What are the marks of a supernaturally changed heart? This is one of the questions the Apostle Paul addresses as he writes to the church in Corinth. He s not after some superficial outward tinkering, but instead a deep rooted, life altering change that takes place on the inside. In an age where pleasing people, puffing up your ego and building your résumé are seen as the methods to make it , the Apostle Paul calls us to find true rest in blessed self forgetfulness. In this short and punchy book, best selling author Timothy Keller, shows that gospel humility means we can stop connecting every experience, every conversation with ourselves and can thus be free from self condemnation. A truly gospel humble person is not a self hating person or a self loving person, but a self forgetful person. This freedom can be yours...
The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness
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Tim Keller knows that personal freedom is only ever found in viewing yourself from the vantage point of the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. Read and experience that freedom yourself. --Paul David Tripp
An excellent little piece. This is a truly liberating book for anyone who's ever worried about what other think of them or been caught up in conflict. You'll find your life explained and then put on the path to freedom. --Tim Chester, Author and Director of The Porterbrook Institute
An excellent little piece. This is a truly liberating book for anyone who's ever worried about what other think of them or been caught up in conflict. You'll find your life explained and then put on the path to freedom. --Tim Chester, Author and Director of The Porterbrook Institute
About the Author
Timothy Keller is the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, which he started in 1989 with his wife, Kathy, and three young sons. He is the author of several books.
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TIMOTHY KELLER was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and educated at Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. He was first a pastor in Hopewell, Virginia. In 1989 he started Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan with his wife, Kathy, and their three sons. Today, Redeemer has more than five thousand regular attendees at five services, a host of daughter churches, and is planting churches in large cities throughout the world. He is the author of COUNTERFEIT GODS, THE PRODIGAL GOD, and the New York Times bestseller THE REASON FOR GOD.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
94 of 95 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Remember. We are told to remember many things. Our parents told us to remember to brush out teeth before bed, remember to clean up our room, remember to finish our lunch at school, etc. God tells Israel to remember the Sabbath and to keep it holy (Ex. 20:8) and to remember the day when they left the land of Egypt (Deut. 5:15). Remember.
Forget. We are told to forget many things as well. If we receive new training on the job we may be told to forget everything we thought we knew about how we did our job previously. While encouraging us in our Christian life Paul tells us, "Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead" (Phil. 3:14). He also encourages us to forget about ourselves. Really?
This is exactly what Tim Keller brings out of Paul's words in 1 Cor. 3:21-4:7 in his new book the Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness. The primary verses in this section are as follows:
"But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me." (1 Cor. 4:3-5)
In addressing the many divisions that were in the church of Corinth "Paul shows that the root cause of the division is pride and boasting" (p. 8). It is pride and boasting that shows we have a high view of self. But lest we think we can just think lowly of ourselves and be getting it right Keller reminds us, "A person who keeps saying they are a nobody is actually a self-obsessed person" (p. 32).
If we are not to think too highly of ourselves or to lowly either, then how are we to think of ourselves? We are to be self-forgetful. How does this work? Keller explains:
"A truly gospel-humble person is not a self-hating person or a self-loving person, but a gospel-humble person. The truly gospel-humble person is a self-forgetful person whose ego is just like his or her toes. It just works. It does not draw attention to itself. The toes just work; the ego just works. Neither draws attention to itself." (p. 33)
So Paul will not be judged by others, but neither will he judge himself. It is only the Lord that judges. And here is where the freedom of self-forgetfulness comes in. "But Paul is saying that in Christianity, the verdict leads to performance. It is not the performance that leads to the verdict" (p. 39). The deal is that before we can even perform any of the good works we were created for (Eph. 2:10), we have been declared righteous in Christ at the moment of our salvation. It is then out of this declaration of being found righteous in Christ that we can and do perform these good and righteous works. This is the freedom of self-forgetfulness!
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness was truly a joy to read as well as a reality check as it exposed the depths of pride in my heart. I read the whole thing in one sitting which is best but I encourage readers to read it all the way through several days in a row. The further you read the more the point becomes clear. Just when I thought I had an idea of what gospel-humility was I read this book and realized I still had no idea. This is a must read for any Christian living in the self-absorbed culture of our day that has crept its way into the pews of our churches and the seats of our homes.
NOTE: I received this book for free from 10ofthose.com in return for a review and I was under no obligation to provide a favorable one.
Forget. We are told to forget many things as well. If we receive new training on the job we may be told to forget everything we thought we knew about how we did our job previously. While encouraging us in our Christian life Paul tells us, "Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead" (Phil. 3:14). He also encourages us to forget about ourselves. Really?
This is exactly what Tim Keller brings out of Paul's words in 1 Cor. 3:21-4:7 in his new book the Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness. The primary verses in this section are as follows:
"But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged by you or by any human court. In fact, I do not even judge myself. For I am not aware of anything against myself, but I am not thereby acquitted. It is the Lord who judges me." (1 Cor. 4:3-5)
In addressing the many divisions that were in the church of Corinth "Paul shows that the root cause of the division is pride and boasting" (p. 8). It is pride and boasting that shows we have a high view of self. But lest we think we can just think lowly of ourselves and be getting it right Keller reminds us, "A person who keeps saying they are a nobody is actually a self-obsessed person" (p. 32).
If we are not to think too highly of ourselves or to lowly either, then how are we to think of ourselves? We are to be self-forgetful. How does this work? Keller explains:
"A truly gospel-humble person is not a self-hating person or a self-loving person, but a gospel-humble person. The truly gospel-humble person is a self-forgetful person whose ego is just like his or her toes. It just works. It does not draw attention to itself. The toes just work; the ego just works. Neither draws attention to itself." (p. 33)
So Paul will not be judged by others, but neither will he judge himself. It is only the Lord that judges. And here is where the freedom of self-forgetfulness comes in. "But Paul is saying that in Christianity, the verdict leads to performance. It is not the performance that leads to the verdict" (p. 39). The deal is that before we can even perform any of the good works we were created for (Eph. 2:10), we have been declared righteous in Christ at the moment of our salvation. It is then out of this declaration of being found righteous in Christ that we can and do perform these good and righteous works. This is the freedom of self-forgetfulness!
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness was truly a joy to read as well as a reality check as it exposed the depths of pride in my heart. I read the whole thing in one sitting which is best but I encourage readers to read it all the way through several days in a row. The further you read the more the point becomes clear. Just when I thought I had an idea of what gospel-humility was I read this book and realized I still had no idea. This is a must read for any Christian living in the self-absorbed culture of our day that has crept its way into the pews of our churches and the seats of our homes.
NOTE: I received this book for free from 10ofthose.com in return for a review and I was under no obligation to provide a favorable one.
32 of 34 people found the following review helpful
By J. Carswell
Format:Paperback
When I heard the content of this book when it was first delivered at Redeemer it totally changed my life. Even though, at the time I was a Christian, the freedom I came to understand by not associating myself with past sin/guilt have been totally transforming.
This little book should be read by every Christian - and probably monthly!
I encourage you to get it, read it, and encourage others to read it too.
This little book should be read by every Christian - and probably monthly!
I encourage you to get it, read it, and encourage others to read it too.
30 of 32 people found the following review helpful
By A. Wencl
Format:Paperback
I've been seeing more short booklets recently based on sermons or lectures by some great expositors of Scripture. Tim Keller, author of King's Cross and The Meaning of Marriage, is one of those expositors and this book comes from a message on 1 Corinthians 3:21-4:7.
Keller's book looks at this passage in 1 Corinthians and shows how Paul addressed pride and humility in the context of our identity in Christ. Pride is fueled by comparing myself with others. Low self-esteem is fueled by comparing myself with others, which means it is the byproduct of pride unfulfilled. These issues are both caused by the same problem: we're always trying to satisfy our ego, to prove ourselves.
The solution to pride and our inflated egos is humility as displayed in our own self-forgetfulness. Keller then takes his readers through the truth of the gospel, that in Christ we have no need for comparisons. The verdict of God comes before any performance on our part. Justification, then, is the solution to our ego problem.
Little books like this are helpful because they are quick reminders of truth and examples of how to approach a Bible passage.
I received a digital version of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Keller's book looks at this passage in 1 Corinthians and shows how Paul addressed pride and humility in the context of our identity in Christ. Pride is fueled by comparing myself with others. Low self-esteem is fueled by comparing myself with others, which means it is the byproduct of pride unfulfilled. These issues are both caused by the same problem: we're always trying to satisfy our ego, to prove ourselves.
The solution to pride and our inflated egos is humility as displayed in our own self-forgetfulness. Keller then takes his readers through the truth of the gospel, that in Christ we have no need for comparisons. The verdict of God comes before any performance on our part. Justification, then, is the solution to our ego problem.
Little books like this are helpful because they are quick reminders of truth and examples of how to approach a Bible passage.
I received a digital version of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderfully freeing thoughts to meditate on.
Tim Keller's love for the gospel and for God's people is evidenced in this very short, but powerful book. Read more
Published 1 day ago by Jennifer L Luiken
5.0 out of 5 stars
Short but Sweet
This book is very short but gets to the point. But most importantly it gets the reader thinking. This book talks about self-esteem and pride. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Duke
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great, short, impactful book
This quick read was very challenging and personally convicting, and it ended with great practical things to think through. Would definitely recommend.
Published 7 days ago by Matt Johnston
5.0 out of 5 stars
Insightful
Those that can keep it short and to the point and open up truth that transform how you see God, those around you and most importantly yourself are rare. Read more
Published 8 days ago by Lowell H. Hamill
5.0 out of 5 stars
I was amazed at this powerful little booket
This book is great for getting past "thinking to much of ourselves" and "thinking too little of ourselves." I presents another way that is gospel centered.
Published 8 days ago by Rob Black
5.0 out of 5 stars
Quick but powerful.
There's an incredible freedom in not having to think about yourself. This book wraps up so well why we live for ourselves and how to stop.
Published 9 days ago by shays151
5.0 out of 5 stars
Awesome book based on Biblical Exegesis
I wasn't sure what to expect when purchasing this book. I added it to an order in order to reach the $25 minimum for free shipping, but I was pleasantly surprised. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Nathan Good
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fantastically Freeing
Tim Keller has a lot of wisdom. This book was an easy 30 minute read that is a phenomenal summary of what the Bible has to say about how we should think about ourselves. Read more
Published 9 days ago by Travis Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars
A must read
Keller is tremendous in general, but this short book is a must read in my opinion. It has changed the way I think about myself and how I encourage my kids to think about... Read more
Published 10 days ago by Tom Nash
4.0 out of 5 stars
Insight for a life of honesty before God
"I dwell with the humble and who tremble at My word." This is the ticket to enjoy the presence of God. Humility. And this book gives a fresh view of it. Read more
Published 11 days ago by willoh
