As Pastor Rodger Jimenez says “God is not a Republican, but the Devil is a Democrat”

My brother loves Tim Keller and espouses him constantly. But lately I've noticed my brother crying over his white guilt. He said when he was in sixth grade, the teacher had this brilliant idea in letting everyone vote for the most popular kid in class. The top two winners were the only white kids in the room. One a very popular outgoing boy and the other my brother a shy smart Christian kid. My now 60 year old brother cried as he said it was his "white privilege! " We other siblings were aghast. It couldn't possibly be the fact he was a nice kid, honest, smart, good to others. But my brother is lost in wokeness and his three classically homeschooled kids graduated from state universities completely woke. They believe they know better than their aunts and uncles. So here we are. The motto on the side of the barn has been repainted.

Aha! I've been listening to Keller this year and a lot of what he said was so good...but there were occasionally little things that were a bit adrift. Then a Christian I respect said he didn't like Keller but didn't say why. So somehow (? God's providence) I started hearing all kinds of things about social justice and was compelled to get an understanding of it. Oh my. Humanism, world view clashing violently with the Christian world view! Traced back to Keller. There you go...a wolf in sheep's clothing. A lie wrapped up in a pretty package. Thanks for this and praise God, His truth prevails!

"Since when did violence become charity?" "Folk's This Ain't Normal" - Joel Salatin

Social Justice is the Social Gospel of our age. Sounding good on its face with it's appeals and Christian terms, it ultimately leads away from the Gospel of Christ and the true Justice of the Triune God.

Y’all didn’t come down hard enough on Keller: more than just thumbs on scales.

Keller's mendacity fits nicely with his upper east side congregation. He's telling them what they want to hear.

Forced charity is not charity.

Well said, as always Pastor Doug.

Thank you for addressing this!

Excellent analysis of TKs statements.

Amazingly well put together. How refreshing.

Right on point as almost almost always; thank you.

Excellent commentary. Spot on, thank you Doug.

Spot on! Thank you for the analysis!

Really appreciate this!

I've heard and read many people who claim Keller helped them immensely at some point in their Christian journey and I suppose I could make the same claim, but now I believe that if I had the same discerning mind as I do now, I would have easily seen that his work has always been rife with error, ranging from subtle to major in certain areas. And now knowing his biography back to the 70's it's much easier to understand what he's really been saying all along. His recent social justice seismic shift is not recent at all; he's always been there, waiting for the right opportunities to expose what is now a rather large following, based on people's misunderstanding him as an exquisitely insightful, reformed theologian, to the error of just another social gospel rooted in his deeply flawed understanding of true justice. I couldn't recommend any of his work in good conscience.

On the caring for the poor, Christ talked about giving to the poor so your left hand wouldn't know what the right was doing. How that could happen when it was forced upon you by the government (or on the people who actually pay taxes) is an argument I'd quite like to hear.

Absolutely excellent commentary!

Tim Keller preaches the gospel soundly, when pressed. There was a particular demographic that seemed to be head-over-heals about Redeemer Church when it picked up steam. When a church plant opened in a convenient vicinity, people left their local Presbyterian churches for something they considered to be a new beacon for conservative theology and liberal social politics. You can imagine how many young professionals, academics, and graduate students poured into these churches. Even name-dropping Tim Keller's name as a contact gave young pastors credibility. Me, I think Pastor Keller beats around the bush, and he wants to embrace a particular Christian mindset that you are okay to partake fully in the world as long as your Christian principles stay intact. It's a high-wire act. The world is stronger than us, and even good pastors fall into its soothing grasp. When a ministry is supported by a particular political and economic demographic, it is easy to say that the ministry is reaching out to them. It can also easily coddle and enable the particular values of that demographic. I feel Pastor Keller softens the gospel to speak to the demographics of his congregation, and it has almost become his signature sermon and speaking style.

Dang good stuff, pointing out how the Tim Keller's in evangelicalism unequally apply even their own standards really does bring a lot of clarity. Thanks!

Good work! Listening from Australia 🇦🇺

Brilliant commentary!

Outstanding!

Yes, didn't vote for Trump in 2016, but did in 2020. I think there were a lot of people like that.

Vance Havner, in his essay "Gamaliel the Appeaser," includes an unattributed quote about Desiderius Erasmus that could well apply to Tim Keller and those of his ilk, who pride themselves on their "nuanced" views: He [Luther] dwells on the ingenious carefulness of Erasmus to avoid decisive utterance, attempting always to shade down his Yes till it is almost a No, and to burnish up his No until it might almost pass for a Yes. Erasmus is a Proteus! He is an eel... In the debate...people of academic culture, of speculative disengagement and serene intellectual indifference, sided with Erasmus. The Moderates throughout Europe, the gentlemen of courts, the semi-skeptical intelligences of the universities, told the golden-mouthed apostle of compromise that he was in the right... The heart of Christianity beat with Luther instead. I suspect that Tim Keller has always held his cultural Marxist views, but remained quiet until Evangelicalism moved far enough leftward that he felt safe in coming out of the closet. We're warned against such people in Jude 4: "For there are certain men crept in unawares..."

What amazes me is how many of the respondents seem to allow their politics to shape their theology!

Brilliant!!

Et tu, Brute? SMH. Yet another person I respected has fallen. So few are standing strong against this BS.

Tim Keller has always been a social justice warrior. He is a good words craftsman who twists Scripture to fit his narrative of the Social Justice Gospel.

Excellent. You got me, subscribed. Keller is wobbly, perhaps because his target audience, potential customers are NY lefties. It’s hard not to do whatever one needs to do to be seen as cool by them. Perhaps it’s irresistible.

“Kellerites will think you’re a racist” man we need so much more grace for one another in the Body.

At 4:35, "A vote for Biden is not necessarily a vote for unrestricted abortion" Serious question here. How would a vote for Biden not absolutely be a vote for unrestricted abortion?

Excellently put, as a fan of Keller I really enjoyed that and I think you nailed it.

Pastor Wilson is the best.

I can’t say I’m all that surprised. He has used Theistic Evolution since before The Reason for God (and within it) as a rationale to the left to that it’s okay to think exactly what you think on that without challenge. Maybe it is well reasoned and even well intentioned. I’ll even go as far as to give grace and say maybe he’s right, but it always seemed to me it was more appeasement to a contrary worldview he somewhat shared. Now it appears that pattern expanding to other topics.

I think DW & TK should have a sit down to discuss this. Who’s with me?

Tim's thumb is on the scales and his finger is in the wind to see which way his theology should go. Another AWOL Christian soldier!

If I can’t vote for Trump in good conscience then I’ll vote third party or write in. I won’t vote for a Democrat. Ever.

Not your DNA! Not your body! Not your choice!

Thank you bro! 🇺🇸 1 John 5:7 😇

Obama had a similar comment as Keller for business owners… “You didn’t build that!”

Indeed. I've come to see Keller like "Captain Conundrum", (The Sphinx) from Mystery Men...

what an ending!

I’ve lost track of Keller over the past 5 years. This is really depressing to hear.

Interesting. It has been years since our church did small groups based on a Keller book. We never did one of bis books again. In our small group, it became evident the book was a mix of solid biblical insight and occasional tomfoolery.

EvanJELLYcal. BAAAHAHA!! love it.

I don’t think Keller’s quotes are in conflict. One is his personal opinion on a specific issue and one is a very general stance as he advocates for tolerance of other Christians political decisions as they correspond to their personal convictions. If you take the quotes together it’s more like he’s saying “although I believe this about privilege, it is acceptable for other Christians to have a different stance”.

I’m throwing away all my T Keller books. Killing a baby is killing a baby....what does have to do with politics?

Good old bait and switch by Mr. Keller.

Amen

Sad to see him and Tripp become so strange.

They aren't even in power yet, but the signs aren't good. Beginning the year praying And dare I ask, oh Lord, peace even in this chamber now and evermore, We ask it in the name of the monotheistic god, Brahma, and God known by many names by many different faiths. Amen and awoman. Is this what Tim had in mind?

Simply, Keller is a lost soul, leading others down the same dark path.

Matt 7:15-19 :"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17 So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 So then, you will know them by their fruits." As demonstrated by the mobs in the streets destroying properties and bodies, and the mobs on Twitter destroying reputations and mental well-being the fruit of Social Justice is division, hatred, fear, legalism, cruelty, violence and murder. Those who love their Freedom in Christ must reject even the appearance of the evil of the false gospel of Social Justice.

He’s also mixing an effect and cause in his left statement.

Without knowing the heart of those who perpetrate these equivocations, it seems as if certain Evangelical leaders abhor the thought of being culturally irrelevant.

This is the "white skin" quote referenced by Doug: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p8-Id9mC36-3YZc.html

I am disheartened to hear that Tim Keller has given counsel in this way. Keller and John Piper are good friends and yet I believe they'd differ in the advice they'd give on this matter. It does seem to me that Keller has 'sold out' in order to make his views seem 'less extreme' to the sophisticated of New York, his main audience. In an article entitled, "Why a Woman Shouldn't Run for Vice President, but Wise People May Still Vote for Her" here, www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-a-woman-shouldnt-run-for-vice-president-but-wise-people-may-still-vote-for-her, Piper makes the following statement, "In my view, defending abortion is far worse sin for a man than serving as Vice President is for a woman." It is not my goal to discuss women in leadership, but discernment in voting responsibility. I think a title along the same lines discussing a choice for the 2020 presidency would be, *"Why a Loud Mouthed, Boastful, Pride-filled, Adulterous Man Shouldn't Run for President but Wise People SHOULD Still Vote for Him."* If you've read this far, you may wish to go here for more, www.desiringgod.org/articles/vote-like-no-one-else-will

Wow, that was really good. I've been a Tim Keller fan for years. I still think that most of what he says in good. But that he'd be ok to vote for a party that has no - literally no qualm regarding abortion is too much. I'd have preferred he just said that he wouldn't advise anyone on how to vote. For an example of no qualm democrats on abortion see this, kzfaq.info/get/bejne/jd9lg9NnyruddqM.html

A well thought out lucid argument

Are you sure you're not talking about Ron Sider?

Wow, i dont follow Keller and I had not heard his push on "systemic racism" what a loon

Now that both have passed it is appropriate to say: What Tim Keller has done here is every bit as sinful as what Ravi Zacharias did.

I will never vote for anyone who promotes abortion, no matter what party that person belongs to. It may not have abortions listed in the Bible, but as mere human beings we know how horrible this is. It does matter who we support. We will stand before God one day, and give an account of who, and what we supported. Do we really believe God is ok with abortions???

I took Tim's Tweet not as permission to vote Democratic (or Republican for that matter) but to caution every Christian not to implore a vote this way or that way because of their Christian faith. I think to suggest Keller's Tweet as a permission to vote for Biden is a stretch. Keller is advocating liberty of conscience rather than a faith-based coercion. Hence, the statement, "you cannot say (to another Christian) you must vote for this person or against that person if you are a Christian." That is not permission to vote Demo or Republican, but rather it implores all Christians not to impose their particular convictions on another Christian when it comes to the vote. I took this liberty very seriously and did not vote for either Trump or Biden. Nor did I impose my convictions on anyone else with any qualifications of what a Christian vote must be. I did encourage others not to vote for Trump or Biden, but I didn't demand it either. I think that is what Keller's Tweet was all about.

Keller ignores original guilt in such manipulation

I enjoyed this and am in full agreement with Mr. Wilson. I do, however, have to critique that it seems like Doug is jumping the gun on claiming that Keller's statement was in order to alleviate backlash for voting for Biden, for himself or others. I didn't take it as that. I saw it as a generic response to voting in a time where voting is being talked about a lot.

An absolute layman here. It appears that God is continually on the side of the downtrodden and against the oppressor. There are many warnings in the bible against the oppression of the widow and the orphan. It seems however that when God's people had fallen to their absolute lowest, they sacrificed their children. Some examples, Lev. 20;2; Deut. 12;31; 2 Ki. 16;3; 17;31; 23;10; Jer. 7;30-32; 19;3-5; Ezek. 16;20-21

It is either the height of naïveté or a shameless attempt to undermine Truth that would lead Mr. Keller to say voting for Biden could simply mean 'supporting equity' or 'voting against poverty!' I prefer to believe it's the former, but either way the consequences of such thinking are terrible.

Tim Keller and the people like him, making sure that they let you know how The Lord’s teachings are needing an update for the current trends of society. Total. Garbage.

What if we accept neither side, and instead put our eggs in the Kingdom’s basket, expecting more from ourselves in actions rather than our words? While there is no issue per se with working within political mechanisms to protect the unborn (etc etc), perhaps there’s a third way that we have missed. I’m finished waiting for politicians to fix the world’s problems. It’s not going to happen. That’s why Jesus said give to Caesar what is Caesar’s. I am concerned with hope misplaced among the people these days and I am quite sure our individual actions will far outweigh the volume of treasures laid up in heaven than merely thinking rightly and voting rightly likely ever will.

I've always thought Keller was a bit over-rated, like the PCA's version of Max Lucado.

If you want to be quoted in the NY Times as a respectable representative of "religious people", well, you have to know what to say.

Keller has been completely exposed as a snake and a false teacher. Unbelievable.

It was over for me when he posted a Vaccine Card! Just got vaxxed- doing my bit👹👹👹😷😷💉💉🤷‍♂️

Tim Keller has straddled the "gospel" of humanism and the Gospel of Christ far too long. It's time for him to decide if God is the center of all things or if man is. Then he needs to make that decision clear for all to hear, for the sake of those who have been influenced and for those under his leadership. (James 3:1) "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed." Gal. 1:8, 9 "For it is time for judgment to begin with God's household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?" 1 Peter 4:17

Another chameleon "Christian" that accommodates to the winds of the times. Shameful and pathetic!

Why quote Lewis? He said he considered MacDonald to be his master … MacDonald, who claimed universalism. And Lewis compiled an entire book of MacDonald quotes! Lewis would have been an evangelical elite. Can Lewis simply deny his association with MacDonald? Why no. Oh ye who love power.

He sounds like a Cultural Marxist.

I wasn't Christian when I voted to legalise abortion in my country and I'm not sure I would now but I didn't approve of abortion at the time (as in I'd never have chosen one or had sex with a girl who would). I did note the statistics that show that people who have the freedom to abort or access higher support (and less social judgement) as a parent did choose to have less abortions than in right wing countries where it was banned, which I think is telling, so I voted for more compassion and less abortions that were safely (for the woman) carried out. I was also aware that God (who I was beginning to believe in at the time but very vaguely - I knew that truth/love was responding to my desperate search in ways that had to be a conscious supernatural entity but it was early days) gave us the freedom to sin and that our manmade laws were not going to be in the equation when He judges us all personally. However, now that I am Christian... this does bother me. I'm not sure whether He will allow me any credit for my smart way of figuring out what now appears to be a lot less of a grey area. I know Christ's blood washes me clean but it still weighs heavy. I think I would have to vote no now even though stats say more people would do the right thing but God didn't put me in charge of their choices and it's not like they'll be forced to, especially not if they reach out to God for help. I made it easier for some who wouldn't have done it otherwise though... That WAS my choice. However, I would be less hard on someone in America voting for one of 2 totally imperfect and ungodly parties. I see very little of Christ in the money-loving Caesar-wannabes of any country but especially the most powerful ones, to be frank. Blue or red. They hate more than they love. They serve the elite not the poor. They create unnecessary wars based on greed. They lie and cheat their ways to the top. I like Tony Evan's "Kingdom Independent" perspective. Don't contaminate your faith with either political agenda. If you think either are God's party then your soul is better off if they lose tbh. That goes for all secular political parties. The socialist democrat types (not your ones) here in Ireland behave the most like the Apostles after receiving the Holy Spirit in Acts (contributing according to ability and sharing according to need - Acts 2, 4 & 5) but by trying to justify it without God they abandon the only objective ruler possible and fall into other traps. However, when it comes to creating a society were the Christian "lifestyle" is encouraged rather than one were the rich get richer and the poor get poorer, I'm inclined to vote for them. Anyway, I just go by "give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's" and I beg His forgiveness for the unknown ramifications of voting for anyone or anything but I will endeavour to pray and be guided by the Holy Spirit and the Bible and do my best to pick the lesser of a bunch of evils or abstain if necessary. I certainly won't judge it to be a clear choice though and I think we Christians should not feel pressured to since we live in the world but are not of the world. PS: I apologise if any offense is caused by my having an opinion on your parties. We hear a lot more about you than you do about us and I do know Americans and have visited but I don't assume my opinion is as well informed as yours. Just going by what I've seen from them in public. If the democrat's sin is secularism in the name of freedom, then the republican's sin as "God's party" is blasphemy. But if abortion is the greatest weight on your conscience I can't criticise anyone.

Jc ryle good easy reading too

Are prominent evangelicals so enticed by the donations from ”foundations” that they no longer heed Biblical truth or fear their accountability to God Almighty? Or have they just always been false teachers? There is no such thing as social justice. There is only justice. There is no such thing as a social gospel. There is only The Gospel. “'You shall do no injustice in judgment; you shall not be partial to the poor nor defer to the great, but you are to judge your neighbor fairly.” Leviticus‬ ‭19:15‬ ‭ “You shall not follow the masses in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice; nor shall you be partial to a poor man in his dispute.” Exodus‬ ‭23:2-3‬ “See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.” Colossians‬ ‭2:8‬ “Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.” James‬ ‭3:1‬

The Bible is not an owner’s manual with a set of explicit instructions for every minute issue that you encounter during the course of every day. It would be a lot thicker if it was.

Tim Keller seems to think that the goal of Christianity is to make the world a better place.

There are many groups and individuals out there who seek to divide not just the people but also the Church. Many who consider themselves Christians are allowing them to do just that.

A Christian by definition is to be a follower of Christ. Christ said His kingdom was not of this word. So why are we trying to set one up here? My advice is for us to love God and love our neighbors as we love ourselves...look to Jesus’ life for our example on how it’s done. That’s as simple and as complicated as it gets.

When I think of Tim Keller, I throw up a little in my mouth.

Question for the comments section: is voting Democrat a sin?

i honestly thought, when i first read, "...has his thumb on the scales" you were referring to the scales of that old serpent, the devil that deceives the whole world. double entendre, perhaps?

You're a skillful constructor of a fragile strawman, but your argument comparing the defense of Keller (i.e. he claims to reject CT, but you cannot get absolution from claiming that you're not a white supremacist) is spot on regarding woke religion.

i used to listen to Tim K. then his far left ran over my foot.

Cmon Timmy do better lol

Tim's a jesuit!!!!!

Doug, love your work but yer delivery here is that of one reading something written by another. Perhaps put someone behind the camera and just speak naturally, as you do when sermonizing.

I think Tim Keller is a great preacher. Period.

His point is-political views don’t determine a person’s salvation, Christ does. Their is no condemnation in Christ, everyone will have to give account to Christ. Romans 8:1-2 Romans 14:12-The Law of Liberty

Only an unrepentant unregenerate unbeliever can think and talk like this! Only one who has no holy spirit living inside them to guide their soul would put out thoughts like this, Tim Keller is in need of salvation and our prayers to the Lord so that if He wills Tims eternal soul maybe saved from an eternal hell and damnation!

Tim Keller is shameless and clearly wrong for his wrong teaching on so many things. He covets praises from the main stream media more than obeys the teaching of Jesus our Lord and God.

Keller SHUT-UP and go play with N.T. Wrong.