cover of episode The Sickness Unto Death
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Timothy Keller
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在支离破碎的文化中，人们需要主动构建自己的身份认同，这与传统文化中预先确定的身份认同形成鲜明对比。在现代社会，人们通过设定目标、制定标准并努力实现这些目标来获得身份认同和自我价值感。然而，耶利米书指出，这种身份认同的构建方式存在着深刻的紊乱和病态。人们试图通过外界的赞扬和认可来获得内心的满足感，但这种满足感是短暂和不稳定的，因为表演永无止境，判决也永无止境。 耶利米书9:23-24节指出，人们不应以智慧、力量或财富为傲，而应以认识和了解上帝为傲。真正的身份认同并非建立在个人的成就或财产之上，而是建立在对上帝的认识和了解之上。上帝可以赋予人们充满自信和满足感的新身份认同，但这与个人的表现无关。保罗的书信阐述了这一观点，他强调自己不关心别人的评价，也不关心自己的评价，他只关心上帝对他的评价。 治愈后的身份认同是建立在对上帝的认识和了解之上的，是上帝的赞扬和认可，而不是外界的赞扬或自我赞扬。上帝的爱是无条件的和永恒的，即使我们无法达到上帝的标准，上帝依然给予我们无条件的爱和接纳。在基督的十字架上夸耀是获得全新自我形象的关键，因为耶稣在十字架上承受了我们应得的审判，使我们能够获得他应得的赞扬和认可。越夸耀上帝为我们所做的一切，就越能认识到自身的价值。确信上帝的赞扬和认可，就能摆脱对自我评价的依赖，获得真正的自由，不受批评的影响，并从中学习和成长。基督教信仰是一种全新的自我存在方式，它超越了简单的教义和规则，带来新的身份认同，使人获得真正的内心平静和自由。

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In a fragmented culture, identity formation is a challenge as individuals must decide their own goals and standards, and derive their sense of worth from achieving them. Jeremiah shows that this process is inherently disordered and sick, contrasting with traditional cultures where identities are assigned.

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In a fragmented culture like ours, identity formation is a challenge. We decide our own goals and standards, and we get our sense of worth from whether we can achieve them.

Jeremiah shows us that there’s something profoundly disordered and sick about the way in which we form our identities. In a traditional culture, where identities and roles are assigned, it might be hard to recognize this. But in our culture, where we’re actively aware of identity formation, we can better see what Jeremiah means.

Jeremiah shows us 1) how identities are formed, 2) why our identities are sick, 3) a glimpse of a cured identity, and 4) the medicine that can cure it.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 14, 2003. Series: The Necessity of Belief. Scripture: Jeremiah 9:21-26.

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