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

Keller delivers a great read with "Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters". Known for his great writing skill and intellect, Tim Keller continues to produce biblically sound material that strikes at the heart. Keller is precise and careful, aware of how the human heart responds to the stimulus of this world. He defines a counterfeit god as "anything so central and essential to your life that, should you lose it, your life would feel hardly worth living." The book examines five main idols that face Christians and non-Christians today including love and sex, money, and success and power. Using a blend of real life examples (and shocking ones at that) and bible stories, Keller meticulously leads the reader into evaluating these issues from God's perspective. The perfect blend of modern-day and biblical stories are used to translate biblical principles into the language of our contemporary consciousness. Keller courageously tackles the issue of religious idols. He looks at the scarcely examined idol of doctrinal accuracy and moral self-righteousness in a very understandable manner. A great storyteller in his own right, Keller relays the story of Jonah and goes beyond the usual plotline that children often hear in Sunday school. He examines the depth of Jonah's religious idolatry, something that is often forgotten or overlooked. I found this chapter very helpful in examining my own heart issues, my own idols and my own fears. It was encouraging to be able to acknowledge my own shortcomings and be set on a path to replace my own idols with the grace and mercy of Jesus Christ. One of the most convicting chapters, especially for college students like myself, is his chapter titled "The Seduction of Success." In it he describes the deception of success in this particularly chaotic and backwards time. Keller uses the oft read yet rarely examined passage in 2 Kings 5:1-14. He looks at the successful life of Naaman, noting his backwards approach to God's sovereign blessing. It was eye-opening to witness the impact that success truly has upon a person's life and the blindness it inflicts. Especially in a society where students are pushed to the limit for the sake of a career or job security, Keller's chapter on success was a humbling, paradigm-shifting experience. After reading this chapter, I see our world and it's culture for what it is in opposition to the promises of God. Though I haven't read Keller's previous two books, if Counterfeit Gods is indicative of the insight he brings I'll be sure to pick them up sooner rather than later. This book was extremely helpful in identifying my own idols. Keller provides insight, biblical support, and solutions that are God-centered. This is a book for all Christians and non-Christians alike because we all struggle with idols that negatively affect our spiritual lives. I would specifically recommend this book to college students based on the content. Keller articulates his points in an intellectual manner which is appealing to Christians who think faith concepts are too watered-down in most books. If you're hoping to be challenged spiritually and intellectually, you've met your match in this book.

This was not an easy book to read....I got this book after reading the Reason for God and having serious doubts in my faith due to a string of really bad life experiences in the past 4 years: miscarriage, infidelity, divorce, depression, loss of multiple friendships, death of youngest sibling, the list goes on .... and I'm one of those people who did their best to please God and live a good Christian life style. Yet despite my efforts life just kept hitting me with some really hard punches. After reading the Reason for God last month I was at least convinced that God was real but I was still struggling to understand my life and what happened to me and WHY. I saw counterfeit gods and saved it in my to buy list on Amazon for many months. I was uncertain about reading it fearing it would just make me more angry with religion than I already was. So I took a risk and eventually downloaded it.... After the first chapter I wasn't sure I liked it... the examples given seemed to say that if you weren't fortunate enough to end up with good relationships it was somehow due to your lust and idolatry. The Leah Jacob Rachel marriage debacle didn't help because of the many hot messes in the bible that God allowed its a pretty big one. Its also probably one of the most misinterpreted bible stories used tell women to stay in unloving unfaithful marriages because God will bless them.... Or that ongoing debate of how not wanting to be single and wanting a stable marriage and a family makes you either ungrateful, desperate, or lacking in faith. Despite my opposition I kept reading....I'm glad I did....., the book got MUCH better the explanation of idols as not something we do wrong but actually the foundation of all sin and original sin was the catalyst for idolatry, the desire to live apart from God and manage our own lives as if we can control something..... The concept that in this broken world so many factors play into the lives we end up with and lack of FAITH has NOTHING to do with it was like taking a breath of fresh clean air. That one negative belief that has kept me in bondage for YEARS is that I can earn brownie points with God by being a good church going, tithe paying, Sunday school teaching, bible reading, Christian only music listening, modest dressing, polite, abstaining Christian woman. Finally a pastor was admitting that life isn't all about moral behavior and you can't earn your way into blessings or God's mercy and grace. Don't get me wrong I think moral behavior is important but it has to be for the right reasons , which is to glorify God, frankly most examples I had seen were based on getting human approval or people pleasing which is a form of idolatry. He discussed this in excellent detail. He went over every area of idolatry and male and female idolatry and really explored this basic sin. He even admitted to maintain his own idolatry and that its an ongoing process.... for the first time in years I didn't feel like a lonely loser Christian who somehow didn't have faith the right way to not have a crap life.... In the end I not only understood the idols in my life that I needed to work on but I had a renewed hope in God that despite I was 40 divorced single and childless I still have worth in Gods eyes. But God doesn't judge me and he loves me and sees how hard I try. I just have to work on letting God love me in the ways the humans in my life haven't and healing is waiting for me if I'm willing to let go of what the world/church says my life is supposed to look like... God Always will love me and Always has I just couldn't see it because I placed to much importance on my human relationships for happiness. Don't get me wrong I'm not going to become a hermit. I will however be thankful for the family and friends I have left, and focus on replacing my idols with the love God has always had for me. With each passing day being alone is not feeling so lonely. Thanks for this book. If anyone who reads this has experienced any life hardships or doubts or you are just feeling lost in life then read this book... its really surprisingly nothing like what I expected at all and I'm so thankful for that. Tip: Be sure to check the footnotes esp on kindle he gives a lot of information for further study to let go of idols and experience God love, as well as, he gives good points that can't fit in the book. He took one section about the slave girl when discussing power and pride idolatry and in the notes was very clear that taking abuse or neglect was not acceptable and that biblical times had certain standards. All I can say is if you are struggling in your relationships in life or your relationships with God read this book

Be ready to have your biblical thinking transformed and your pursuit of living pleasing to God radically altered after reading this paradigm shifting book. I have been a Christian for about fifteen years, and few other books have impacted me a greatly as this one. Keller expands the idea of idolatry to anything that someone strives for at all costs, that gives a sense of pleasure, significance, and security. And when a drive for these "idols of the heart" overrides one's drive to pursue, love, and worship God, then it is an idol. The transformation in my thinking came after reading the book and looking at my Christian life through this framework. What really are the idols in my life? I'm sure every reader will, like myself, admit that there are varying idols that we pander to every day, with the major categories being: pride, control, pleasure, possessions, popularity or approval. This book puts worshiping these "idols of the heart" in perspective. Keller does a masterful job in expanding and explaining this theme of "idols of the heart" by drawing from Christian sources (Bible, some biblical counseling), observations of our society, philosophical and historical writers, and pastoral experience. His outstanding ability to pull insights from these sources and present them in an engaging way will, I believe, continue to put Keller's books at the top of the list for explaining and promoting Christian belief and spiritual growth. The end of the book ends appropriately by answering the question that is on the mind of every reader: So how does someone truly worship the one true God in life? He answers by saying the truth that many Christians have heard before but need to hear again in regards to this pivotal question: "This takes what are called 'the spiritual disciplines,' such as private prayer, corporate worship, and meditation. The disciplines take cognitive knowledge and make it a life-shaping reality in our hearts and imaginations." (175). We truly worship God by infusing our lives with His Word which displays the wonder of His character, the Gospel message, tells us how to live pleasing to Him, and by drawing into His presence in prayer as we seek to live for Him in every moment of life. Truly I hope that Keller writes a book on these spiritual disciplines mentioned in his statement that will explain how to live for God in every moment of our lives in greater detail. Every book on Christian spirituality should move readers to render worship to the one true God in spirit and in truth, and this book accomplishes this with great insight and clarity. In the end this is a fantastic book that I highly encourage every Christian to read.

Tim Keller is one of those pastors/writers that has the unique ability to articulate central and crucial biblical themes in clear and practical terms. He has been a significant blessing in my life and ministry over the past several years. Until recently this impact was restricted to his online sermons and various journal articles. Now Keller is turning out books like Windows updates. And he is not loosing his ability to amplify substantial themes. In his latest book Counterfeit Gods Keller endeavors to identify, expose and answer some of the more `famous' idols in our culture. What is an idol? Keller writes, "It is anything more important to you than God, anything that absorbs you heart and imagination more than God, anything you seek to give you what only God can give." (p.xvii) Furthermore, Keller demonstrates that these idols are often misunderstood and unidentified in our lives: We think that idols are bad things, but that is almost never the case. The greater the good, the more likely we are to expect that it can satisfy our deepest needs and hopes. Anything can serve as a counterfeit god, especially the very best things in life. (p.xvii) Throughout the book Keller goes after the popular and pervasive idols in our lives (ie money, sex, power, success, etc). Many of these chapters hurt. They hurt in a good way. But that is not enough. Keller, ever the pastor, goes after the hidden idols in our lives. This is great. But still more, (thankfully), Keller provides the answer to the idols by showing the proper response to the only gift that truly satisfies the longings of the human soul. God provides Jesus Christ to be our chief joy and delight. It is Christ that is received with repentance and rejoicing. One thing that I really appreciate about this book is the way in which Keller puts the various idols in a historical narrative. This is really where Keller is at his best. He takes a familiar 'story' and shows how the individuals in the account where stealing glory from God by their idolatry. This shows not only the timeless nature of idolatry but also the timeless answer. Our transcendent longings are answered by a transcendent God. I highly recommend this book for Christians of all stages. It is book that is truly helpful. In true Keller style, he leads you through the narrative and teaches you before you even realize that you are being taught. You come out knowing yourself better, your Bible better, and treasuring Christ more.

After the critical acclaim of "The Reason for God", its follow up "The Prodigal God" and the hugely respected ministry of Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City, I reckon this book is a dead ringer to do well. Though in saying that I don't know about you but I've observed that even though Keller has a great reputation - some people are deterred from reading his second and third books - simply because they found his first book "Reason for God" rather intimidating and they assumed the second and third book would be similar. Can I say if that is you - then you can take some assurance from the fact that the latter books are a third of the size - a lot smaller in scope and written in bigger font (obviously printed as give away books). Now don't get me wrong I am not trying to bag out "Reason for God" (no way) - it will be held up as a Christian classic for years to come - I just think it meets a different need than his two latter books. Let me explain. "Reason for God" is really an apologia for the Christian faith - in it Keller collates stuff from a whole bunch of sources to make an intellectually compelling case for God - it is written for skeptics and the believers who love them - it is fairly comprehensive. In contrast "The Prodigal God" which is based on the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15 is pretty succinct. It encapsulates Keller's standard gospel presentation (also affectionately known as three ways to live) - it targets both the sensual younger brothers as well as the ethical but spiritually dead older brothers amongst us - pointing to the only means available to get right - from the Father by grace through faith in Jesus. "Counterfeit Gods" focuses on the concept that everyone has an idol - everyone worships something - if it's not God - it's a god of your own making. In recent years thanks to the recent economic crises the popular idols of money, sex and power have been "shored up" - as a consequence many have come unstuck and have lost a sense of meaning in their lives - simply because the rock upon which they build their lives has proved to be more akin to a beach ball. In Counterfeit Gods Keller explains how contrary to popular opinion - idolatry is not an archaic practice used exclusively by primitive cultures. We may mock ancient cultures for their overt worship of what we think are ridiculously silly gods or idols - but the reality is we are no better. Keller points out how brilliant the human heart is at churning out idols - he terms it an "idol factory". He explains that an idol is anything more important to you than God - anything that absorbs your heart and imagination more than God. If you lost it your life would feel hardly worth living. An idol has a controlling position in your heart such that you can spend most of your energies on it without even a second though. When you look at an idol this way you realise idols permeate our society - they are everywhere. Effectively an idol is a functional god. The inevitability of idolatry is disaster; "If we look to some created thing to give us the meaning, hope and happiness that only God himself can give, it will eventually fail to deliver and break our hearts." (P 3) Using the striking narrative of Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac - Keller comments how the rejection of idolatry is a deep vein that runs through the narrative of the Bible. "Isaac was a wonderful gift to Abraham, but he was not safe to have and hold until Abraham was willing to put God first. As long as Abraham never had to choose between his son and obedience to God, he could not see that his love was becoming idolatrous. In a similar way we may not realise how idolatrous our career has become to us, until we are faced with a situation in which telling the truth or acting with integrity would mean a serious blow to our professional advancement." (P 14) Wonderfully, as Keller exposits, this narrative is not simply the experience of one man. This man was Abraham who is looked upon as the father of world religion (Judaism, Christianity, Islam). In some ways this is a model of how things are to be and at the same time a fore shadow of a greater truth. Uncomfortable as it may be just like Abraham everyone of us has to make that walk up the hill, and sacrifice those idols that are separating us from God - yet as we see in the account of Abraham - only when such idols are sacrificed are we actually able to get right with God - the upshot here was that once this happened with Abraham God graciously provided the necessary sacrifice to put things right between the former idolater and God. And of course this is clearly foreshadowing Jesus the Christ - and the necessary repentance and belief that is the open palm required from us to receive the undeserved gift that he is to us from God. Which brings Keller to the punch line; "As many have learned and later taught, you don't realise Jesus is all you need until Jesus is all you have." (P19) So once the general concept of idolatry is laid out Keller moves on to apply the blow torch to three particularly popular modern outputs from the idolatry factory of recent years, namely sex - money and power. Quite appropriately at this point he moves on to encourage us to apply a blow torch to our own lives - as he entitles the chapter - The Hidden Idols in our own lives. "Why did our culture largely abandon God as its Hope? I believe it was because our religious communities have been and continue to be filled with these false gods. Making an idol out of doctrinal accuracy, ministry success, or moral rectitude leads to constant internal conflict, arrogance and self righteousness, and oppression of those whose views differ. These toxic effects of religious idolatry have led to widespread disaffection with religion in general and Christianity in particular. Thinking we have tried God, we have turned to other Hopes, with devastating consequences." (P 132) He rounds out the short book by pointing to the only way to bring an end to the counterfeit gods in our own lives -he does this by looking at what the scriptures are telling us of ourselves through Jacob and the blessing he demanded as he wrestled with God; I really liked it at the end of the book that there was an epilogue on finding and replacing your idols. It was really encouraging as it showed in my humble opinion that this was not just pie in the sky stuff - it was eminently practical. Okay so that's pretty much it. All in all - a pretty decent book. I have to confess at this point that I had really - really high expectations when this book arrived in the mail. I find Keller's sermons hugely edifying and helpful - and I love his ministry - But I must say I was a little disappointed - because even though the book was fairly short and sweet - and written in big font - I found myself thinking that with the diction and the sheer volume of references to "big noters" in the intellectual world it could possibly be accused of putting itself on the top shelf - and out of reach of many to whom it ought to be targeted. His logic is brilliant but without detracting from that my longing it that Keller will write a book targeted more at the masses than to the intellectuals. Although on second thoughts - perhaps that's not very fair - because it is probably written primarily with your average New Yorker in mind - in which case it is probably better pitched than I give it credit for. Although on third thoughts - I do sometimes think the same of the writings of C.S. Lewis as well (...yes I know dangerous territory here...don't bag out the great man) - and I know he is a huge influence on Keller - (that comes through in his writing style in this book) - but typically the only guys I ever hear rave about Lewis are guys who have been Christian's a long time...(which incidentally probably explains why "The Prodigal God" was such a hit). On fourth thoughts - blast it - just buy the book for yourself and make up your own mind.

Timothy Keller delivers another solid step for one's growth in Christ in Counterfeit Gods! I initially bought this book because I was mostly curious about "what else could possibly be said" about the triumvirate sins of money, sex & power. (Yes, I am a professing Christian and I was still somewhat a skeptic to the book. Just being honest.) There has been a lot of christian literature on the subject(s) and I truthfully felt like this text wasn't really going to say anything new or earth-shattering... Well, I was wrong. Keller digs into the issues of idolatry with the precision of a surgeon with a scalpel. He is not there to bludgeon the skeptic, the seeker of the believer with "fire & brimstone" writing; however, Keller in no way skirts the truth and reality. Humans were made for worship; the only question is what do we worship-as a nation, as a culture, as an individual, etc. Counterfeit Gods does a wonderful job of setting the premise of human worship and does certainly take a candid but unique approach to the diagnosis of idolatry. He rarely if ever goes for the low-hanging fruit of the obvious. Oh you steal? You idolize money.. Nope. Sorry, not going to get off that easy with this text. He goes for "deep idols" as he calls them; the ones lurking beneath that one either doesn't recognize and/or has justified away. But here is where Keller sets himself apart from the other books on idolatry that I have read. He goes in-depth on the hot-topics of political ideologies, patriotism & imperialism, capitalism & socialism, etc. Where other books can subtly give certain political stances a "pass from God" Keller makes one really examine how even these are idols and need to be reckoned with! I appreciate this and respect this. It made me examine what is preeminent in my own life-my faith or my national/political affiliations. Tough chapters to chew through but the aim is true: Keller wants you to examine yourself against Scripture and acknowledge where one really stands... Overall, Keller's work does offer solutions throughout, so do not be left with the impression that this book is all problem and no answer(s). I'd highly recommend!

Such a great read, I recommend for those of you who feel as though your gaze has been on something other than God to read this. It has really good points and ways to overcome it (and directs you to God as well as the Bible)

"Every human being must live for something. Something must capture our hearts, minds, and imagination" What are you living for? Your family? Your career? Your things? In Timothy Keller's book, Counterfeit Gods, he teaches what happens when you take things that are in and of themselves good and turn them into ultimate things. Keller lists a series of questions that help us to identify the idols in our lives: "What, if we lost it all, would make life not worth living? What makes us uncontrollably angry, anxious, or despondent? What racks us with guilt that we cannot shake? What do we fear the most? What do we daydream about? What are our fondest dreams?" This book was a big eye opener for me. I had no idea how many "things" I turn to in order to try to fulfill the never ending desire within me for something more. If I could just get this new iPad or iPhone, or other gadget, gizmo, thing, etc, then I would finally feel like I had everything I needed. If I could just be a good husband to my wife and a good father to my child, then I wouldn't want for anything else. What I failed to realize, however, was what would happen if any of those things were suddenly taken away. What happens when the gadgets are broken and/or stolen? What happens when my wife and child don't live up to the extremely high expectations I build up for them in my head? What happens if, God forbid, my family is taken from me suddenly? Obviously some idols will have a larger hold on us than others. If my gadgets are taken from me, I'll be angry, anxious, and possibly a bit despondent, but if my family is taken from me, life would definitely not seem worth living anymore. So how do we fix this? Keller states: "Idols cannot simply be removed. They must be replaced. If you only try to uproot them, they grow back; but they can be supplanted. By what? By God himself, of course. But by God we do not mean a general belief in his existence. Most people have that, yet their souls are riddled with idols. What we need is a living encounter with God." Sometimes having your heart torn open is painful, but it's only through this type of deep introspection that we are shown where things/others have become our God. I highly recommend this book to all Christians who not only recognize the never ending need for more, but long to find a way to quench that thirst. "But how much more can we look at his sacrifice on the Cross and say to God 'Now, we know that you love us. For you did not withhold your son, your only son, whom you love, from us.' When the magnitude of what he did dawns on us, it makes it possible finally to rest our hearts in him rather than in anything else." May God grant me eyes with which to see the cross in this way and turn from my idols to the one who is truly worthy of my focus and adoration. Amen.