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“The Heart of the Gospel”
Here we come to the heart of the Christian Gospel, and we see the sharp difference between this faith and many religions, in which individuals are expected to achieve their own salvation through moral effort and religious observances. In contrast, St. Paul says that Christians are “found” in Christ, a term that means God regards us not on the basis of our own record and character but “in Christ.”
Socrates may cry, “Know thyself!” and that is good advice, but St. Paul cries that in addition it is crucial to be “knowing Christ, and... be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:8, 9).
And now in Christ it is literally true that the person we adore most in the universe adores us. In the eyes of God, in the opinion of the only one in the universe whose opinion ultimately counts, we are more valuable than all the jewels that lie beneath the earth.
How do Christians know this is true? Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who had the highest honor and name, the loftiest identity possible, emptied himself of his glory and went to the cross, where he died an ignominious death so that we could have an everlasting name and identity that last forever (Philippians 2:1–11). That’s how much he valued us.
Excerpt from Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical by Timothy Keller
Reprinted by arrangement with Viking Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2016 by Timothy Keller
Here we come to the heart of the Christian Gospel, and we see the sharp difference between this faith and many religions, in which individuals are expected to achieve their own salvation through moral effort and religious observances. In contrast, St. Paul says that Christians are “found” in Christ, a term that means God regards us not on the basis of our own record and character but “in Christ.”
Socrates may cry, “Know thyself!” and that is good advice, but St. Paul cries that in addition it is crucial to be “knowing Christ, and... be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith” (Philippians 3:8, 9).
And now in Christ it is literally true that the person we adore most in the universe adores us. In the eyes of God, in the opinion of the only one in the universe whose opinion ultimately counts, we are more valuable than all the jewels that lie beneath the earth.
How do Christians know this is true? Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who had the highest honor and name, the loftiest identity possible, emptied himself of his glory and went to the cross, where he died an ignominious death so that we could have an everlasting name and identity that last forever (Philippians 2:1–11). That’s how much he valued us.
Excerpt from Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical by Timothy Keller
Reprinted by arrangement with Viking Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2016 by Timothy Keller
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About this Plan
Our society places such faith in empirical reason, historical progress, and heartfelt emotion that it’s easy to wonder: What role can Christianity play in our modern lives? In this plan, pastor and New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller invites skeptics to consider that Christianity is more relevant now than ever, and provides believers with inspiring reading on the importance of Christianity today. For more on this topic, buy Timothy Keller’s latest book, Making Sense of God: An Invitation to the Skeptical.
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