To be a holy person is not what people popularly think it is these days. In modern English we often use the word “holy” to mean “holier than thou”—inaccessible, condescending, and self-righteous. Or at best, people will think of a holy person as somebody who keeps all the rules. 

But holiness is not about keeping all the rules. Holiness is an attitude of the heart in which you look at God and you say, “Use me.” Therefore, to be holy means more than just to give him your mind; you have to give him your life. In 1 Peter 1, there is a contrast shown between a life without God and a holy life. And this contrast shows us a depiction of a holy life.

These verses show us that 1) a life without God is ignorant, but a life of holiness integrates the thought and the life, 2) a life without God is an imitative life, but a holy life is an examined life, and 3) a life without God is a life of slavery without authority, but a holy life is a life of freedom under authority.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 31, 1993. Series: Splendor in the Furnace: 1 Peter, Part 1. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16.

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Many Western people today think that Christianity is for people who don’t want to use their minds, that if you’re educated and thoughtful you wouldn’t believe. They think that to be Christian you’d have to jettison your thoughts and surrender to a realm of feeling, to a leap of faith.

But the Bible tells us the opposite. In 1 Peter, when it calls us to holiness, it says we must prepare our minds. Holiness includes the whole person—including the mind. In fact what Peter says and what it says all through the Bible is not only “May Christians think,” but “Christians must think.” It’s fundamental.

Let’s look at how 1 Peter shows us that 1) Christianity requires you to use your mind, to be thinking and rational, and 2) Christianity is the only thing that really encourages thinking and gives a basis for it.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 24, 1993. Series: Splendor in the Furnace: 1 Peter, Part 1. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16.

Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

How can you be in such a condition that the troubles and sufferings of life don’t crush you but actually hone and refine you? Peter tells us that to be that kind of person, you have to be holy.

In these verses, Peter says to “gird up the loins of your mind.” It’s a picturesque statement of preparing for action, of tucking your robes into your belt. And Peter applies this to the mind, meaning you have to focus totally and get ready for action. Seeking God is not a hobby.

But it’s not just about seeking God. What you need is in verse 16: “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” This teaches us three things: 1) it teaches us that God is holy, 2) it teaches us that we must be holy, and 3) it teaches us that we can be holy because God is holy.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 17, 1993. Series: Splendor in the Furnace: 1 Peter, Part 1. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-21.

Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 10, 1993. Series: Splendor in the Furnace: 1 Peter, Part 1. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:10-12.

Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 3, 1993. Series: Splendor in the Furnace: 1 Peter, Part 1. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:10-12.

Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

There’s only one God who has wounds that can speak to your wounds. There’s only God who has been through it. 

The Buddhists look at suffering as an illusion. Western secular culture looks at suffering as a curse. But Christianity looks at it as something both extremely real and far more hopeful. Our Savior, Jesus Christ, came to glory through suffering. And when you see what he went through for you, then and only then have you got a framework and a power to get through your own suffering.

In 1 Peter 1 it teaches us that 1) you’ll never be able to face suffering without knowing a lot of biblical doctrine, 2) Christians do experience grief and troubles of life, and 3) when suffering comes into your life, God hates the brokenness but uses it to teach you things he wants you to learn.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 26, 1993. Series: Splendor in the Furnace: 1 Peter, Part 1. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:6-9.

Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

If Jesus Christ went into the furnace for you, he certainly can go into the furnace with you. That’s what the book of 1 Peter is all about: how we can deal with the furnace of suffering in this life and how we can know Jesus will be with us.

Because Jesus faced the furnace of God’s wrath for us, we can be saved. And our salvation is a multidimensional thing: we have been saved from the penalty of sin, we are being saved from the power of sin, and we will be saved from the very presence of sin. 

This passage tells us three things about our salvation. It tells us 1) the motive—why God saves us, 2) the mode—how God saves us, and 3), the results—two ways you know you’ve been saved.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 19, 1993. Series: Splendor in the Furnace: 1 Peter, Part 1. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-5.

Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 12, 1993. Series: Splendor in the Furnace: 1 Peter, Part 1. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-2.

Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

When Paul was in prison, facing and expecting death, he had the audacity to say, “I have found the secret of being content no matter the circumstances.” 

The amazing thing is that in the Bible this is not some kind of high nirvana that only certain people can find. In fact, the Bible doesn’t just say this is possible—it actually says this is commanded. The tenth commandment is “Thou shalt not covet.” Coveting is that inner grasping after things that says, “I have to have these things or I’m so empty.” But until you recognize you’re incapable of contentment, you are incapable of contentment. 

Paul doesn’t leave us grasping after the secret. He outlines it for us, and shows us 1) why we need it, 2) what it is, and 3) how to get it.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on January 28, 1990. Series: Ten Commandments 1989. Scripture: Philippians 4:10-13.

Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Honesty is a difficult commodity. It’s pretty hard to find. Instead, you can see dishonesty everywhere: in the high places in the professional places, and all the way down to the inner places. We’re not honest with other people, and we’re not even honest with ourselves.

Dishonesty starts because we’re all so good at denial. All around you there are people who, through blame-shifting and rationalization, are absolutely blind to a fault that others around them can see clearly. No wonder the Bible says honesty is a supernatural work of God. Honesty starts when you say, “I’m incapable of it.” Until then, you haven’t even begun to have integrity.

Psalm 15 and 16 will show you yourself. This passage shows us 1) the opposite of integrity, 2) the counterfeit of integrity, and 3) how to cultivate integrity.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on January 21, 1990. Series: Ten Commandments 1989. Scripture: Psalm 15, 16.

Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

If you’re not radically generous, you’re a thief. The Bible is full of this teaching. If the money you have was yours and you’re not generous with it, you’re just being stingy; but if the money is somebody else’s and you’re not generous with it as the owner directs, it’s robbery.

The Bible says your attitude toward your wealth and your possessions is not an incidental or peripheral or optional issue. It’s at the very heart of what it is to be a Christian. A Christian says the money you have is yours to enjoy and take care of as a trustee, but you must give it generously as God directs.

James 2 says real faith inevitably leads to three characteristics: 1) it’s radically generous, 2) it’s radically gracious, and 3) it’s radically practical.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on January 14, 1990. Series: Ten Commandments 1989. Scripture: James 2:1-17.

Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.