Tim Keller | October 22, 1989
An idol is something else besides Jesus Christ that is your life. In order to grow, the job of the Christian is to identify what those idols are and to pull them out. You’re looking at yourself and you’re saying, “Why am I so angry? Why am I so worried? Why am I so depressed?” Then you say, “Let me analyze this. What is actually driving me? What goals do I feel like I must have?”
Many of us say, “Oh, I trust Jesus and nothing else.” But what is your heart functionally trusting? What does it actually trust? What does it really rely on? Here is question we need to ask: “Has something besides Jesus Christ taken title to my heart’s functional trust, its functional preoccupation, loyalty, service, and delight?”
This Month's Featured Book
In The Prodigal God, Tim Keller examines the way Jesus presents the parable to speak both to those who run from God and to those who try to earn his love by being good. It reveals the heart of the gospel—a message of hope for both the rebellious younger brother and the judgmental older brother, and an invitation for all to experience God’s grace.