Friday, July 12, 2013

Loosing Our Religion and Knowing Jesus Rightly - Discussion on Tim Keller's Sermon

Understanding the modern critique of religions enables us to re-examine our own faith see it in a new light that we may embrace Jesus Christ rightly without the misuse and abuse of religion. Our faith is not to justify our evil actions, a means for wealth, health or power, to exclude others, to boss over the 'unenlightened' and the less spiritual lay people, etc. It is to realize that even our own virtues and good work are not basis for our salvation. We are to enjoy His love and extend His love to others that they may also know Him.

The Bible Study group listened and discussed on Tim Keller's 'Loosing My Religion' sermon.

We can learn much from others' critiques of us. Breaking away from our own point of view and trying to see from others' viewpoints is a good and refreshing thing to do. In the sermon, Tim Keller examined the view points of Freud, Marx and Nietzsche. We can easily see how easy it is for us to fall into the traps that they mentioned, self-justification, social or class justification and power-trip abuse of others. But our Jesus Christ is entirely different to their critiques. Jesus is anti-religions, inclusive and self-sacrificing.

Here is the mind-map that summarized our discussion, our additional reflection and sharing on the sermon.

Lim Liat (c) 13 July 2013