Christianity teaches that, contra fatalism, suffering is overwhelming; contra Buddhism, suffering is real; contra karma, suffering is often unfair; but contra secularism, suffering is meaningful. There is a purpose to it, and if faced rightly, it can drive us like a nail deep into the love of God and into more stability and spiritual power than you can imagine.
Timothy KellerLegalistic remorse says, "I broke God's rules," while real repentance says, "I broke God's heart."
Timothy KellerRevival occurs as a group of people who, on the whole, think they already know the gospel discover they do not really or fully know it, and by embracing the gospel they cross over into living faith.
Timothy KellerWhile other worldviews lead us to sit in the midst of lifeโs joys, foreseeing the coming sorrows, Christianity empowers its people to sit in the midst of this worldโs sorrows, tasting the coming joy.
Timothy KellerThere is no way to have a real relationship without becoming vulnerable to hurt. Christmas tells us that God became breakable and fragile. God became someone we could hurt. Why? To get us back... No other religion-whethe r secularism, Greco-Roman paganism, Eastern religion, Judaism, or Islam-believes God became breakable or suffered or had a body.
Timothy Keller