Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters by Timothy J. Keller

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

• 
  Rachel

  Hard hitting, and grace-filled, this book was a perfect book to set the tone for 2017!
  
  Here are a few of the gems I found:
  “An idol is something that we look to for things that only God can give. 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. To practice idolatry is to be a slave.” 

  
  “God saw Abraham’s sacrifice and said, “Now I know that you love me, because you did not withhold your only son from me.” 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.”
  
  “If you marry someone expecting them to be like a god, it is only inevitable that they will disappoint you. It's not that you should try to love your spouse less, but rather that you should know and love God more.”
  
  “Fear-based repentance makes us hate ourselves. Joy-based repentance makes us hate the sin.”
  
  “Idolatry functions widely inside religious communities when doctrinal truth is elevated to the position of a false god. This occurs when people rely on the rightness of their doctrine for their standing with God rather than on God himself and his grace. It is a subtle but deadly mistake… 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.” 

• 
  Larissa

  Quando o Tim Keller escreveu algo ruim? O livro é MUITO BOM, como os outros dele. Esse é cortante, profundo, às vezes dolorido, mas também reconfortante.
• 
  Gene Helsel

  Tim Keller does an excellent job of exposing the idols of money, sex and power and the many various forms that they take today. The first chapter alone is worth twice what I paid for the book. Keller is an able expositor and pastoral "applier" of God's Word.
  
  For the majority of this book Keller is very careful to draw his insights and applications directly *out of* the biblical narratives (exegesis.) But a few times he falls prey to the preacher's ever-present temptation of "eisegesis" (reading *into* the text.) A couple of examples will suffice:
  
  - According to Keller, Jacob was an ancient-day "sex-addict" and infatuated with Rachel for almost entirely unbiblical reasons.
  
  - According to Keller, one of the reasons that Jonah didn't want to go to Nineveh was that he was afraid of ministerial failure.
  
  Unfortunately, Keller's take on Jacob significantly mars the typeoloy of Jacob as a Christ-figure and the intensity of his love for his bride (the Church.) And although "fear of ministerial failure" is indeed an idol to be reckoned with, the Bible clearly teaches that Jonah's greatest fear was "ministerial success" in Nineveh.
  
  On the whole I heartily agree with Keller's pastoral conclusions and applications, even when I don't agree with how he arrived at them.
  
  Conclusio: Buy this book. Read it. Forsake the idols it reveals and cling to Jesus as the only one worthy of your adoration and trust.
  
  
  
• 
  Jeffrey Thomas

  This has to be my favorite Timothy Keller book that I've read to date, and easily one of my all time favorites! The ways in which he unpacks numerous of the idols and counterfeit gods that rule our lives through the use of real life stories as well as examples in Scripture reveals the real heart of the issue with each of those. The end of each chapter also does an awesome job of relating each of those idols to Jesus, showing how He is always the thing we need in those unique spaces in our hearts. The idols cannot simply be removed, they must be replaced and only Jesus truly fulfills.
• 
  Caleb Batchelor

  I was undone and built back up through this book.
• 
  Luke

  Keller speaks on idolatry, and the power that this sin commands in a world obsessed with materialism, selfish gain, celebrity and greed. Essentially, idolatry is at the root of all sin, as we choose to worship something more than God - to put something ahead of God. Keller makes his point (idolatry sux if you call yourself a christian!) and takes the next 2/3rds of the book outlining different types of idolatry with a few anecdotes segmented throughout. But then things get good towards the end. Keller starts talking about sin as a concept, how to notice you are idolatrous, then how to deal with it.
  
  I read on through quick pages of mediocrity to land on some great ideas and thoughts about resisting sin (replace it with God). I learned that the will is weak, yet God makes all things possible, and by seeking Him the temptation is gone. Powerful technique which is so damn true in my life right now. I wish I knew this months ago when I struggled with bouts of guilt and desperation as I tried to will myself through temptation. Replace it with God. Praise be to Him.
  
  -"become increasingly enslaved and addicted to it...we must have it, and therefore it drives us to break rules we once honoured, to harm others and even ourselves in order to get it." Intro
  -"you don't realise Jesus is all you need until is all you have." p19
  -"making an idol out of work may mean that you work until you ruin your health." p23
  -"the family has become the nursery where the craving for success is first cultivated." p79
  -"she suffered and forgave not knowing how much God would use her sacrifice." p91
  -"when we believe in what he accomplished for us with our minds, and when we are moved by what he did for us in our hearts." p94
  -"rather than accept our finitude and dependence on God, we desperately seek ways to assure ourselves that we still have power over our own lives." p101
  -"the reason he wanted to be in christian ministry was not because he was attracted to serving God and others, but to the power if knowing he was right, that he had the truth." p112
  -"if you had been born in a yurt in outer Mongolia, instead of where you were, it wouldn't have mattered how hard you worked or used your talents - you would have ended up poor and powerless." p116
  -"what do you have which you did not receive?" p117
  -"our cultural idols are... breakdown of the family, rampant materialism, careerism, and the idolization of romantic love, physical beauty and profit." p130
  - mentions the spiritual 'fruit' - love, joy, patience, humility, courage, gentleness
  -"because we have lived virtuous lives we feel that God (and the people we meet) owe us respect and support" p132
  -"storms here on earth can take away many things, even my physical life, but not my Life" p152
  -"idols cannot simply be removed. They must be replaced." p155 "what we need is a living encounter with God"
  -"every human being, then, needs blessing. We all need assurance if our unique value from some outside source. The love and admiration of those you most love and admire is above all rewards. We are all looking for this deep admiration, looking for it from our parents, our spouse and our peers." p158
  -"the general answer is "because we are weak and sinful", but the specific answer in any actual circumstance is that there is something you feel you 'must' have to be happy, something that is more important to your heart than God himself." p166
  -"your religion is what you do with your solitude (archbishop William Temple) - in other words, the true god of your heart is what your thoughts effortlessly go to when there is nothing else demanding your attention." p168
  -"it entails joyful worship, a sense of God's reality in prayer. Jesus must become more beautiful to your imagination, more attractive to your heart, than your idol." p172 "rejoicing and repentance must go together."
  -"but when we rejoice over God's sacrificial, suffering love for us - seeing what it cost him to save us from sin - we learn to hate the sin for what it is. We see what the sin cost God... Fear-based repentance makes us hate ourselves. Joy-based repentance makes us hate the sin." p172
  -"rejoicing is a way or praising God until the heart is sweetened and rested, and until it relaxes its grip on anything else it thinks that it needs." p173
  -"it is worship that is the final way to replace the idols of your heart - private prayer, corporate worship, and meditation." p175
• 
  Maggie

  Counterfeit Gods is my introduction to Timothy Keller, guess I'm late to the game, but based on what I read, I plan on reading more of his works. This is an excellent book, one of the most convicting I've read in a while, with a much needed message for our modern culture and society. When many of us think of the word "idol", we either think of teen pop stars or people worshipping before a golden calf and other statues. However, Keller shows the reader what false gods look like in this day and age, the subtle ways they present themselves, and the ways they can take over our lives and become destructive forces. Keller skillfully explains what these idols are, through the well known stories of Abraham and Isaac and Jonah and less familiar stories of Leah, Naaman, and Nebuchadnezzar. It seems like we don't often associate these stories with being about idol worship, so some readers might be concerned with whether or not the author is reading too much into the text. I felt that it was a refreshing look, and liked how it connected these stories to readers' lives. Many of us pay lip service and say that we follow Christ and worship God, but often in our day to day lives, our hearts are divided. But then, when our hopes and dreams, our world comes crashing down before us, the idols in our lives are revealed to us- whether it be falsely believing that true love will satisfy all our needs in life, thinking that the accumulation of money will definitely provide security, or finding our identity solely through our status or accomplishments. When things don't work out, the disappointment can be brutal and incredibly difficult to overcome. This is what happens when we put all our hopes into counterfeit gods. Keller exhorts his readers that we must be relentless in rooting out the idols in our lives, look deep into ourselves to find the reasons why we are so enamored with them, and replace them with true, biblical, and spiritual worship and cling to the one hope worth having, our faith in the work of Jesus Christ. This book is not completely perfect, the majority of it focuses on identifying idols, so much so that the last chapter on replacing idols can seem like an afterthought, but I would still highly recommend it to others.
• 
  John Gardner

  As with Keller’s previous two books, this one is very good. In fact, it may be his best yet, which is high praise from a big-time Keller fan like me!
  
  In “Counterfeit Gods”, Keller delivers a timely message regarding idolatry in our culture, and in our own lives. He very quickly dispels the common image of an idol as a carved statue that is literally worshiped (though this does still happen and he does address it). Instead, he writes that most idols are, in fact, good things, such as spouses and children. The problem comes when we take a “good thing” and elevate it to an “ultimate thing”, giving it a higher place in our lives than God.
  
  Keller devotes a chapter each to different categories of personal idols (Love/Sex, Money/Greed, Success, and Power/Control) and their modern manifestations. Next he explores “the hidden idols in our lives”. These are the idols of our culture and society (profit, politics, religion, etc). Finally, he digs even deeper to expose what he calls “deep idols”, which are the underlying motivations that drive our “surface idols”, and which are harder to uncover. For instance, a woman with a “deep idol” of approval may eliminate the “surface idol” of a succession of abusive relationships, only to seek approval through the clothes she wears. Rather than simply removing idols, then, we must replace them by giving God the glory He is due, making Him our highest object of praise and acknowledging Him as the fulfillment of every longing.
  
  Keller’s points are illustrated through the Biblical examples of Jonah, Nebuchadnezzer, Jacob, and several others. Because he is a master story-teller, Keller is able to write an engaging and convicting book that allows us to see these idols from an external perspective while simultaneously keeping our focus on the idols in our own lives.
• 
  Anna Elizabeth

  Good book. Read in a day. Really like Tim Keller's writing style. He makes a lot of sense but isn't annoying about it. Must not forget what I have learnt from this book. Serious stuff.
• 
  JP

  Sendo uma das obras que mais ouvir falar do autor, achei que "Deuses falsos" não me surpreenderia. Me enganei. Fui bastante impactado por essa obra. Keller consegue ser profundo sem muita enrolação. É um livro direto ao assunto. Não "enche linguiça".
  
  O caminho do livro segue a linha de que os ídolos são coisas boas e necessárias que nós transformamos em deuses. É importante prestar atenção nisso, pois, sobre essa visão, conseguimos ter uma perspectiva ampliada ao lermos as histórias de alguns personagens conhecidos da Escritura que o autor cita. Também é interessante como Keller consegue dar uma ótima visão da cultura idólatra de nossos dias ao citar notícias comuns, entrevistas e falas de artistas de sucesso, e usar desse material para trazer luz ao problema. Essas citações caem como luva nos temas de cada capítulo. Dentre os que mais me chamaram atenção, destaco os capítulos: Cap.2 sobre a "idolatria do compromisso" (ou da falta dele), Cap.4 sobre a idolatria da fama e sucesso, e o Cap.5 sobre "Poder e glória" onde fala sobre a idolatria política.
  
  Quem já leu algum livro de Tim Keller sabe que ele não é tão elogiado atoa. Sem dúvida, essa obra confirma isso. "Deuses falsos" é um livro bastante atual, bastante confrontador e muito necessário.
• 
  Amy Johnson

  The conclusion of every chapter is that idols can't just be destroyed, they have to be replaced. If I can't find an overruling love for God, then when trying to rid myself of the love of money and the security, comforts and pleasure it buys, I will just replace it with something else (in my case probably success, power or control).
  
  Keller's final chapter states that this love of God can be developed through spiritual disciplines: individual reading and meditation on Scripture, prayer and corporate worship. I don't think I'm fully convinced that is enough but I'm willing to give it a go.
  
  For what it's worth, while reading the book I did set up some more ongoing donations to charities I like. But I think that might just be a behavioural change rather than a heart change, which I don't think was Keller's goal. I also ironically started reading this book instead of the Bible as I got towards the end. Definitely not his goal.
• 
  Disharee Gangulee

  Reading this and live no lies by John mark comer feels like the Lords kindness in my life. Tim Keller weaves together the problem of idolatry and the grace of God through scripture and our lives. So so good. Favorite chapter was on the idol of power and the example of Jonah.
• 
  John Deissler

  This was an okay read. Taking Keller's theology with a grain of salt these days, but still a good book overall
• 
  Borbála

  Truly eye-opening. Definitely worth reading.
• 
  Josh Miller

  After reading this book written by Timothy Keller, it is a no-brainer - I will try and read anything by him that I can get my hands on! Talk about an intriguing read!
  
  Keller challenges the gods of our current society (and nearly every society) in a masterful way. There are very few intellectuals that are enjoyable to read. However, Keller is one of those. This would make an outstanding "book club" read or a good Bible study by a Sunday School.
  
  Although I underlined, starred, and marked many sections throughout the book, the two chapters on Money & Success delved into areas I have not studied in depth concerning idolatry. For instance, Keller writes in the chapter, "Money Changes Everything," the following:
  
  "Jesus warns people far more often about greed than about sex, yet almost no one thinks they are guilty of it."
  
  The chapter entitled "Seduction of Success" grabbed a hold of my attention more than any other in the book. It also convicted the fire out of me! You see, I surrendered to preach at a conference where the seduction of "ministry success" ran at an all time high. And was I ever infected with it! For years, I heard moaning and groaning from ministry leaders that our particular brand of fundamentalism was losing its top spots in the nation (by top spots, I mean largest churches. There were churches actually named and in what state our kind of churches at one time were the biggest, most growing, dynamic churches in the country). Conferences were held and the "success syndrome" was lifted up high for pastors and pastors in training to shoot for. To be honest, I was completely taken in by it all. After graduating from Bible college, I pastored for nine years in upstate New York. And although God blessed the work there, I was constantly aiming to be the biggest, Bible-believing church in our area. I was full of pride and God hates pride. As I read this book, I realized that I had made an idol out of "ministry success."
  
  Keller in the chapter on "The Seduction of Success" said the following:
  
  "The main sign that we are into success idolatry, however, is that we find we cannot maintain our self-confidence in life unless we remain at the top of our chosen field."
  
  One of the main features in the book is that Keller not only exposes the idols we worship today, he shows in the Bible a story/character that depicts the truth he is sharing.
  
  The last chapter, Hidden Idols in our Lives, convinced me that so many of us (for sure me) have idols in our lives that we do not even realize. After reading the following quote, I realized that many leaders in our ranks of "Bible-believers" also have these hidden idols in their lives:
  
  "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."
  
  Wow! Did that every convict me!
  
  Suffice it to say, I recommend this book to every Christian. You will only be blessed, challenged, convicted, and strengthened in your resolve to live a life devoid of the many idols that attempt to take ground in our hearts.
• 
  Sharon

  I often hear Christians comparing Keller to C.S. Lewis in his ability to distill complex theological ideas into manageable, everyday language. While I know that there is a need for this level of discourse for large swathes of people, religious and non-religious alike, and appreciate that Keller's books often serve as an entrypoint for further exploration, it was this very "toning down" that I found frustrating about Counterfeit Gods (and tend to find frustrating in general with Keller's books, particularly these shorter, topical, pamphlet-type publications). There was a clear formula for each chapter -- an anecdote about an individual illustrating the "counterfeit god" at play, some general thoughts regarding the idol and society, and then minor exegesis of a Biblical character's story to provide an antidote or alternative. It was, however, never really clear how the changes he was advocating for on the individual level would or could effectively address a larger social problem, and the overly formulaic use of the Biblical illustrations (something Lewis certainly would never have tolerated in his own writing) made the illustrations themselves feel defanged/tired and the writing naive. Where I really wanted Keller to delve deeper was in his cultural analysis/critique. He often made quite incisive observations regarding the problems of post-economic-downturn America (particularly re. the problems of capitalism), but would then quickly turn his focus elsewhere.
  
  Perhaps it is uncharitable of me to quibble with the book Keller did write (focused mostly on individual change with occasional gestures to larger issues) because I'd rather read the one he didn't (a more academic account of larger social structures and cultural trends that would allow for the full breadth of the intellect you sense lurking behind the everyday-ness of his prose and presentation here). But Keller himself points out (in what was, to me, the most insightful and applicable observation of the book) that for Christians the project of cultural critique is also necessarily one of idol critique and thus valuable (an argument for the study of humanities if I ever heard one!), and I can't help wishing he approached his own text from more of a cultural critique standpoint. In all, this book felt like milk, and I wanted meat.
• 
  Steve Hemmeke

  Good book. Here are some highlights:
  
  An idol of politics
  "One of the signs that an object is functioning as an idol is that fear becomes one of the chief characteristics of life" (98).
  
  Keller goes on to show how fear leads to reviling and demonizing political opponents, making a toxic instead of healthy atmosphere for political discourse. This comes from making politics an idol, for fear that we will lose political stability if our politicians and policies don't SAVE us. We can SAY politics isn't an idol for us all we want, but as long as we are driven by fear to read all those weekly newsletters, it's taken too high a place in our lives.
  
  
  An idol of religion
  "Making an idol out of doctrinal accuracy, ministry success, or moral rectitude leads to contant internal conflict, arrogance and self-righteousness, and oppression of those whose views differ" (p 132).
  
  Some think they are not godly unless they are in conflict with someone in the church all the time. After all, we're supposed to "fight the good fight," right? Yes, but not carnally. Peace is a fruit of the Holy Spirit, both in your heart and in the body of Christ. If church conflict is normal part of its life, there is an idol lurking about. Turn your warring tendencies against THAT. Seek and destroy it.
• 
  Hope

  2020 review: I enjoyed this just as much the second time around. These are truths that I need to be reminded of. "Idols cannot simply be removed. They must be replaced.... Jesus must become more beautiful to you than your idol."
  
  2016 review: Counterfeit Gods by Pastor Timothy Keller is a bracing and articulate look at how easily the human heart worships the wrong things. In fact, he calls the heart a mass producing "idol factory." According to Keller, anything can serve as a counterfeit god, especially the very best things in life (job, family, etc.) His definition of an idol is when a "good thing becomes a supreme thing."
  
  One of his best examples is human love. Since God has been removed from our culture, the highest good is now "apocalyptic romance." We look to sex and romance to give us the transcendence and sense of meaning we used to get from our faith in God. (p. 28)
  
  These counterfeit gods cannot be simply removed. They must be replaced by the Lord himself.
  
  A great little book with much food for thought.
• 
  Justin Lonas

  Short, to the point, and kindly ruthless.
  
  I was put off at first by Keller's somewhat pedantic style (he typically writes for a broad audience, especially for non Christians, so his rehashing of basics can seem insulting to some), but after finishing the whole book, it seems like a good fit. He pares away rhetorical flourishes, side-notes, allusions, and deeper discussion to cut the chase, a bruising theological argument that all sin begins as idolatry.
  
  Keller doesn't sugar-coat the accusation that all people are idolators in any way; he doesn't leave any wiggle room to feel good about yourself. He methodically points readers to Christ over and over again, showing that it is only when He becomes our life and sole source of fulfillment that we can break free from the passions that enslave us.
  
  This is one of those books that can be read in a day, but takes weeks to chew on before the lessons are digested.
• 
  Isaac Arnold

  Grateful for you, Mr. Keller.
  
  "Rejoicing and repentance must go together. Repentance without rejoicing will lead to despair. Rejoicing without repentance is shallow and will only provide passing inspiration instead of deep change. Indeed, it is when we rejoice over Jesus’s sacrificial love for us most fully that, paradoxically, we are most truly convicted of our sin. When we repent out of fear of consequences, we are not really sorry for the sin, but for ourselves.
  
  When we rejoice over God‘s sacrificial, suffering, and love for us – see what it cost him to save us from sin – we learn to hate the sin for what it is. We see what sin costs God. What most assures us of God‘s unconditional love, Jesus’s costly death is what most convicts us of the evil of sin. Fear–based repentance makes us hate ourselves. Joy–based repentance makes us hate the sin." (Keller, 172)
  
• 
  Logan

  I had a hard time reading this book.
  
  It's not that it was written in an odd manner; I actually appreciated it's down-to-earth tone and brevity. It's not that Tim Keller was incorrect on his assertions; he was actually very Biblical.
  
  Rather, I had a hard time reading this book because it made me aware of the idols I had in my own life. Counterfeit Gods is a book that gets you, the reader, to better understand how idols work and creep in to our lives. Keller walks through different Old Testament characters to show us the effects of idols in our lives. While it's quite dour at times, Keller always connects it back to what happens when we remove idols and embrace Christ.
  
  Regardless of what you may think of Tim Keller in 2021, I have to say that this book is a great read and an even better catalyst towards sanctification. Highly recommend.
• 
  Kalman Buterbaugh

  I feel like reading this book gave me a whole new insight into understanding humanity and the world we live in-- it does a great job exploring and exposing the idolatry that is so rooted in us both as individuals and cultures, as well as revealing the emptiness of our pursuit of those idols and showing how only God can satisfy. My only complaint is that I think Keller gets a little loose with his scriptural interpretations in places. Not that I don't agree with his overall points, but I think he reads some things into the Scripture that may or may not actually be there.
• 
  Annie Harper

  A confronting (but absolutely essential) read about the hidden idols which occupy our hearts!! 🙌🏼
  
  “When idolatry is mapped onto the future - when our idols are threatened - it leads to paralysing fear and anxiety. When it is mapped onto the past - when we fail our idols - it leads to irremediable guilt. When idolatry is mapped onto the present life - when our idols are blocked or removed by circumstances - it roils us with anger and despair.”
• 
  Troy Nevitt

  This was an easy read. Short. Helpful.
  I feel I should leave the review short to prove that.
  
  Keller focuses on idolatry we know easily invades our lives, and how they do not truly satisfy the longings people have like Christ does. He's right. This book is helpful as a reminder of the deception that is promised through sex, money, and power.
• 
  Danny Joseph

  Classic Keller.
  
  Keller does a really good job pointing out how the things that drive us are functionally our Gods. And with that, much of our interpersonal problems actually stem from putting things that are not ultimate into ultimate spaces. It's a great concept, especially in a secular space with people who think that they have in some sense transcended God.
  
  And Keller does a good job also showing how Jesus fulfills and enters into those things that drive us. Very solid book, especially if you want something on a very popular level and haven't before heard disordered loves described as idolatry.
• 
  Samuel Lemmons

  In Counterfeit Gods, Keller does an excellent job of highlighting the insidious influence idolatry has on our lives and everything around us. There are some less than convincing stories and arguments he uses at times, but his thesis is impeccable and is equally applicable for new Christians and life-long ones alike.
  
  We used this as the primary source for our month-long Men’s Sunday School class; it was thought-provoking and started many good conversations for our group.
  
  I will likely revisit this book a few more times just as a constant reminder of the dangers of idolatry.
• 
  Katie Eubanks

  4.7 stars if I could give partial stars! this book is filled with truth that revealed to me many idols in my heart that i wasn’t even aware of and helped me understand how to detect these idols when they come about and how to replace them with fulfillment in Jesus and delight in Him. Some of the stories I had to read slow to fully understand making it slower for me to get through but definitely worth the read!
• 
  Letícia

  "Temos aqui a resposta prática a nossas idolatrias pessoais, aos 'Isaques' de nossa vida, em que tê-los e apegar-se a eles não oferece segurança espiritual alguma. Precisamos imolá-los. Precisamos descobrir um modo de não os agarrar demais nem sermos escravizados por eles.
  (...)
  Deus viu o sacrifício de Abraão e disse: 'Agora sei que me amas, pois não me negaste teu único filho'. Mas até que ponto conseguimos olhar para o sacrifício divino na cruz e dizer a Deus: 'Agora nós sabemos que nos amas. Pois não nos negaste teu filho, teu único filho, a quem amas'. Quando a importância do que ele fez começa a ficar clara para nós, torna-se possível, enfim, descansar o coração nele e não em alguma outra coisa".