We often hear the Bible’s story related in four key words: creation, fall, redemption, restoration. But I’ve become convinced that “restoration” is simply inadequate. Our future hope is not merely a restoration of Eden. As good as Eden was, it was not yet as glorious as the realm God intends to share with his people forever. And Adam and Eve were not yet all God intends his people to be. The story of redemptive history has always been heading toward glory. That was the case even in the beginning—there was an eschatology even in Eden.
I gave this workshop at The Gospel Coalition Women’s Conference in Indianapolis this June, based on my new book, Even Better Than Eden: Nine Ways the Bible’s Story Changes Everything About Your Story. I sought to answer four questions:
- What was Eden like?
- Where was Eden headed?
- How will the new creation be better than Eden?
- What difference does this make?
Free eBook by Tim Keller: ‘The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness’
Imagine a life where you don’t feel inadequate, easily offended, desperate to prove yourself, or endlessly preoccupied with how you look to others. Imagine relishing, not resenting, the success of others. Living this way isn’t far-fetched. It’s actually guaranteed to believers, as they learn to receive God’s approval, rather than striving to earn it.
In Tim Keller’s short ebook, The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness: The Path To True Christian Joy, he explains how to overcome the toxic tendencies of our age一not by diluting biblical truth or denying our differences一but by rooting our identity in Christ.
TGC is offering this Keller resource for free, so you can discover the “blessed rest” that only self-forgetfulness brings.
