“Everyone will be forgotten, nothing we do will make any difference, and all good endeavours, even the best, will come to naught. Unless there is God. If the God of the Bible exists, and there is a True Reality beneath and behind this one, and this life is not the only life, then every good endeavour, even the simplest ones, pursued in response to God's calling, can matter forever.”
Quote Analysis
In this quote by Timothy Keller, he reflects on the idea that without a belief in God, all good endeavors and actions will ultimately be forgotten and meaningless. However, if one believes in the existence of God and a higher purpose, even the simplest actions can have eternal significance. Let's dive deeper into the implications of this perspective.
The Eternal Impact of Good Endeavors
In a world where the idea of making a lasting impact can seem daunting, the words of Timothy Keller remind us of the eternal significance of our actions. He suggests that without the belief in a higher power like the God of the Bible, all our efforts may ultimately be in vain. However, if there is indeed a True Reality beyond this life, then every good deed done in response to a calling from God can have everlasting importance. This perspective can provide motivation and purpose to our everyday actions, knowing that they can have a lasting impact beyond our time on this earth.
Example of Usage
In his book, Timothy Keller contemplates the existential question of the significance of our actions in the grand scheme of things. He argues that without the existence of God, all endeavors are ultimately futile.
Reflection Questions:
In this quote by Timothy Keller, he raises the profound question of the significance of our actions and endeavors in the grand scheme of things. Reflect on the following questions to delve deeper into this thought-provoking idea:
- Do you believe in the existence of a higher power or a True Reality beyond this life?
- How does your belief (or lack thereof) in God or an afterlife impact the way you perceive the significance of your actions?
- Have there been moments in your life where you have felt like your efforts were in vain or meaningless? How might a belief in God and eternity change your perspective on those moments?
- How can the concept of eternal significance influence the way you approach everyday tasks and long-term goals?
- Consider the idea of responding to a calling from God. Have you ever felt a sense of purpose or direction from a higher power in your own life? If so, how did that influence your actions and decisions?
Take some time to reflect on these questions and consider how your beliefs about the existence of God and eternity shape your understanding of the value and impact of your endeavors.
Similar quotes
“When [the saints] perform actions to God, then the soul says: 'Oh! that I could do what pleases God!' When they come to suffer any cross: 'Oh, that what God does might please me!' I labour to do what pleases God, and I labour that what God does shall please me: here is a Christian indeed, who shall endeavour both these. It is but one side of a Christian to endeavour to do what pleases God; you must as well endeavour to be pleased with what God does, and so you will come to be a complete Christian when you can do both, and that is the first thing in the excellence of this grace of contentment.”
“Culture is the endeavour to know the best and to make this knowledge prevail for the good of all humankind.”
“The true purpose of life is the perfection of humanity through individual effort, under the guidance of God's inspiration. Real life is response to the best within us. To be alive only to appetite, pleasure, pride, money-making, and not to goodness and kindness, purity and love, poetry, music, flowers, stars, God and eternal hopes, is to deprive one's self of the real joy of living.”
“True spirituality covers all of reality. There are things the Bible tells us to do as absolutes which are sinful- which do not conform to the character of God. But aside from these things the Lordship of Christ covers all of life and all of life equally. It is not only that true spirituality covers all of life, but it covers all parts of the spectrum of life equally. In this sense there is nothing concerning reality that is not spiritual.”
“Since God is the highest good, he would not allow any evil to exist in his works unless his omnipotence and goodness were such as to bring good even out of evil.”