Justified by Faith - Timothy Keller [Sermon]

Tim Keller sermons via Gospel in Life: Justification is not merely an abstract theological concept. Rather, it is the sense of approval and belonging that every person desires. Justification is not only that we have our sins forgiven, but that in God’s eyes we are given Jesus’ perfect record. We are treated as if we had lived the perfect life that Jesus lived. We are given the love that Jesus deserved. We have the same access to the Father that Jesus did. The best news is that all of this comes not from us doing anything at all, but simply by faith.
Download or gift the sermon on MP3 for free: www.gospelinlife.com/justified...
View the series: www.gospelinlife.com/bible-the...
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on March 8, 2009.

[@mosesokello7725]

I really needed to hear this message. Jesus Christ my Lord is doing literally everything for me and my business yet I can't stop being stressed about my deeds.. Its today that I realised that am so selfish that instead of focusing on God, am focussing on myself to please God. In the end, am not yet good enough so I end up feeling guilty as if am the biggest sinner of all times. May the good Lord bless you Keller for this message. Moses, Uganda, Africa.

[@bobtaylor170]

Moses, you realize that you are poor in spirit, which is the most blessed condition a Christian can be in!

[@BreenyLee]

Moses, thank you for this message, you’ve helped me too.

[@lincolnskinner]

"Forgiveness basically a negative... 'You may go' ... but justification is a positive... 'You may come, and you are welcome into all [God's] love and presence.' ... Justification is is more than getting a pardon to get out of jail, it is having someone bestow upon you the Medal of Honor... Justification is infinitely more!"

[@willrobinson1229]

The penny dropped today because of this sermon. Thank you, Gospel in Life KZbin channel!

[@ThiagoIbrahim]

Thank, God, for the Gospel that make us free of our selfishness. Pastor Tim, i'm brazilian e i'm have been truly blessed for your sermons and books. God bless you and your ministry.

[@mark-el5078]

Trying to be brief, I retired from Music Ministering after 30+ years --- and was pulled back into a "tiny" church because my wife's cousin was the preacher, and he needed help. He had zero help. Even though the church was small, it SEEMED like a larger-than-life "critical spirit" enveloped everything. Long story short, I and my wife tried to pull them out of the doldrums for about five years. If I'd listened to Tim and lovingly said things to that church the way he lovingly says to RPC, things may have turned out differently. As it was --- and is --- we expect the "tiny" church to be nonexistent soon. The whole 50-year-old church was smaller than my last choir, and had never done a Christmas cantata until 2018. I taught the church-wide "tiny" Sunday School class --- and caught flack frequently for what I'd say. My wife and I are Southern Baptists, obviously similar to Presbyterians, and ministering to this congregation was much more difficult than the other seven congregations we'd ministered with. Prayers and monetary help still goes from us to them, but health issues prevented us from staying. Brother Keller's way of saying things has helped me considerably. I know God's in control, but I wish I'd heard Tim earlier --- and used some of his awesome words on our relatives. Yet, 'tis now in the past, and God is still good --- all the time!

[@elkellenhabla]

I actually have a coworker who has said that she works (her job, etc) to justify her existence. The first time I heard her say it, I almost questioned her about it, but today I heard her say it again, and I remembered this sermon. Tim Keller REALLY hits the nail on the head with his point about secular people seeking righteousness.

[@HK-cp8tm]

Did you share the sermon or something else to point her to Jesus? It could be used as an opening, 'remember when you said.... I too xyz... Could I share xyz, let me know what you think?'

[@elkellenhabla]

@@HK-cp8tm I did not. It’s interesting too because she is actually Jewish. I wonder if that factors into it at all.

[@andrewlawrencei3239]

Faith witch save us is the faith of Jesus Christ Galatian 2:16 .

[@wadecook7060]

Tim Keller is one of the truly visionary and deep thinkers of our day. This is deep, deep stuff.

[@optimisticpessimist9724]

ah yes, the deepest of the deep. stuff

[@alphashrimp7473]

Big facts

[@kelaunblackmon2839]

Thank you Mr. Keller for teaching and explaining the word of God, in particular this misunderstood doctrine “justification”. May our great God continue to bless your ministry thru the proclamation and teaching of the gospel.

[@jackkinsey3448]

Who here from Cedarville lol

[@griesse]

29:55 - So true of the 21st century church. That sounds a lot like my story until God's grace got ahold of me and allowed me to begin living a Romans 12 life.

[@jasonmileshko2706]

Everyone needs to read Galatians 3

[@yanpeng4466]

Praise the Lord for His truth and grace +

[@lindanicholson1675]

yan peng will not make any better with their son but he has no plans

[@optimisticpessimist9724]

oh yes- he rlly feels ur praise through the youtube comment section religion👏is👏not👏a👏pop culture

[@mark-el5078]

@@optimisticpessimist9724 Amen!!!

[@Witnessingtomormons]

What is daily holiness? Daily holiness is by substitution just like positional holiness is. I just listened to this wonderful sermon closely and parts of it repeatedly. Keller didn't say this phrase but it's implied in his quotations of the Belgic confession and Richard Hooker. Now my long-winded explanation is simple: moment-by-moment holiness is by substitution.

[@johnkong1738]

Amen

[@GizmoFromPizmo]

I think that one of the reasons I left the church of Christ is that that church really pounds on the "do your best for God" philosophy. I was always an underperformer. My grades in school were below average and I was always picked last for sporting events. I was a little klutzy but I had my interests. Then I get saved and then hitch my wagon to an organization tailored more for the high achievers - those who can do their best for God. I really enjoyed - from the very start - reading and studying the bible, which was odd because I hated school so much. A Pentecostal lady I worked with gave me a "Living Bible" (back in the '70s) and I started reading it. God led me to a guy who understood it much better than I did, who baptized me into Jesus Christ. He told me to start going to the local church of Christ, which I (eventually) did. I enjoyed the sermons, the bible studies, and the special events. It had a strong youth group and I took to that like a duck to water. Then it started going sour. I'd gotten involved with one girl from the church and then another. Meanwhile I was kicking myself for not being the kind of saint I knew I should be. I hated myself and then I started hating God, who I knew was very disappointed in me. It rotted my soul out and so I left. 20-years later, I came crawling back to God in repentance but I was determined to do it differently so that I wouldn't suffer burnout like before. I needed a plan. I REALLY started studying the bible like never before. I leaned HARD on the Holy Spirit and demanded that Jesus show me what I needed to learn. Then Romans 4 opened up to me and I was FLOORED! How did I miss that the first time through? Timing is everything. You can read something a hundred times and never see it then suddenly, you read it and BAM! This is why reading the bible never gets old. There is something there that gladdens your heart - something there that you have not yet learned. I wasted a lot of time being away from my God, shaking my fist at Him, and making excuses. Then, when I had hit bottom, I came bagging for my old job back (so to speak). Now I'm a bible genius 😉 But seriously, I'm still that same dumb kid - at 67-years old. I haven't achieved much in the way of career and I've ruined a lot of lives along the way. I don't deserve God's goodness but He gives it to me every day - all day long. I wish I could explain to people what I know but I find that most people don't want to hear it. When I start talking about Jesus, I might as well shout the N-word. People get real nervous and they shut down. I'd like to talk to someone about God's grace but I can't even do that in church. I annoy the hell out of people. I used to anguish over the problem that I didn't have a message. Now that I have a message, I'm frustrated that I can't think of a single person left alive who wants to discuss it. (Witness this long winded, boring comment).

[@PracticaProphetica]

"Tarry in Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high." There is a time when the Gospel message will go forward with power. But if the power is not there, then it is not the time, because we are not ready yet. Take it as an opportunity to study more deeply. Most people who call themselves Christians are mere surface readers, and actually put their trust in tradition (doing what everyone else says is right). How many understand the prophecies? And yet these were absolutely essential to identifying the Messiah in His time. They unfold God's plan for the future, whereby His gospel will triumph over the false gospels. Then how can we expect God to give us power to witness, when we don't even know His plan?

[@user-zv8eo4tm4i]

Thank you for your story. I was raised mormon. In the book of mormon, it states "for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do." Obviously this is a lie, and a daming one. If anyone ever reads this please pray for our mormon brothers and sisters. I truly believed in false prophets and a false Christ. Thank you tim keller for helping Me see and feel God's ❤️

[@JeanShao]

I consider myself facing the similar dilemma. I just have to imagine talking to Jesus who is always at my side and listening, being my best friend. I no longer want to push messages out, nowadays people are mostly “self-enlightened”. People might come when they are in need of help, which would be the right timing.

[@JeanShao]

I consider myself facing the similar dilemma. I just have to imagine talking to Jesus who is always at my side and listening, being my best friend. I no longer want to push messages out, nowadays people are mostly “self-enlightened”. People might come when they are in need of help, which would be the right timing.

[@riner60341]

Hip hip huray!

[@mark-el5078]

Well said. Amen!

[@GizmoFromPizmo]

What he said about justification being much more than forgiveness is something that struck me in a KZbin comment exchange. A guy responded to one of my comments about justification being equal to forgiveness and I said that that wasn't correct. I searched the entire book of Romans for the word "forgive" and it only appears once. Imaging that. The best treatment on righteousness / justification and only a single mention of forgiveness. That single mention (if you don't want to look it up) is in Romans 4 when Paul is quoting David who wrote, "Blessed they whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Righteousness is more than forgiveness and it's more than moral correctness. Try selling that to your church leadership.

[@Mr.Anglo1095]

What does Jesus mean by cut off the hand that causes you to sin, for it is better for you to enter heaven without a hand than to have it and be cast into hell with it. This verse sounds to me like in order to be saved we have to cut sin out of our lives how does this sermon and that verse harmonize

[@jjfila9201]

That is a good question. I believe it would harmonize well with what Keller is saying: if we understand that we cannot earn our salvation and are therefore overwhelmed with joy because of the free gift of grace, then we will want to follow God's commands with everything that we are because we believe he is a good father who gives us these commands for our good. So if we realize that "one of our hands causes us to sin" we would rather lose that hand then continue sinning

[@Samuel.C.S]

Only the realisation of God’s grace n love toward oneself through Jesus Christ can cause ppl to hv the determination to cut his/her sinning hand.

[@optimisticpessimist9724]

don’t know bro :/

[@mark-el5078]

'Tis hyperbolic. 'Tisn't meant to be literal. It simply means sinning is seriously wrong. 'Twill continue to send people to Hell. Romans 3:21-28 briefly tells how to NOT go to Hell. Instead, go to Heaven. JUSTIFICATION is the real deal. Don't just let Tim's words lay dormant. Think about 'em. Ponder 'em. They're actually God's words --- spoken by Tim. Study it. If you're serious about what he's said, study it. If you're NOT too serious, you may end up in Satan's Hell. Accept Jesus by faith. We're NOT promised tomorrow. Justification works. Get it --- please! Please!! PLEASE!!!

[@greengirls246]

It means be DRASTIC in cutting sin out of your life. The point is your life depends upon it. Of course, you in your own power can’t truly do that. You must die to self and allow Christ, through the Holy Spirit, to live through you.

[@GizmoFromPizmo]

To me, there's nothing wrong with people wrapping their head around their commitment to God. On Pentecost, when the people asked, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" Peter didn't say, "Do nothing." Peter said, "Repent and be baptized... for the remission of sins..." Jesus told about "counting the cost" and I think that that is an appropriate response. We shouldn't try to find fault with that. Romans 6 talks about being united together with Jesus in baptism. In chapter 12 he talks about being transformed by the renewing of our minds. That takes a little effort - a little study. Offering ourselves as living sacrifices is something I've had to grow into. Maybe it came natural to the speaker but it me, it's taken some time. Saved by grace doesn't mean you just sit there like a rock. Abraham was justified freely but then God asked him to do certain things. It's a give and take. It's a relationship. God's not a machine and neither are we. I don't find fault with people having to wrap their heads around what's going on but I do find fault with people judging me for going through what I have to go through. Romans 14 talks about not judging another person because of what he allows or doesn't allow. His illustration was in regard to food but I think it has application to other matters as well. He talked about some people who want to regard one day holier than another day (Sunday Christians). Don't judge them because they want to honor God that way, he says. I think all that is in play here.

[@weobeyjesus4565]

If you have God's grace you fear God. If you do not fear God you do not have his grace. "He who believes (fears) is saved..." The Bible does not command people to believe, it says that those whom God has saved believe.

[@weobeyjesus4565]

Lawless Christians are not believers.

[@weobeyjesus4565]

Jermaine Dielingen The Mosaic Law was until John the Baptist not Paul (Luke 16:16).

[@optimisticpessimist9724]

incredible observation jennifer

[@logic8673]

Amen

[@janb7589]

Many pastors preach the true gospel for salvation by faith in Jesus, but then after they then become believers then a gospel of performance is placed before them, thus placing them under their own works/righteousness/justification again.

[@optimisticpessimist9724]

watch out folks- we have an intellectual here

[@logic8673]

There is performance. Read the parables, the epistles yourself. All of it. Don’t depend on anybody. However justification is by faith. Makes sense?

[@janb7589]

@@logic8673 Galatians 5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 14 For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 15 But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

[@48lilyofthevalley]

I hear NO mention of the Holy Spirit here. You have to have the Holy Spirit to be truly saved. It is our guarantee and our seal for glory. The Holy Spirit changes our heart through sanctification: ' being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.' Any true Christian knows that they are completely unworthy of the grace they have been given. 'We all fall short of the glory of God.' We continue to be. We know our salvation is not works based. Those who do good works must do so for the glory of God and not for self-righteousness. It sounds to me like you are rewriting the entire New Testament. The book of 1 John summarizes being 'in Christ' clearly and confession and repentance are vital. The fear of God is consistent throughout the Old and New Testaments.

[@1689solas]

BlueSky The text is on justification by faith, not on the holy spirit. There are plenty of verses that talk about that aspect of salvation but this isn't one of them.

[@1689solas]

Jermaine Dielingen You need to keep studying if you think that.

[@optimisticpessimist9724]

ok susan 🙄

[@mikemcconville2495]

He’s preached on 1John. Check it out! He’s hanging out in Romans 3 here.