Tim Keller At Desiring God 06 – Religion Versus Gospel

This Friday I wanted to highlight again the messages from John Piper’s 2006 conference. I realized recently that I had not, in fact, listened to most of them – I guess I just had forgotten somewhere along the line. I am ashamed to admit, for example, that it was only when my friend, Mark Moore, told me earlier this week that Tim Keller had quoted extensively from my hero, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, that I finally listened to his talk.

I am glad I did. Tim explores what we do about preaching the Gospel in the 21st century in quite simply the best way I have ever heard. But, the thing that stood out for me is simply these two abridged and slightly adapted quotes, which I think are fantastic in their pithy simplicity:

“Religion is I obey so I can be accepted. The Gospel is I am accepted so I can obey.” (Tim Keller).

Tim Keller also quoted D. M. Lloyd-Jones preaching on Genesis 32:

“How do you know you have met with God? You limp.”

Dr Keller went on to explain this in terms of the sign of Jonah

“He will bring you down if he is going to use you.”

For more from the conference, see also my remote blogging posts:

· DG06 – Final Session – John Piper

· DG06 – Session 5 – Don Carson

· DG06 – Photos

· DG06 – When Josh Harris Was Glad He Wasn’t Mark Driscoll

· DG06 – A Blogger Responds to D. A. Carson

· DG06 – Quotes from a Panel Discussion

· DG06 – Session 4 – Mark Driscoll

· DG06 – Session 3 – Tim Keller

· DG06 – Session 2 – Voddie Baucham

· DG06 – Session 1 – David Wells

· Desiring God Conference Day 1