Generous Justice: How God's Grace Makes Us Just

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Generous Justice: How God's Grace Makes Us Just

4.19 of 5 stars 4.19 · rating details · 1,245 ratings · 153 reviews

Author of the New York Times bestseller The Reason for God and nationally renowned pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church Timothy Keller with his most provocative and illuminating message yet.

It is commonly thought in secular society that the Bible is one of the greatest hindrances to doing justice. Isn't it full of regressive views? Didn't it condone slavery? Why look t...more

Hardcover, 256 pages

Published November 2nd 2010 by Dutton Adult (first published January 1st 2010)

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Aug 01, 2011 Kurt rated it 5 of 5 stars

A few months ago, I was invited to preach at my church, and I decided to talk about social justice because I was a Christian who worked as a public defender. I tried awkwardly to highlight the problems with the "we should help poor people with material goods but never talk about Jesus" extreme and the "poor people are kind of scary - we should pray for them to meet Jesus, maybe preach from a safe distance, but not get physically involved" extreme, and I hoped to describe a view of social justice...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Mike E. rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: justice-issues-poverty

In this book Keller calls Christians, but especially Christ-centered, Bible-saturated evangelicals, to care for the "quartet of the vulnerable"--widows, orphans, immigrants, and the poor. The biblical foundation for caring for the poor is Genesis 1:27--every human being is created in and a shareholder of the image of God. We help the poor not because they are deserving but because humans are made in a unique way like God. We help to glorify Him by helping them.

The call that Keller puts forth is...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Amy rated it 2 of 5 stars

I have mixed feelings about this book, but it gave me a lot to think about. I found I received the ideas coming from a pastor using Biblical support so much more readily than through ex-exceptional anecdotes or statistics that other books have used.

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May 24, 2012 John Gardner rated it 5 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Honey and Locusts.

Few topics stir up as much passion as that of justice. It’s hard enough to find agreement on what justice is, much less how to achieve it. For that reason, this is a book bound to make nearly anyone uncomfortable.

Keller looks to reclaim the biblical mandate to seek justice for the poor and marginalized from those who sacrifice sound doctrine in favor of a vague, highly politicized sense of “social justice”. Evangelicals are right to hold the line on gospel...more

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May 06, 2012 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this short book about caring for the poor and fighting for justice profound. Being interested in social justice, I thought the book was sort of preaching to the choir at first, but then Keller, a minister in NYC, began to make me a little uneasy with my own comfortable views of social justice. For instance, he questions whether most Americans are "middle class in spirit" rather than "poor in spirit." Do I somehow feel that I have earned my place in society? Do I think my own hard work ha...more

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Jan 25, 2012 Eric Chappell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Summary: Helpful. I find Keller's writing engaging, convincingly argued, humbly expressed, and biblically-thoughtful. This book is no exception. Keller writes to 4 groups:

Those Who are Concerned with Social Justice.

Those Who are Skeptical of Social Justice.

Those Who have incorporated Social Justice to the Neglect of Traditional Doctrine.

Those Who Believe that Religion (esp Christianity) Promotes Injustice.

Notes:

Book is for believers and non-believers (xx)

What is Doing Justice? Justice is Care fo...more

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Dec 29, 2011 Open Door Baltimore added it

For us, this book came alive very early in Chapter One, "What is Doing Justice?" Here, author Timothy Keller (Senior Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan) describes the full meaning of the 8th verse of the 6th chapter of the Book of Micah: "And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?" We liked Keller's treatment of this verse so much that we eventually created an initiative at Open Door Baltimore called the Micah Proje...more

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Dec 09, 2011 C.H. Cobb rated it 5 of 5 stars

There has been a move afoot for the last thirty years to recapture the biblical gospel from the ravages of a man-centered, therapeutic, easy-believing, corrupted American church. Some of the names important to the reestablishment of a God-centered approach to preaching, evangelism, and counseling include John MacArthur, Jr., John Piper, Mark Dever, Jay Adams, the Tripp brothers, and R.C. Sproul, to name just a few. Tim Keller, the gentle pastor-scholar of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhatta...more There has been a move afoot for the last thirty years to recapture the biblical gospel from the ravages of a man-centered, therapeutic, easy-believing, corrupted American church. Some of the names important to the reestablishment of a God-centered approach to preaching, evangelism, and counseling include John MacArthur, Jr., John Piper, Mark Dever, Jay Adams, the Tripp brothers, and R.C. Sproul, to name just a few. Tim Keller, the gentle pastor-scholar of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan belongs on this list.

Generous Justice is really a book about the Lordship of Christ as applied to the care of the vulnerable. Keller demonstrates from the Old and New Testaments that God has always been concerned about the disadvantaged in society. He points out that Old Testament Israel was castigated for not providing for the care of the widow, the orphan, the poor, and the stranger. Always exegetically careful, Keller shows that Jesus Christ has the same concern for His church.

The major thesis of the book is revealed on page 99, and comes only after Pastor Keller has walked through the biblical evidence of both Testaments; it is a point deserving of thoughtful consideration. After citing James 2:15-16, he comments:

If you look at someone without adequate resources and do nothing about it, James teaches, your faith is 'dead,' it is not really saving faith. So what are the 'works' [James] is talking about? He is saying that a life poured out in deeds of service to the poor is the inevitable sign of any real, true, justifying, gospel-faith. Grace makes you just. If you are not just, you've not truly been justified by faith. [Emphasis mine.]

Part of the power of this book is that Keller does not make the reader choose between biblical orthodoxy and social justice. Unlike the religious liberal, Keller celebrates doctrine and truth, claiming that it drives us to true justice. He shows that the works a genuine believer will produce are headlined by efforts to care for the most vulnerable.

Generous Justice is characterized by orthodox biblical faithfulness and a generosity of spirit. Keller is not one to critique other thinkers; he isn't polemical; it is his readers he gently critiques. Keller is very widely read, and will use insights from believer and unbeliever alike to make his points, all the while never departing from Scripture. The last three chapters are, in my opinion, a tour de force of the doctrine of common grace as applied to social justice.

Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 12:12: But beyond this, my son, be warned: the writing of many books is endless, and excessive devotion to books is wearying to the body. As a busy pastor (and a very slow reader) I feel the frustration of simply trying to keep current in my reading, including much stuff that turns out to be irrelevant, poorly done, or simply unimportant. This is not one of those books. Generous Justice is a worthwhile reality check on both your ministry and your personal life. You really ought to read it.
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Aug 17, 2011 Katherine rated it 5 of 5 stars

Can't say enough about how convicting and paradigm-shifting this book is! Don't read it if you aren't prepared to really examine your life and how you give of your time, resources, and influence. Keller's style is straightforward and intellectual. He grounds everything in scripture, and he certainly isn't worried about whether God's truths that he is conveying are going to offend anyone.

Essentially the book is about the responsibility that Christians have as image-bearing, grace-filled creations...more

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Mar 11, 2011 Jerry rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: mercy-ministry, theology

Keller does a good job of identifying the need for all Christians to give as God has given to them, undeserving and rebellious people. He identifies different causes of poverty and injustice: individual sin, natural disaster (what insurance policies used to call "Acts of God"), and systemic oppression. Unfortunately he is unable to identify true systems of systemic oppression (e.g. institutions that sustain poverty and promote injustice and dependence). For example, instead of seeing the enormou...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Matthew Robbins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction

I’ll freely admit that the relationship between social justice and the gospel is not one I completely understand. It’s become a hot topic the last few years, but I haven’t delved much into the fray. I’m definitely no expert, and the thought of trying to critique a guy like Tim Keller on the subject is a little humorous. His newest book, Generous Justice, contains multiple sections of thought that caused my head to spin, but in a good way.

I’ve become uncomfortable with how some Christians seem to...more I’ll freely admit that the relationship between social justice and the gospel is not one I completely understand. It’s become a hot topic the last few years, but I haven’t delved much into the fray. I’m definitely no expert, and the thought of trying to critique a guy like Tim Keller on the subject is a little humorous. His newest book, Generous Justice, contains multiple sections of thought that caused my head to spin, but in a good way.

I’ve become uncomfortable with how some Christians seem to ignore some of Jesus’ commands regarding the poor and weak, but I also have a problem with people just wanting to “do justice” and never evangelize. So here’s my perspective as a young, idealistic, evangelical Christian who doesn’t want a theoretic faith that turns a blind eye to the poor and needy, but also doesn’t want to compromise any piece of the biblical gospel and evangelism in doing so.

In the introduction, Keller states:

This book, then, is both for believers who find the Bible a trustworthy guide and for those who wonder if Christianity is a positive influence in the world. I want the orthodox to see how central to the Scripture’s message is justice for the poor and marginalized. I also want to challenge those who do not believe in Christianity to see the Bible not as a repressive text, but as the basis for the modern understanding of human rights.

After taking some time to define “justice,” this is exactly what Keller does with this book. As a believer, I was confronted with a view of God, Christ, and redemption that won’t allow us to turn from injustice. Always balanced by a nuanced view of God’s redemptive work in creation and the gospel of the atonement, believers are shown the value and purpose of justice: to glorify the one from whom it emanates. I really appreciated the balance. You tend to get only those who elevate justice to the place of the gospel at the exclusion of atonement, or those who over-react to this error and ignore justice altogether.

The other thing Keller does is to address the nature of discussion about issues of justice. The terms are thrown around, by religious and secular, but few ever discuss what they really mean. Keller deftly shows, by scripture and by logic, how religious and moral rationale underwrites everyone’s opinions in these areas, despite how they might try to dress them up in objective, secular language. By removing religious ideas from the public square, we’ve removed the language to describe the disagreements most people have over things like abortion, levels of taxation, racism, and others. By trying to find an objective “common ground” upon which to discuss the issues, we’ve removed the ground completely.

Finally, Keller discusses the concept of Shalom, and how efforts to “do justice” help reflect the restoration of Shalom after the Fall. Again, this is balanced with a nuanced view of the redemption of the world.

As I said, I’m in no position to critique any of Keller’s arguments. They are far too complex and subtle for me to do so. From my situation, however, Keller has given me a biblical framework through which to view many issues that people my age, especially young evangelicals, are questioning. I’m sure others will find things to quibble over, but it’s hard to argue with the biblical arguments put forward in this book. As a Christian, justice should be important to us. This book will definitely contribute to helping it become so.(less)

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Mar 06, 2011 J rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'd like to give this a 3.5. If I weren't already well-versed, well-read, and well-discussed in the world of evangelical social justice, I might give it a 4 or higher. It was a little redundant for me but a great overview of the history and debate on social justice in the evangelical faith world. Keller is a Presbyterian and the book is not a history book per se, but he touches on the same core issues and concerns, the same splitting of liberal social justice and faith-based social justice, and...more

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Dec 30, 2011 Keren Threlfall rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reading

Keller draws from a broad overview of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, teachings of church history (most frequently referring to Jonathan Edwards’ teachings), and specific teachings of Jesus as he lays out the beautiful picture of the righteousness/justice of God, showing God’s heart and identification (particularly through Christ’s incarnation) with the vulnerable and helpless of society. Throughout the book, he also draws out the beauty of the Gospel, and the amazing grace that God has sh...more

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Feb 16, 2011 John rated it 4 of 5 stars

Tim Keller, also the author of Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road, writes winsomely of the very heart of God, in his book Generous Justice. In typical Keller style, he narrows the argument regarding social justice by pitting the ideals of liberals against conservatives. Liberals often fail to be anchored to gospel truth and conservatives often fail to have compassion to help in spite of theological correctness. The fault of each party points to a greater alternative—a gospel drive...more Tim Keller, also the author of Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road, writes winsomely of the very heart of God, in his book Generous Justice. In typical Keller style, he narrows the argument regarding social justice by pitting the ideals of liberals against conservatives. Liberals often fail to be anchored to gospel truth and conservatives often fail to have compassion to help in spite of theological correctness. The fault of each party points to a greater alternative—a gospel driven compassion for the poor and vulnerable of society—in fact, Keller insists that God’s attribute of Justice includes Generosity.

Keller surveys the OT and develops a very impressive understanding of the civil laws of Israel. He surveys various Scripture texts that demonstrate that poverty is complex and multilayered and can result from oppression, calamity, and moral failure; however, by the gracious provision of the law there was opportunity for a second chance. If Israel followed the laws of release, jubilee, and gleaning, and others then there should not have been any poor among them (see Deut. 15:4-50).

Keller reminds us that the principles of the OT are pregnant in the NT. The parable of the Good Samaritan and Galatians 6:10 compel us to look beyond our own household.

Keller speaks pastorally when he says, “My experience as a pastor has been that those who are middle-class in spirit tend to be indifferent to the poor, but people who come to grasp the gospel of grace and become spiritually poor find their hearts gravitating toward the materially poor. To the degree that the gospel shapes your self-image, you will identify with those in need” (p. 102).

Keller suggests that churches can do more than they can imagine, but the key is to listen to the poor themselves (p. 134) very carefully to discern some of their real needs—relief ministries can help, but there are deeper issues in their communities that need to be addressed, and in some cases rehabilitated through intense effort.

Keller provides a very sobering rebuke to most churches: “When a city perceives a church as existing strictly and only for itself and its own members, the preaching of the church will not resonate with outsiders…there is no better way for Christians to lay a foundation for evangelism than by doing justice” (p. 142).

Something that I found very helpful was Keller’s insight drawn from Abraham Kuyper’s understanding of the church. Kuyper had been both a Christian minister and also the Prime Minister of the Netherlands at the turn of the 20th Century. He believed that one of the things a church should do is produce mature believers who can engage culture in every area of expertise and advance justice in their spheres of influence.

I would highly recommend this book to those who have traditionally been reticent to social involvement for fear of compromising the evangelical, gospel message. Keller insists that the very attribute of God’s justice compels us to be gracious as we share the good news.(less)

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Jan 21, 2011 John rated it 3 of 5 stars

The title might seem to be an oxymoron. Timothy Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, argues that being generous -- giving to the poor -- isn't just a good thing to do. It's required by a biblical understanding of justice. Failure to care for widows and orphans, the categories most often cited in the Bible, is unjust.
He also argues that conservative Christians, who tend to emphasize evangelism but minimize social justice; and liberal Christians, who tend to emphasize soci...more

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May 14, 2012 Wendy Jones rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read this book after a speaker at my church recommended it. In this book Timothy Keller sets out God's manifesto for social justice and helping the poor. He clearly outlines many passages from the bible which give God's commands to take care of the poor. Although many of these are from the Old Testament, Keller, also shows us where this is continued in the New Testament. Although many of the old testament laws were no longer required following Jesus death, Jesus himself said that this is one l...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Missjgray rated it 4 of 5 stars

I was in love with this book before I opened it, so it was kind of an up and down ride while I read it. I did like it. A lot. But it was also a bit frustrating.

I think the main problem is Keller's choice of publisher. I feel like on many occasions, he was either not allowed or at least "not encouraged" to pick a side. Many of the questions he's discussing get good treatment, fair summaries of opposing sides, good footnotes and then are sort of dismissed with a phrase like, "many churches disagr...more

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Dec 10, 2010 Readnponder rated it 5 of 5 stars

This book involves a theme the evangelical community needs to hear: caring for the poor is not socialism, rather it is biblical. Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York, believes that one's understanding of God's abundant, undeserving grace will automatically spill over into concern for justice and the poor. He interprets "my neighbor" from the parable of the Good Samaritan to be anybody made in the image of God and in need.

Keller draws heavily from a Jonathan Edwards serm...more

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Jan 16, 2013 Becky B rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: church-and-culture

Let me preface this by saying I've been connected to Christian social justice ministries for several years, even helped organize a peace and justice conference in Pasadena last year that sought to bring together the various churches, organizations, schools, and governmental offices working with the poor, needy, and underprivileged in Southern California to discuss how to better work together. I mostly read this because I wanted to see how Keller's vision of justice matched up with others in the...more

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Jul 05, 2011 Anna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

Often I see justice and charity as things that I like to practice when I can afford to. Keller spends the first half or more of this book explaining our biblical call to justice and caring for the poor. When Jesus spoke of sin in the New Testament, he often including lack of generosity along with murder and adultery, the other "big sins" that get mentioned a lot. And, he frequently mentions charity and justice when he talks about love and righteousness and Godly living. Once Keller establishes a...more

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Mar 22, 2012 Brian rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ethics, theology

Generous Justice: How God's Grace Makes Us Just by Timothy Keller (author of the best-selling The Reason for God, and senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City) is a clear, convicting, and compelling case for the assertion that "there is a direct relationship between a person's grasp and experience of God's grace, and his or her heart for justice and the poor." (p. xiii). In his Introduction, Keller says that he wrote this book for four groups of people: (1) young Christian...more Generous Justice: How God's Grace Makes Us Just by Timothy Keller (author of the best-selling The Reason for God, and senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City) is a clear, convicting, and compelling case for the assertion that "there is a direct relationship between a person's grasp and experience of God's grace, and his or her heart for justice and the poor." (p. xiii). In his Introduction, Keller says that he wrote this book for four groups of people: (1) young Christian believers who are concerned for social justice, but often fail to let social concern affect how they spend money, conduct their careers, and choose which neighborhoods to live in; (2) orthodox Christians who approach the subject of "doing justice" with suspicion; (3) younger evangelicals who embrace social justice but jettison the traditional evangelical doctrines substitutionary atonement and justification by faith alone; and (4) unbelievers who may suspect, along with Christopher Hitchens, that "religion poisons everything" and view Christianity as one of the primary forces promoting injustice and violence. With this variety of target audiences in mind, Keller unfolds his argument for grace-driven justice in eight chapters.

Chapter one asks "what is doing justice?" and answers with an accessible study of the concepts of justice and righteousness in Scripture. While never getting overly technical, Keller shows that the Hebrew word for justice has to do with both the punishment of wrongdoing and giving people their rights (p. 3). Justice is, essentially, "to treat people equitably" - to give them their due. Such justice, which over and again in Scripture is concerned with widows, orphans, immigrants, and the poor ("the quartet of the vulnerable"), is rooted in the character of God and wedded to "righteousness." Since the biblical word for "righteous" refers to a life of right relationships, Keller says that "Biblical righteousness is inevitably 'social,' because it is about relationships" (p. 10). In fact, Keller argues that when these two words, justice and righteousness, are tied together in Scripture, "the English expression that best conveys the meaning is 'social justice'" (p. 14). Though this terminology is sometimes nothing more than a slogan used to recruit people to some political ideology or another, Keller says that "if you are trying to live a life in accordance with the bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable" (p. 18).

Chapters two and three build the case for doing justice from the Old and New Testaments respectively. Keller carefully nuances his arguments from the Old Testament, showing that commands in the Old Testament reflect clear principles that are binding on Christians today, while granting that Scripture does not tell us exactly how to carry these principles out today. Especially helpful in this second chapter is how Keller deals with the causes of poverty, showing that Scripture doesn't neatly fit into the schemas of either liberal or conservative theorists. Rather, "the causes of poverty as put forth in the Bible are remarkably balanced" (p. 33) including oppression, natural disaster, and personal moral failures. However, Keller says, "having surveyed the Bible on these texts numerous times, I have concluded that the emphasis is usually on the larger structural factors" (p. 38). Chapter three focuses on the teaching of Jesus about justice and tackles some of the lesser known (and lesser obeyed) words of Jesus, such as those found in Luke 14:12-13 (pgs. 46-49) and Matthew 25:31-46 (pgs. 52-54).

Chapter four uses the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10) to build the case that Christians have the responsibility to show mercy and do justice not only for those inside the church, but for anyone in need, "regardless of race, politics, class, and religion" - that is, for anyone who is your "neighbor" (see p. 67). This chapter, drawing heavily on the work of eighteenth-century theologian Jonathan Edwards, includes a very helpful series of answers to common objections that religious people often make when faced with the call of justice and mercy.

Chapters five asks "Why should we do justice?" "Our problem in society today" Keller says, "is not that people don't know they should share with others and help the poor. Most people do know and believe this. The real problem is that, while knowing, they are insufficiently motivated to actually do it" (p. 79). So how does the Bible motivate us? First, with "joyful awe before the goodness of God's creation" and, second, with "the experience of God's grace in redemption" (p. 82). Keller's discussion of creation focuses mainly on how human dignity (and therefore human rights) is actually rooted in the Scripture's teaching that human beings are created in the image of God. In an excellent discussion of civil rights on pages 85-88, Keller illustrates the point through interaction with the writings of Aristotle, Martin Luther King, Jr., and C. S. Lewis.

But "as important as the doctrine of creation is, the most frequently cited Biblical motivation for doing justice is the grace of God in redemption" (p. 92), a point Keller makes from both the Old and New Testaments. This is really the heart of the book, out of which everything else flows. With eloquent reason, Keller drives this truth home: "If a person has grasped the meaning of Gods' grace in his heart, he will do justice" (p. 93); "People changed by grace should go, as it were, on a permanent fast. Self-indulgence and materialism should be given up and replaced by a sacrificial lifestyle of giving to those in need" (p. 95-96); "A life poured out in deeds of service to the poor is the inevitable sign of any real, true, justifying, gospel-faith. Grace makes you just. If you are not just, you've not truly been justified by faith" (p. 99).

If chapter five addresses motivation, chapter six takes on the practical question of "how should we do justice?" In this wise and practical chapter, Keller is simple, but not simplistic, discussing how "vulnerable people need multiple levels of help" including "relief, development, and social reform" (p. 113) then providing examples of and principles for doing each. This chapter delves into issues such as the needs of poor communities, racial reconciliation, and reforming unjust social structures. Drawing on Abraham Kuyper's concepts of "sphere sovereignty," he discusses both the responsibilities of Christians in the institutional church and as the organic church. And he tackles the relationship between social justice and evangelism, arguing that "they should exist in an asymmetrical, inseparable relationship" with evangelism being "the most basic and radical ministry possible to a human being . . . not because the spiritual is more important than the physical, but because the eternal is more important than the temporal" (p. 139). But Keller will not agree that justice is simply a means to the end of evangelism OR that doing justice IS evangelism. There is a distinction between the two. Deeds of justice and mercy are not identical to gospel proclamation. To say so, is "fatal confusion." Yet BOTH are necessary. Chapter seven carries the practical questions a step further, with a judicious exploration of "Doing Justice in the Public Square."

The final chapter, "Peace, Beauty, and Justice", relates the concerns of this book to "shalom" or the reweaving the fabric of human relationships into "harmonious peace." This is God's overall intention for human beings and doing justice means "to live in a way that generates a strong community where human beings can flourish" (p. 177). But how do we do that? In one of my favorite paragraphs in the book, Keller answers: "The only way to reweave and strengthen the fabric is by weaving yourself into it. Human beings are like those threads thrown together onto a table. If we keep our money, time, and power to ourselves, instead of sending them out into our neighbors' lives, then we may be literally on top of one another, but we are not interwoven socially, relationally, financially, and emotionally. Reweaving shalom means to sacrificially thread, lace, and press your time, goods, power, and resources into the lives and needs of others" (p. 177).

The length of my review shows my enthusiasm for this book, which is a significant contribution to Christian theology and ethics. Keller's clear and accessible style makes this book appropriate for any thoughtful believer, seeker, or skeptic. I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is concerned with issues of justice in society, faithfulness to the teaching of Scripture on justice, and/or the implications of the Christian gospel for living a life of justice in our world today.(less)

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Jan 27, 2011 Brittany Petruzzi rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: theology, sociology, non-fiction

While I heartily agree with Keller's main point that justice is not only of the rectifying sort, but also the doing righteousness, ennobling the poor sort, his argumentation certainly left a lot to be desired. Often, he would quote Scripture as if it had something to do with his point, but not really explain how he got from point A to point C. And even more often he would use unfamiliar translations of Scripture passages that he seemed to have either translated himself or pulled from a convenien...more

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Jan 14, 2011 Rick Davis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bible-theology

Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just is an overwhelming book by Pastor Timothy Keller. “Overwhelming in what way?” you might ask. Overwhelming in the sense that there is so much to take in that I’m not exactly sure where to begin. The book is also overwhelmingly Biblical, putting forth the case that social justice is not only the realm of liberal Christians, but a concept and duty that are at the very heart of the gospel itself.

Pastor Keller begins by showing that the words our Englis...more Generous Justice: How God’s Grace Makes Us Just is an overwhelming book by Pastor Timothy Keller. “Overwhelming in what way?” you might ask. Overwhelming in the sense that there is so much to take in that I’m not exactly sure where to begin. The book is also overwhelmingly Biblical, putting forth the case that social justice is not only the realm of liberal Christians, but a concept and duty that are at the very heart of the gospel itself.

Pastor Keller begins by showing that the words our English Bibles translate as “justice” in the Old Testament, chesedh and mishpat, reflect a merciful attitude toward the widow, orphan, and poor as well as an action that must be taken on behalf of these groups. Throughout the Old Testament, cultures and societies are called righteous or unrighteous based on how they treat the stranger, the widow, the orphan, and the poor. This is because mercy toward the poor and helpless is a reflection of God’s character and person. Whereas the gods of other nations favored the rich who could offer better sacrifices, Yahweh favored the oppressed and destitute. This does not stop with the Old Testament, but continues into the New as well in the teachings of Jesus and the practice of the early Church. Keller shows that the Bible doesn’t fall into a simplistic diagnosis of poverty. It never assumes that poor people are automatically righteous. Nor does it assume that poor people are where they are by their own fault. However, it does assume that the righteous who have been blessed financially ought to help the poor no matter how they became poor and regardless of whether they are “deserving.”

He follows up with a discussion of why we should do justice for the poor. He says that almost all Christians know that they should be helping the poor, and yet they are not. I have to admit that I myself am guilty of this very thing. I have read about, thought about, and blogged about helping the poor, but haven’t honestly sought out opportunities to do so. So why is there this disconnect. Keller says that part of the problem is Christians are often guilted in to helping, and guilt is never a good motivator for charity. Rather, he explains how the atonement of Christ and the doctrine of justification by faith provide the best basis for kindness to the poor. We must truly believe that the Lord of Glory stooped to aid us destitute sinners, undeserving, ungrateful, and openly hostile to our benefactor. Only then can we look at the poor and see ourselves in their place.

Next, Pastor Keller lays out a plan for doing justice. I found this a most interesting part of the book. He outlines three levels of help that can be given to the poor: relief, development, and social reform. Relief simply means giving money and resources. It is the first level of help for the poor. Development means training a person in life skills and financial management so that they can break the cycle of dependency and assume control of their own welfare. Finally social reform means transforming entire communities by creating jobs, co-ops, health care centers, schools, and other programs that will keep money in a poor community from quickly migrating away to more wealthy areas of town. He says that the Church often has a large role in relief and development, but social reform can only occur when Christians willingly move into these poor areas and begin to make connections with the people there, forming organizations that will help them fulfill their goals.

The book is helped greatly by the fact that Pastor Keller is not coming at the issue with a political perspective. We don’t get a rah-rah-Republican, free-market book, but we also don’t get a moralistic, welfare-minded Democrat book either. Keller does a wonderful job being strictly Biblical in his advice and application and simply not caring whether he sounds like a liberal or conservative. This may trouble some readers, but I found it refreshing. A second thing that makes this book so powerful is the personal experience that lies behind it. Keller has been in the trenches practicing what he preaches for twenty years. He doesn’t suggest that all Christians should move to an inner city neighborhood like he did, but his experiences there can be applied everywhere. This book is going to take a lot more thought and some good discussion to organize racing thoughts and make practical application. And if the book does nothing more for someone than to make them think and see the poor around them differently, then the first step will have been taken. I believe that this is a book which all American Christians ought to read.

5/5 stars

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Mar 02, 2012 Brian Collins rated it 3 of 5 stars

I started this book with chapter seven since the discussion of justice and Christian involvement in the public square coincided with a research project I was working on. In my estimation, this was the best chapter of the book. Keller mediates the insights of Sandel's Justice and Steven Smith's The Disenchantment of Secular Discourse through his own Christian understanding. In doing so he demonstrates that freedom, and equality, concepts closely related to justice, are "empty concepts." Freedom a...more

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Jul 21, 2011 Mark rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book will serve as a good resource for a church Sunday school or other group that wants to look into issues of social justice without going over the deep-end. Reverend Keller provides a good basis in both the Old and New Testaments for God commanding that we not overlook the fatherless, widows, aliens, and poor of our day. He describes real world scenarios where people have applied this idea in their lives helping you grasp how this concept could look today. I appreciate Reverend Keller's a...more

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Mar 10, 2011 Jelinas rated it 5 of 5 stars

A few months ago, the elders of my church read this book. They almost immediately decided to appoint deacons to facilitate mercy ministries (social justice; taking care of orphans and widows and the poor) in our church. According to Acts 6, the church chooses from amongst themselves, so our elders asked us to nominate people that we thought were already actively ministering mercy to others.

In my mind, I was a little dismissive of the process. I thought to myself (and said aloud to a few friends)...more

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Dec 01, 2010 Clockstein Lockstein rated it 5 of 5 stars

Generous Justice by Timothy Keller is an intelligent and reasoned discussion on how Christians should be serving within the world today. Keller, who is a pastor of a large church in New York City, throws aside the differences between fundamentalists, who focus on teaching about God, and the progressive church, which is focused on social justice. Keller says they both have it wrong by focusing on one side and ignoring the other. By using several biblical examples, as well as contemporary anecdote...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Harley rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is a good introductory book on the issue of Christians working with the poor. There is a lot of theology and theory.

I recommend it to any Christian leader who is not already working with the poor, or who wonders if he/she should continue working with the poor. Tim Keller makes very good arguments how Christians are commanded to work with the poor. This kind of work isn't just for a select group of Christians, it's for all.

If you are already working with the poor and you don't need any more...more

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Apr 02, 2011 Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, religion-theology

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Keller's book on how the Bible explains justice and how we should approach justice-related issues in our Christian life.

***"In Western society these sets of concerns have often been split off from one another. In fact, each of America's two main political parties has built its platform on one of these sets of ethical prescriptions to the near exclusion of the other. Conservatism stresses the importance of personal morality, especially the importance of traditional sexual mores and hard work, an...more Keller's book on how the Bible explains justice and how we should approach justice-related issues in our Christian life.

***"In Western society these sets of concerns have often been split off from one another. In fact, each of America's two main political parties has built its platform on one of these sets of ethical prescriptions to the near exclusion of the other. Conservatism stresses the importance of personal morality, especially the importance of traditional sexual mores and hard work, and feels that liberal charges of racism and social injustice are overblown. On the other hand, liberalism stresses social justice, and considers conservative emphases on moral virtue to be prudish and psychologically harmful. Each side, of course, thinks the other side is smug and self-righteous.
It is not only the political parties that fail to reflect this "whole cloth" Biblical agenda. The churches of America are often more controlled by the surrounding political culture than by the spirit of Jesus and the prophets. Conservative churches tend to concentrate on one set of sins, while liberal ones concentrate on another set. Jesus, like the Old Testament prophets, does not see two categories of morality. In Amos 2:37, we read, "they trample the heads of the poor; father and son go in to the same girl." The prophet condemns social injustice and sexual licentiousness in virtually the same breath (cf. Isaiah 5:8ff). Such denunciations cut across all current conventional political agendas. The Biblical perspectives sees sexual immorality and material selfishness as both flowing from self-centeredness rather than God-centeredness." p.54-55.

*** "Many people who are evidently genuine Christians do not demonstrate much concern for the poor. How do we account for that? I would like to believe that a heart for the poor "sleeps" down in a Christian's soul until it is awakened. I think the reason that this sensibility has not been more aroused in the Christian world is due to the failure of my own class - pastors and Christian leaders. We tend to try to develop a social conscience in Christians the same way the world does - through guilt. We tell them that they have so much and don't they see that they need to share with those who have so little. That doesn't work, because we have built-in defense mechanisms against such appeals. Almost no one really feels all that wealthy. Even the well-off don't feel rich compared to the others with whom they live and work. I believe, however, when justice for the poor is connected not to guilt but to grace and to the gospel, this “pushes the button” down deep in believers’ souls, and they begin to wake up. Here is an example of the kind of argument that accomplishes this. It comes from a sermon by a young Scottish minister early in the nineteenth century, preaching on the text “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35): Now, dear Christians, some of you pray night and day to be branches of the true Vine; you pray to be made all over in the image of Christ. If so, you must be like him in giving … “Though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor”… Objection 1. “My money is my own.” Answer: Christ might have said, “My blood is my own, my life is my own” … then where should be have been? Objection 2. “the poor are undeserving.” Answer: Christ might have said, “they are wicked rebels … shall I lay down my life for these? I will give to the good angels.” But no, he left the ninety-nine, and came after the lost. He gave his blood for the undeserving. Objection 3. “the poor may abuse it.” Answer: Christ might have said the same; yea, with far greater truth. Christ knew that thousands would trample his blood under their feet; that most would despise it; that many would make it an excuse for sinning more; yet he gave his own blood. Oh my dear Christians! If you would be like Christ, give much, give often, given freely, to the vile and poor, the thankless and the undeserving. Christ is glorious and happy and so will you be. It is not your money I want, but your happiness. Remember his own word, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” P.107-108.

On p119 Keller references a Mark Gornik who writes about how important it is for the leaders and people making the change in a community to be from the community. If they are not the primary agents of action it is unlikely for any positive changes to remain in effect.

*** One of the problems Keller cautions against is issue of churches trying to do to much by themselves. He cites Kuyper when he mentions that community development organizations can be used to serve the community so that pastors and leaders in the church can concentrate on building up the church through evangelism. If churches take on too much themselves, it can lead to the compromise of the true purpose of the church - preaching the gospel. (less)

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Feb 28, 2013 Troy Austin rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is likely to become my book to give away. I want Christians to embrace the message of this book. Too often The Church shies away from working with non believers to accomplish common good for fear of watering down the Gospel to the level of the "social Gospel." Keller, as he often does, elequently explains why this is faulty thinking and why this failure causes The Church to miss out on many opportunities to demonstrate Christ like love. Eric Swanson says that non believers working for socia...more

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About Timothy Keller

Dr. Timothy Keller is founder and pastor of New York’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. Over the past 20 years, the church has grown to five services at three sites, with a weekly attendance of over 5,000. Named one of the Top 25 Most Influential Churches in America, Keller’s ministry is notable not only for winning over New Yorkers who are skeptical to faith, but also for its missional...more

More about Timothy Keller...

Books by Timothy Keller

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism

The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith

Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters

The Meaning of Marriage: Finding Happiness in Your Most Profound Relationship

King's Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus

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“If you have money, power, and status today, it is due to the century and place in which you were born, to your talents and capacities and health, none of which you earned. In short, all your resources are in the end the gift of God.” — 6 people liked it

“If a person has grasped the meaning of God's grace in his heart, he will do justice. If he doesn't live justly, then he may say with his lips that he is grateful for God's grace, but in his heart he is far from him. If he doesn't care about the poor, it reveals that at best he doesn't understand the grace he has experienced, and at worst he has not really encountered the saving mercy of God. Grace should make you just.” — 6 people liked it

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