Until he died in 2023, Timothy Keller was among one of the most influential American evangelicals. His work as a church planter in New York City, where he started Redeemer Presbyterian Church, inspired a generation of conservative Christians to see the possibilities of evangelistic outreach even in very secular communities.
His apologetic writings, sermons and other books are popular and well known. Baptist pastor and author Matt Smethurst has written “Tim Keller on the Christian Life” to give a summary and overview of Keller’s biblical teaching about how Christians are to live. The result is a very helpful and valuable guide to Christian living that would benefit any Christian, whether they are familiar with Keller or not.
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The book begins with a discussion of how Jesus Christ is central to understanding all of Scripture.
This chapter is one of the best, most concise explanations of how the Bible fits together that I have ever read. “From beginning to end, the Bible is an epic story about Jesus” (p. 12). Smethurst gives wisdom about how to discern the ways in which Scripture points to Jesus.
He is a reliable guide to both Keller’s teaching and, more importantly, Scripture’s instructions about living for Christ. The chapters address the problem of sin and the idols of the heart, the importance of grace, the value of our vocations, the necessity of compassion, the blessing of prayer and the reality of suffering.
Smethurst is especially powerful in describing Keller’s lessons from his battle with cancer and how he handled his approaching death. I found this book to be so full of insight, wisdom and encouragement that I began rereading it once I finished it.
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