
The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness

You see, the verdict is in. And now I perform on the basis of the verdict. Because He loves me and He accepts me, I do not have to do things just to build up my résumé. I do not have to do things to make me look good. I can do things for the joy of doing them. I can help people to help people – not so I can feel better about myself, not so I can
... See moreTimothy Keller • The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness
All I can tell you is that we have to re-live the gospel every time we pray. We have to re-live it every time we go to church. We have to re-live the gospel on the spot and ask ourselves what we are doing in the courtroom. We should not be there. The court is adjourned.
Timothy Keller • The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness
But Paul is saying that in Christianity, the verdict leads to performance. It is not the performance that leads to the verdict.
Timothy Keller • The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness
Do you realize that it is only in the gospel of Jesus Christ that you get the verdict before the performance?
Timothy Keller • The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness
All this means that every day, you are in the courtroom, every day you are on trial. That is the problem.
Timothy Keller • The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness
Every single day, we are on trial. That is the way that everyone’s identity works. In the courtroom, you have the prosecution and the defence. And everything we do is providing evidence for the prosecution or evidence for the defence. Some days we feel we are winning the trial and other days we feel we are losing it.
Timothy Keller • The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness
How To Get That Transformed View Of Self
Timothy Keller • The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness
Here Paul is saying that even if his conscience is clear, that does not justify him.
Timothy Keller • The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness
can start to enjoy things that are not about me. My work is not about me, my skating is not about me, my romance is not about me, my dating is not about me. I can actually enjoy things for what they are.