AtomicQuote

Timothy J. Keller Quote

We tend to see gifts as the sign of the Spirit’s work in someone. But the Bible never does. Judas and King Saul were used by the Spirit to prophesy, do miracles, and so on… but they did not have Spirit-renewed hearts. To be truly led by the Spirit is to grow the fruit of the Spirit (v 22). Gifts may or may not operate out of a grace-changed heart; but the fruit-growth of the Spirit can only happen in a child of God. The only test that the Spirit has really indwelled you as a child of God is the growth in the fruit of the Spirit. The first part of that fruit, which Paul mentions here is love; and as he says elsewhere, to a church which over-desired particular spiritual gifts: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong … I am nothing … I gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1, 2, 3).

Timothy J. Keller

We tend to see gifts as the sign of the Spirit’s work in someone. But the Bible never does. Judas and King Saul were used by the Spirit to prophesy, do miracles, and so on… but they did not have Spirit-renewed hearts. To be truly led by the Spirit is to grow the fruit of the Spirit (v 22). Gifts may or may not operate out of a grace-changed heart; but the fruit-growth of the Spirit can only happen in a child of God. The only test that the Spirit has really indwelled you as a child of God is the growth in the fruit of the Spirit. The first part of that fruit, which Paul mentions here is love; and as he says elsewhere, to a church which over-desired particular spiritual gifts: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong … I am nothing … I gain nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1, 2, 3).

Related Quotes

People look at me and see a calm, cool guy on the sidelines and I want them to know that my Christian faith affects my coaching and everything I do.

Tony Dungy

People look at me and see a calm, cool guy on the sidelines and I want them to know that my Christian faith affects my coaching and everything I do.

Tags: cool, faith, calm, me

I consider my mom and all my sisters my friends.

Alexa Vega

I consider my mom and all my sisters my friends.

Tags: family, mom, friends, sisters, consider

Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems, in my opinion, to characterize our age.

Albert Einstein

Confusion of goals and perfection of means seems, in my opinion, to characterize our age.

Tags: age, goals, perfection, opinion

It is man and not the Bible that needs correcting. Greater and more careful scholarship has shown that apparent contradictions were caused by incorrect translations, rather than divine inconsistencies...

Billy Graham

It is man and not the Bible that needs correcting. Greater and more careful scholarship has shown that apparent contradictions were caused by incorrect translations, rather than divine inconsistencies...

Tags: bible, billy graham

A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

A designer knows he has achieved perfection not when there is nothing left to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.

Tags: design, perfection, nothing, add

Real women fight for something, other than their own emotions.

Shannon L. Alder

Real women fight for something, other than their own emotions.

Tags: accomplishments, activism, activist, animal rights, causes, charity, direction, environment, focus, focused

Whenever they are condemning weaves or breast implants, some people speak so passionately that their false teeth almost fall out.

Mokokoma Mokhonoana

Whenever they are condemning weaves or breast implants, some people speak so passionately that their false teeth almost fall out.

Tags: aphorism, aphorisms, aphorist, aphorists, appearance, appearances, argument, arguments, bazooms, berate

Big things in the glory of the world mean nothing. Small things in glory of God mean everything. Truly..., size doesn't matter in this world or in the world to come.

indonesia123

Big things in the glory of the world mean nothing. Small things in glory of God mean everything. Truly..., size doesn't matter in this world or in the world to come.

Tags: acclaim, acquiescent, admiration, adoration, applaud, arrogance, beauty, biddable, big things, bless

This is a day of celebration!Today, we are divorcing the pastand marrying the present.Dance,and you will find Godin every room.Today, we are divorcing resentmentand marrying forgiveness.Sing,and God w...

Kamand Kojouri

This is a day of celebration!Today, we are divorcing the pastand marrying the present.Dance,and you will find Godin every room.Today, we are divorcing resentmentand marrying forgiveness.Sing,and God w...

Tags: accept, acceptance, apathy, beloved, bitter, bitterness, celebrate, celebrating, celebration, ceremony

Music shouldn't be just a tune, it should be a touch.

Amit Kalantri

Music shouldn't be just a tune, it should be a touch.

Tags: advertisement, album, alliterations, amit kalantri, amit kalantri writer, artist, background music, background score, band, book writing
About Timothy J. Keller

Timothy James Keller (September 23, 1950 – May 19, 2023) was an American Presbyterian pastor, preacher, theologian, and Christian apologist. He was the chairman and co-founder of Redeemer City to City, which trains pastors for service around the world. He was also the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City and the author of The New York Times bestselling books The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith (2008), Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God (2014), and The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (2008). The prequel for the latter is Making Sense of GOD: An Invitation to the Skeptical (2016).