The Sufficiency of Christ in a Post-Modern World

  • Tim Keller
  • May 25, 2008

Dr. Timothy J. Keller was born in the year 1950 and grew up in the Lehigh Valley of Pennsylvania where he attended Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and the Westminster Theological Seminary. During his seminary training, he met and married the former Kathy Louise Kristy of Pittsburgh, Pa. They have three Sons: David, Michael, and Jonathan.

In June of 1989 the Keller's moved to the city to begin planting what is now Redeemer Presbyterian Church, which with God's help has prospered beyond all of their early projections and expectations. As a result, Redeemer Presbyterian Church has become especially effective in reaching Manhattan professionals from many diverse occupations and cultural backgrounds.

Tim and Kathy Keller are committed to promoting nurturing and supporting the growth of new churches in America and around the world. It is their desire to minister in New York City for the remainder of their lives. Their prayer is to plan and help incite the movement of holistic ministries to meet the needs of both the body and soul. This plan encompasses a church planting movement that will spawn dozens of new congregations throughout the urban area and the world, continuing into decades to come.

 

We never “get beyond the gospel” in our Christian life to something more “advanced.” The gospel is not the first “step” in a “stairway” of truths, rather, it is more like the “hub” in a “wheel” of truth.  The gospel is not just the A-B-C’s of Christianity, but it is the A to Z of Christianity.  The gospel is not just the minimum required doctrine necessary to enter the kingdom, but the way we all make progress in the kingdom.

We are not justified by the gospel and then sanctified by obedience but the gospel is the we grow (Gal. 3:1-3) and are renewed (Col 1:6).  It is the solution to each problem, the key to each closed door, the power through every barrier (Rom 1:16-17).

It is very common in the church to think as follows: “The gospel is for non-Christians.  One needs it to be saved.  But once saved, you grow through hard work and obedience.”  But Colossians 1:6 shows that this is a mistake.  Both confession and “hard work” that is not arising from and  “in line” with the gospel will not sanctify you—it will strangle you.  All our problems come from a failure to apply the gospel.  Thus when Paul left the Ephesians he committed them “to the word of his grace, which can build you up” (Acts 20:32).

The main problem, then, in the Christian life is that we have not thought out the deep implications of the gospel, we have not “used” the gospel in and on all parts of our life.  Richard Lovelace says that most people’s problems are just a failure to be oriented to the gospel—a failure to grasp and believe it through and through.  Luther says (on Gal. 2:14), “The truth of the Gospel is the principle article of all Christian doctrine… Most necessary is it that we know this article well, teach it to others, and beat it into their heads continually.”  The gospel is not easily comprehended.  Paul says that the gospel only does its renewing work in us as we understand it in all its truth.  All of us, to some degree live around the truth of the gospel but do new “get” it. So the key to continual and deeper spiritual renewal and revival is the continual re-discovery of the gospel.  A stage of renewal is always the discovery of a new implication or application of the gospel—seeing more of its truth.  This is true for either an individual or a church.

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