone who thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself." That is not a standalone. It's true, it's a proverb. Anyone who thinks you're better than you really are, you're in self-deception. Okay. But he's connecting it here and he's really saying, You're never going to live this kind of servant life. You're never going to move out into relationships where you're really trying to serve God and not using that person to build up your self-image. Unless you are serving God and have a heart of a servant. .. there's the grace. There's a special grace and some of us, because of God's common grace, have had great families and we got a lot of love growing up, and we have a fair amount of self-control and we're kind of well adjusted. You come in, you might say, on a character scale from zero to 10 and when you become a Christian, you may come in at a 3.

[@jewishbride5010]

Annabelle Betancourt, 'boasting in Christ' means something different for me than for you apparently. You can only boost to those who have "ears to hear" you see. For me boasting in Christ means Christ is the only security I have in this life. Amen.

[@enockkariuki5768]

Envying one another is inferiority complex

[@enockkariuki5768]

Don't have inferiority and superiority complex

[@loganross1861]

Jesus going to the cross was kind of him showing the black hole relationship God had with Israel. Like, hey y’all you would literally murder me if I came to see you so enough with this charade about you loving me or being about me. maybe im wrong but lately thinking a lot about these kinds of relationships

[@mtcstyle]

Maybe someone from The Gospel Coalition can respond to my questions... 1. If most people, as Tim Keller says, evaluate relationships based on cost-benefit analysis, why should I conclude that preachers are exempt from this? It seems to me preaching has a very low cost and high benefit in that charismatic speakers love to be listened to and congregations loved to have their world view affirmed as correct. How can a preacher claim they are serving others by being the center of attention? 2. What is the central claim of the Gospel? I've heard it preached that it is the penal substitution of Christ's blood to quench the wrath of God the Father. Maybe the Gospel is more scandalous than that. Maybe humanity is the party that demands payment for sin, not God. And the Gospel is there never was any separation between God and man. That seems more offensive to the religious mind than demanding blood sacrifice.

[@hereandnow990]

Turn on TV and you will quickly see if there has never been a separation between God and man.

[@aaronax726]

Michael Collins 1) I think there is an assumption there that these preaches want to be the center of attention. In terms of vain glory being referred to here, you are right bro. Many preachers or pastors want to be the center of attention. But here is the things. If God is real. If what the Bible says is accurate. Then those who have been entrusted and given churches or leadership roles for the sole purpose of rallying and leading and teaching, then it would make sense that some don't or even do and do not act of a selfish and greed full heart. I myself did not want to be a pastor or a leader in ministry at all, but it just so happens, I am gifted in many of those traits of the job. So I do it.

[@aaronax726]

Michael Collins 2) So. The simple direct claim of the gospel is that an all encompassing divine being decided that He wanted to create other beings made in his image. So He did. The reason was not that of selfishness or that he wanted to be worshipped by slaves. He made us and animals and this world. This was all his gift to us. And he gave humans the choice. We can live our life however we want. We can choose him. Or we can not. Either way he is ok. Does it pain him when we do not choose Him? Yes. But it's like if you have a son or a daughter. You can instruct them. You want the best for them. You want them to discover and play and laugh and learn. But you do not want to be a dictator and control every action or step they take. That is the beauty of parenting. That is the beauty of God giving us a choice. And to help with that choice he sent Jesus, his son, but also God in the form of man, to go through exactly what we go through and die exactly how we will. He sent the Holy Spirit to comprehend and connect to the father. To govern between right and wrong. The beauty of the gospel is that God does not say we can't. He says that we shouldn't. Choose Him and everlasting life. Or don't and spend eternity in hell. Rough. But true. Hope that helped man.

[@tinaomotoyosi]

Michael Collins 100% thats why Im geek conscious of why and when I attend church. It's to lift your spiritual spirit; to be surrounded by like minded people- nothing more

[@emmanueliren8635]

1. Well if anyone Pastor does what he does because he enjoys being the center of attention, that's something to repent from. However, that they may appear to be the "center of attention" does not mean that's their objective though. Why would anyone even think that way? If you can learn from him, how about you do so? What's so wrong in someone else being the center of attraction at least on some platforms? I believe the issue is more with you than the preachers. 2. Man sinned. Death came by sin. Jesus came. He died and rose again never to die again. Everyone who believes in him will rise again. God is justified for making Jesus man's substitute since the fall came by one man as well. The whole penal substitution thing is actually metaphoric. God did not receive the blood of Jesus. Jesus' resurrected body didn't even have blood. He couldn't have ascended with it. His blood was a metaphor for his life. He gave is life for us. We are justified and have eternal life. That's what I believe

[@mickykua5457]

Ravi Zachariah

[@curiousgeorge555]

What about him?

[@ginamariadirocco3095]

Obeying Jesus is WORKS really not sinning is hard work huh....love thy neighbor is WORK Love God is WORK preach Jesus words...he's not popular is he ..call the gospel what HE did The Gospel of The Kingdom of God

[@curiousgeorge555]

What does "really not sinning" mean to you? Salvation is by grace through faith. Anyone who is truly saved demonstrates the fact that they are born of God through good works. What is your point?

[@gladtidings6020]

I can’t stand it when ministers place us all in a negative behavior basket, as if we’re all the same. That is so far from the truth.

[@revpgesqredux]

WHO HASN'T FALLEN SHORT?? YOU?

[@revpgesqredux]

Your saintly Grand ma ma ma? 😂

[@ginamariadirocco3095]

Can you stop saying the gospel of grace..the word grace never came out of Jesus mouth one time. He relentlessly preached The Gospel of the Kingdom of God. God's love inside you .Love God and thy neighbor. This is not WORK how dare you call this WORK. GRACE WHICH IS Jesus personified, his life his death his ministry made salvation possible. Satan does not want you to love your enemies because that would be game over he tells you God's love that Jesus preached is hard work ..it's not you will be compelled to love as christ did when he died for us. This preacher has no love and a really big bank account.

[@curiousgeorge555]

So the Gospel is not of Grace? Of course it is.

[@hondotheology]

Registered Democrat

[@user-ch4ex3yy4l]

....and?

[@snowcountry322]

great pastor..but sometimes tends to over-intellectualize the Bible.

[@daveclinton4945]

Like Martin Luther did? I'm afraid the American church is losing it's brain. Praise God for Keller. He is a great mix of intellect and practicality.

[@mimishkaz]

I agree with you Dave. Not just the American church but religions all over the world don't seem to be interested in history, science, linguistics, when in fact, incorporating these into faith is a beautiful thing that God probably wants us to do.

[@curiousgeorge555]

"Love the Lord with all of your MIND" is a commandment.

[@stephenyoung1705]

Kellerized? More like seeker-sensitivized. A distorted gospel, is not the gospel at all. Run from this man like your salvation depends on it.

[@YoKinah]

Stephen Young what? 😒🤦🏽‍♀️

[@stephenyoung1705]

Shekinah Anderson 6 I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, 7 which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed. 10 For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.

[@YoKinah]

Stephen Young I understand what you saying, but how is Keller seeker sensitive? He's reading straight from the scriptures.

[@stephenyoung1705]

Shekinah Anderson Before I write a long explanation on the issues with Keller's hermeneutics, biblical consistency and doctrinal theology, I would first like to invite you to read a book called "Engaging With Keller:Thinking through the theology of an influential evangelical". In the book, fellow Presbyterians who are far more studied than I, have gone into great detail regarding their brother Tim Keller's theology. A simple place for us to start studying the theology and biblical consistency of Dr.Keller would be in his contextualizing of, or should I say redefining of, sin. For Dr. Keller the overarching principle of what constitutes sin isn't, breaking the law of God, as the Bible has laid forth. For Dr. Keller, the overarching principle for what constitutes sin is improper love of self and worldly matters. In short, Dr. Keller has laid forth that all sin can fall under the umbrella of idolatry. The Bible is clear. All sin, is breaking the law of God and all who breach the law of God, sin. Keller also addresses the penalty for "sin" from a purely natural law ethicist standpoint. Of course, there are natural consequences to sin. However such a limited approach to sin, leaves little room to constitute the need for Christ's atonement for our sin, through the cross. Did Christ only die so that we can live healthier lives in this world? Or did Christ die so that our sins may be atoned for, the penalty for our sins paid for? Christ's atonement wasn't one for the natural consequences of improper function. Christ's atonement was a price paid for our breaking the law of God. The penalty of which was set forth from the outset in Genesis, death. . This only scratches the surface of the issues. Kind Regards, Stephen Young.

[@bobpolo2964]

Stephen young - "Keller has laid forth that all sin can fall under the umbrella of idolatry" There's actually much truth to this. Sin isn't just transgressing God's law. Ultimately, sin is a severe violation of God's character. Remember, we're made in the image of God, we are His image bearers. We represent Him everywhere we go. Sin is literally a rejection of the image of God. So when we turn away from God in sin, we necessarily turn to ourselves in idolatry. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Romans 1:24-25

[@jessegandy7039]

I'm not buying this bs haha.