The world was greeted today with the news that Timothy Keller passed into the arms of Jesus. For Keller, who endured a 3-year battle with pancreatic cancer and who told his family he was ready to meet Jesus, this is joyful news. But for his family and those of us who admired and appreciated him, it is sad news indeed.
I was first introduced to Keller way back in the early 2000s while perusing the Christian book section of my local Borders bookstore. (Remember those?). That’s when I saw his bestseller The Reason For God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism. And when I finally read the book, I remember thinking: “He’s basically a 21st-century C.S. Lewis.”
Years later, having read more from his work, listened to dozens of his sermons, and watched many of his talks and interviews on YouTube, I can tell you that Tim Keller is indeed one of the most effective evangelists, apologists, and theologians for the cause of Christ that I’ve ever seen.
And now he is with the Lord.
In this highly polarized, frustrated, anxious, and confused world, we need more Tim Kellers — not less. And so I mourn for a world that still desperately needs his voice, even though most of the world doesn’t know it.
To give you an idea of why I admire him so much, here are seven (7) of his quotes.
- “Any person who only sticks with Christianity as long as things are going his or her way, is a stranger to the cross.”
- “Tolerance isn’t about not having beliefs. It’s about how your beliefs lead you to treat people who disagree with you.”
- “To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible’s teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn’t have any views that upset you. Does that belief make sense?”
- “The declaration that science is the only arbiter of truth is not itself a scientific finding. It is a belief.”
- “As long as you do not begin with an imposed philosophical bias against the possibility of miracles, the Resurrection has as much attestation as any other ancient historical event.”
- “A lack of generosity refuses to acknowledge that your assets are not really yours, but God’s.”
- “God’s salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free gift.”
I encourage you to go on YouTube and watch some of his sermons, talks, and interviews. And consider picking up some of his books. I recommend starting with The Reason For God, but just about anything he has written is awesome and well worth your time.
In my previous article, I warned against charlatans of the faith. Thankfully, no such warning is needed for a man like Timothy Keller.
May God bless and comfort the Keller family, and may He raise up new champions for the cause of Christ that do the Kingdom of God credit as Keller did.
