Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life Self-Control
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Nov 21, 2025 Self-control is key to freedom, but many struggle with restraint in speech, thoughts, and habits. Drawing from Paul's teachings, the discussion uncovers how self-control is birthed and nurtured. Keller uses athletic metaphors to illustrate discipline and contrasts ancient and modern views on virtues. He emphasizes love as central to self-control and teaches that embracing community and prayer aids in its development. Ultimately, fixing our eyes on Jesus inspires true devotion and helps us endure life's challenges.
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Self-Control Is Ordered Love
- Self-control is not mind over emotions nor mere emotional expression; it is ordering your loves so one passion masters the rest.
- True freedom means a unified heart where the supreme love directs conflicting desires into harmony.
Athletes, Spock, And Data Illustrate Virtue
- Keller contrasts Greek asceticism and modern emotionalism using athletes, Spock, and Data as examples.
- These examples show why neither suppressing nor expressing emotions alone yields true freedom.
Heart, Not Head Versus Feeling
- The Bible's view unifies thinking and feeling in the heart as the center of fundamental commitments and trusts.
- Augustine's idea of sin as 'disordered love' means virtue is reordering loves toward what is primary.
