--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: in any other way because it is the…" description: "\"“in any other way because it is the ultimate drama, the most moving ending possible. Lifting up the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ is the ultimate..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/timothy-keller-240_atonement_in-any-other-way-because-it-is-the-ultim_1877941.jpg" --- # in any other way because it is the ultimate drama, the… ![“in any other way because it is the ultimate drama, the most moving ending possible. Lifting up the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ is the ultimate way to appeal to any culture, to attract them to him. The various ways of speaking about the atonement furnish us with wonderfully fitting ways of…” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/timothy-keller-240_atonement_in-any-other-way-because-it-is-the-ultim_1877941.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/timothy-keller-240_atonement_in-any-other-way-because-it-is-the-ultim_1877941.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/timothy-keller-240_atonement_in-any-other-way-because-it-is-the-ultim_1877941.jpg) > ““in any other way because it is the ultimate drama, the most moving ending possible. Lifting up the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ is the ultimate way to appeal to any culture, to attract them to him. The various ways of speaking about the atonement furnish us with wonderfully fitting ways of showing each culture how this atoning”” [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Argues that the Christian atonement is a universal story that can be presented in culturally relevant ways. **In simple terms:** Christ’s sacrifice is a universal narrative adaptable to cultures. Key Takeaway Present the atonement in culturally resonant language. Themes faith culture mission Mood reflective missionary Type theological practical When to use this quote - church planting - cross‑cultural ministry - media outreach Key Concepts theology inculturation Questions to Reflect On - How can we stay faithful while being culturally sensitive? - What are the risks of over‑contextualizing? A Different Perspective Cultural adaptation may dilute core doctrines. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atonement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atonement/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Sacrifice Christ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice-christ-503280/) [Speaking Atonement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speaking-atonement-2633963/) [Substitutionary Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/substitutionary-sacrifice-1094694/) ## Related quotes > [The heart of the gospel is redemption, and the essence of redemption is the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/the-heart-of-the-gospel-is-redemption-and-the-essence-of-redemption/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [“In one word, the great pillar of the Christian's hope is substitution. The vicarious sacrifice of Christ for the guilty, Christ being made sin…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/in-one-word-the-great-pillar-of-the-christian-s-hope-is-substitution/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [“All real, life-changing love is costly, substitutionary sacrifice”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/all-real-life-changing-love-is-costly-substitutionary-sacrifice/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [I do not appeal to you to screw up your courage and sacrifice for Christ. I appeal to you to renounce all you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/i-do-not-appeal-to-you-to-screw-up-your-courage-and-sacrifice-for/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [What I realized was that CrossFit wasn't what defined me as a human being, it was the sacrifice that Christ made for me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-froning-jr/what-i-realized-was-that-crossfit-wasn-t-what-defined-me-as-a-human/) [Rich Froning Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-froning-jr/) > [ \[It is appropriate that the Body and Blood of Christ be truly present in this Sacrament\] because of the perfection of the New Covenant.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/it-is-appropriate-that-the-body-and-blood-of-christ-be-truly-present/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) > [“Some priests unfaithful to the "memory" of Jesus insist more on the festive aspect and the fraternal dimension of the Mass than on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sarah/some-priests-unfaithful-to-the-memory-of-jesus-insist-more-on-the/) [Robert Sarah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sarah/) > [God's grace and forgiveness, while free to the recipient, are always costly for the giver. From the earliest parts of the Bible, it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-grace-and-forgiveness-while-free-to-the-recipient-are-always/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you feel guilty or quietly ashamed, seek the power of the Atonement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-f-marriott/if-you-feel-guilty-or-quietly-ashamed-seek-the-power-of-the-atonement/) [Neill F. Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-f-marriott/) > [“Beloved, no sin of a believer can now be an arrow mortally to wound him, no condemnation can now be a sword to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/beloved-no-sin-of-a-believer-can-now-be-an-arrow-mortally-to-wound/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [And the commencement of atonement is the sense of its necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/and-the-commencement-of-atonement-is-the-sense-of-its-necessity/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [The early Christians made it a part of their religion to look for his return. They looked backward to the cross and the atonement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-early-christians-made-it-a-part-of-their-religion-to-look-for-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Atonement is an event that enables us to be reconciled to God. The word atonement, or 'at-one-ment,' means to restore or to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-c-tingey/the-atonement-is-an-event-that-enables-us-to-be-reconciled-to-god-the/) [Earl C. Tingey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-c-tingey/) > [I appreciate the written word and spoken word more, but Atonement sort of established so much of me. It was a character that didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/i-appreciate-the-written-word-and-spoken-word-more-but-atonement-sort/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) ## More by Timothy Keller > [If you are trying to live a life in accordance with the Bible, the concept and call to justice are inescapable. We do justice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-trying-to-live-a-life-in-accordance-with-the-bible-the/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [The more you rejoice in your own forgiveness, the quicker you will be to forgive others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-more-you-rejoice-in-your-own-forgiveness-the-quicker-you-will-be/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Evangelism will come organically in friendship if we don’t let our pride, fears, and pessimism cause us to hide our faith and heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/evangelism-will-come-organically-in-friendship-if-we-don-t-let-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“The coming of the messianic King occurs in two stages. At his first coming, he saved us from the penalty of sin and gave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/the-coming-of-the-messianic-king-occurs-in-two-stages-at-his-first/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [ “24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: \[Alexis de\] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the-following-alexis-de/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“To stay away from Christianity because part of the Bible's teaching is offensive to you assumes that if there is a God he wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/to-stay-away-from-christianity-because-part-of-the-bible-s-teaching/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If the preaching of our ministers and the practice of our parishioners do not have the same effect on people that Jesus had, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-the-preaching-of-our-ministers-and-the-practice-of-our/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“of temple, presence, and sacrifice; of covenant and faithfulness; of kingdom and victory. When we seek to communicate the gospel to a particular culture,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/of-temple-presence-and-sacrifice-of-covenant-and-faithfulness-of/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“Finally, you are ready to launch your church. Begin by developing action steps and goals that can be used as benchmarks to track your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/finally-you-are-ready-to-launch-your-church-begin-by-developing/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If you are a child of God, you don’t lose your status if you have a bad week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-you-are-a-child-of-god-you-don-t-lose-your-status-if-you-have-a/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [God's salvation does not come in response to a changed life. A changed life comes in response to the salvation, offered as a free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/god-s-salvation-does-not-come-in-response-to-a-changed-life-a-changed/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [“When anything in life is an absolute requirement for your happiness and self-worth, it is essentially an ‘idol,’ something you are actually worshiping. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/when-anything-in-life-is-an-absolute-requirement-for-your-happiness/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Suffering is the stripping of our hope in finite things, therefore we do not put our ultimate hope in anything finite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/suffering-is-the-stripping-of-our-hope-in-finite-things-therefore-we/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Christ will do everything for you or nothing. He's either all of your righteousness or none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/christ-will-do-everything-for-you-or-nothing-he-s-either-all-of-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [If we give God things in hope that they'll earn us blessings, we're really not doing anything for him. It's for ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/if-we-give-god-things-in-hope-that-they-ll-earn-us-blessings-we-re/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) [Explore all 843 Timothy Keller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) ## More Atonement quotes > [We cannot go back in time and change the past, but we can repent. The Savior can wipe away our tears of regret and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dieter-f-uchtdorf/we-cannot-go-back-in-time-and-change-the-past-but-we-can-repent-the/) [Dieter F. Uchtdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dieter-f-uchtdorf/) > [I appreciate the written word and spoken word more, but Atonement sort of established so much of me. It was a character that didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saoirse-ronan/i-appreciate-the-written-word-and-spoken-word-more-but-atonement-sort/) [Saoirse Ronan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saoirse-ronan/) > [The Atonement is an event that enables us to be reconciled to God. The word atonement, or 'at-one-ment,' means to restore or to come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-c-tingey/the-atonement-is-an-event-that-enables-us-to-be-reconciled-to-god-the/) [Earl C. Tingey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-c-tingey/) > [The early Christians made it a part of their religion to look for his return. They looked backward to the cross and the atonement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-early-christians-made-it-a-part-of-their-religion-to-look-for-his/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And the commencement of atonement is the sense of its necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/and-the-commencement-of-atonement-is-the-sense-of-its-necessity/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [“Beloved, no sin of a believer can now be an arrow mortally to wound him, no condemnation can now be a sword to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-h-spurgeon/beloved-no-sin-of-a-believer-can-now-be-an-arrow-mortally-to-wound/) [Charles H. Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-h-spurgeon/) > [If you feel guilty or quietly ashamed, seek the power of the Atonement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neill-f-marriott/if-you-feel-guilty-or-quietly-ashamed-seek-the-power-of-the-atonement/) [Neill F. Marriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neill-f-marriott/) > [Jesus perfected his life and became our Christ. Priceless blood of a god was shed, and he became our Savior; his perfected life was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/jesus-perfected-his-life-and-became-our-christ-priceless-blood-of-a/) [Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/) > [The Atonement of Christ is the most transcendental event that has ever occurred or that will ever occur, since the sunrise of creation to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-r-mcconkie/the-atonement-of-christ-is-the-most-transcendental-event-that-has/) [Bruce R. McConkie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-r-mcconkie/) > [Jesus Christ was the only one capable of performing the magnificent Atonement because He was the only perfect man and the Only Begotten Son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cecil-o-samuelson/jesus-christ-was-the-only-one-capable-of-performing-the-magnificent/) [Cecil O. Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cecil-o-samuelson/) > [The cumulative weight of all mortal sins--past, present, and future--pressed upon that perfect, sinless, and sensitive Soul! All our infirmities and sicknesses were somehow,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neal-a-maxwell/the-cumulative-weight-of-all-mortal-sins-past-present-and-future/) [Neal A. Maxwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neal-a-maxwell/) > [God thank you for everything you've given us. For the time we have together. And for the miracle of Christmas. Thank you for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/god-thank-you-for-everything-you-ve-given-us-for-the-time-we-have/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [Contemplation does not ignore the 'historical Gethsemane', does not ignore the mystery of evil, guilt and its bloody atonement. The happiness of contemplation is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josef-pieper/contemplation-does-not-ignore-the-historical-gethsemane-does-not/) [Josef Pieper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josef-pieper/) > [Do you realize how marvelous it is that you can call upon the Atonement? The Lord effected the Atonement for our sakes. And there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyd-k-packer/do-you-realize-how-marvelous-it-is-that-you-can-call-upon-the/) [Boyd K. Packer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyd-k-packer/) > [I would rather believe a limited atonement that is efficacious for all men for whom it was intended, than a universal atonement that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/i-would-rather-believe-a-limited-atonement-that-is-efficacious-for/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) [Browse all 327 Atonement quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atonement/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“in any other way because it is the ultimate drama, the most moving ending possible. Lifting up the substitutionary sacrifice of Christ is the ultimate way to appeal to any culture, to attract them to him. The various ways of speaking about the atonement furnish us with wonderfully fitting ways of showing each culture how this atoning”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Timothy Keller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/in-any-other-way-because-it-is-the-ultimate-drama-the-most-moving/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Atonement" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/in-any-other-way-because-it-is-the-ultimate-drama-the-most-moving/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/timothy-keller-240_atonement_in-any-other-way-because-it-is-the-ultim_1877941.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/timothy-keller-240_atonement_in-any-other-way-because-it-is-the-ultim_1877941.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/284/timothy-keller-240_atonement_in-any-other-way-because-it-is-the-ultim_1877941.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“in any other way because it is the ultimate drama, the most moving ending possible. Lifting up the…” — Timothy Keller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Timothy Keller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“in any other way because it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/in-any-other-way-because-it-is-the-ultimate-drama-the-most-moving/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/in-any-other-way-because-it-is-the-ultimate-drama-the-most-moving/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```