Review: Galatians for You by Timothy Keller

5 out of 5 Stars
Author: Timothy Keller
Publisher: The Good Book Company
Cross Focused Blog Tour
Buy Galatians for You
Reading Level: Easy

Galatians for You strikes the perfect balance with understandability, gospel focus, and technical knowledge. It’s a verse by verse exposition for you--the average church goer, the mother with children at home, the blue collar father, the new Christian, or the mature Christian who loves the gospel. You won’t find a lot of the plumbing exposed but it’s there. You will find fertile soil for planting gospel seeds in your every day life.

The gospel--the message that we are more wicked than we ever dared believe, but more loved and accepted in Christ than we ever dared hope--creates a radical new dynamic for personal growth, for obedience, for love. (p. 10)

Another gem

The way to progress as a Christian is continually to repent and uproot these system [of self-salvation] in the same way that we became Christians--by the vivid depiction (and re-depicting) of Christ’s saving work for us, and the abandoning of self-trusting efforts to complete ourselves. We must go back again and again to the gospel of Christ crucified, so that our hearts are more deeply gripped by the reality of what He did and who we are in Him. (p. 69)

Galatians makes a perfect launching pad for this series because it highlights the gospel in a unique way which highlights Keller’s unique skill set as a pastor and author. Paul writes Galatians as a polemic against the Judaizers who are undermining the gospel in Galatia. Keller has done a lot of gospel work as a polemicist in New York City. Keller sums up the book of Galatians and thrust of this every day commentary when he says,

The book of Galatians is dynamite. It is an explosion of joy and freedom which leaves us enjoying a deep significance, security and satisfaction--the life of blessing God calls His people into. (p. 9)

What got me even more excited about this book was knowing there’s more like it to come. The last few pages promote future books in Judges, Psalms, Romans, 2 Timothy, and 1 John. If Keller can provide this level of understandability, gospel focus, and technical knowledge to a book like Judges all who read it will be better for it. It’s a difficult task unpacking the gospel story in the Old Testament but Keller may be better suited for the task than most. I would strongly urge those of my readers who may lead small groups or one on one discipleships to consider using this book. I doubt you will find another commentary that could be used in these types of groups with as much benefit and with such ease by people from all backgrounds. It will also promote further study in those who read it.

A free copy of this book was provided by The Good Book Company via Cross Focused Blog Tour. If you plan on purchasing Galatians for You, consider supporting Grace for Sinners by purchasing from Amazon.