I was listening to Tim Keller’s address to the Gospel Coalition from 2007 this afternoon, and he recounted some information he first heard in some audio recordings by David Martyn Lloyd-Jones some time ago.  It was very interesting and enlightening, so I thought I would share my notes.  (The following is a combination of direct quote and my summary, so any credit belongs to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones or Dr. Keller.)

There is a big difference between advice and news.  The gospel is good news, not good advice.  Advice is counsel about something to do, that hasn’t happened yet, but you can do it.  News is a report about something that has happened, yet you can’t don’t anything about it.  It’s already been done for you and all you can do is respond to it.

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Are you a man?  Then watch this – if you dare.

When it’s done, ask yourself again: Am I a man?

If so – what are you going to do about it?

Stop trying to be a better you. God is not interested in you being a better you. He’s interested in you becoming like Jesus.

So many self-help groups today.  So many books and tv shows.  Seven steps to a better this, ten ways to improve that.  While many of them may have helpful tips for your career or your waistline, they will not fix your real problem.

What is the end game in life?  A killer job?  A trim physique?  A comfortable retirement?  All nice things, but they have no bearing on your character.  They say nothing about who you truly are.  And they certainly count for nothing in determining your eternal destiny.

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Absolutely love this clip.  Tim Keller is one of my favorites.  Watch it twenty or thirty times until it sinks in.

(Taken from Tim Keller’s 2007 address at the Gospel Coalition.)

Ok, not all of them.  The American ones.  Well, not all of them I suppose, but a whooooole lot of them.  But if I got your attention or got you angry, read on.

This has been building in me for a long time.  We Christians have our causes, but most of them are not even remotely related to Christ.  I’m not saying they’re bad, mind you – but I am saying they are somewhat meaningless. And I wonder if our passion for the gospel matches our passion for our causes.

Many Christians get all fired up over immigration.  “If those people want to live here, they should learn to speak english!”  I wonder if you know your bible they way that you expect them to know your language?

We love to rail against the users in society.  “If I need a drug test to get a job, then people should have to pass one to get welfare.”  Do you put the same performance tests on chronic users in the church?  Are you a consumer?

I’m not saying that these sentiments are necessarily bad.  I’m just wondering if we are consistent.

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