--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sin is the despairing refusal to find…" description: "\"Sin is the despairing refusal to find your deepest identity in your relationship and service to God.\" — Timothy Keller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a43/timothy-keller-240_despairing_sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-yo_2626455.png" --- # Sin is the despairing refusal to find your deepest… ![“Sin is the despairing refusal to find your deepest identity in your relationship and service to God.” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a43/timothy-keller-240_despairing_sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-yo_2626455.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a43/timothy-keller-240_despairing_sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-yo_2626455.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a43/timothy-keller-240_despairing_sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-yo_2626455.png) > “Sin is the despairing refusal to find your deepest identity in your relationship and service to God.” [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. Sin is portrayed as a rejection of one's deepest identity expressed through relationship and service to God, leading to despair. **In simple terms:** Rejecting identity in God brings despair. Key Takeaway Seek relationship and service to God. Themes spirituality identity despair service Mood reflective somber Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - religious practice - spiritual counseling Key Concepts theology existentialism Questions to Reflect On - How does relationship with God shape identity? - Can service replace self‑discovery? A Different Perspective May overlook personal agency and mental health aspects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Our relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our-relationship/) [Service to god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service-to-god/) [Sin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sin/) ## Related quotes > [“Sin is the despairing refusal to find your deepest identity in your relationship and service to God. Sin is seeking to become oneself, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-your-deepest-identity-in-your/) [Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-keller/) > [Boredom is the root of all evil - the despairing refusal to be oneself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/boredom-is-the-root-of-all-evil-the-despairing-refusal-to-be-oneself/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“. . . there is a foundational core of what we might as well call identity that remains hidden from scrutiny’s grip and somehow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-laird/there-is-a-foundational-core-of-what-we-might-as-well-call-identity/) [Martin Laird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-laird/) > [Eriugena and other Celtic teachers speak of Christ as our memory, as the one who leads us to our deepest identity, as the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-philip-newell/eriugena-and-other-celtic-teachers-speak-of-christ-as-our-memory-as/) John Philip Newell > [“In the ancient Indian Upanishads, the answer to the question “Who am I?” is “Tat tvam asi.” This succinct Sanskrit sentence means literally: “Thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislav-grof/in-the-ancient-indian-upanishads-the-answer-to-the-question-who-am-i/) [Stanislav Grof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislav-grof/) > [“When God wins your heart, He has won it forever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/when-god-wins-your-heart-he-has-won-it-forever/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Service to God is largely unacceptable without service to men”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/service-to-god-is-largely-unacceptable-without-service-to-men/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [I was by birth a gentleman, living neither in any considerable height, nor yet in obscurity. I have been called to several employments in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-cromwell/i-was-by-birth-a-gentleman-living-neither-in-any-considerable-height/) [Oliver Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-cromwell/) > [A service of worship is primarily a service to God. When we realize this and act upon it, we make it a service to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-service-of-worship-is-primarily-a-service-to-god-when-we-realize/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All who in this world render true service to God or man receive a preparatory training in the school of sorrow. The weightier the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-g-white/all-who-in-this-world-render-true-service-to-god-or-man-receive-a/) [Ellen G. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-g-white/) > [The leaves do not change color from the blighting touch of the frost, but from the process of natural decay. They fall when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tryon-edwards/the-leaves-do-not-change-color-from-the-blighting-touch-of-the-frost/) [Tryon Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tryon-edwards/) > [“They say, love God, for it is the greatest virtue. I say, love humans, for there is no greater virtue, no greater religion, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/they-say-love-god-for-it-is-the-greatest-virtue-i-say-love-humans-for/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [Preparation for a mission is important. A mission is a voluntary act of service to God and humankind. Missionaries support that privilege with their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-m-nelson/preparation-for-a-mission-is-important-a-mission-is-a-voluntary-act/) [Russell M. Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-m-nelson/) > [“This idea (Taqwa)can be effectively conveyed by the term "conscience," if the object of conscience transcends it. This is why it is proper to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fazlur-rahman/this-idea-taqwa-can-be-effectively-conveyed-by-the-term-conscience-if/) [Fazlur Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fazlur-rahman/) > [“Service to humanity is service to God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/service-to-humanity-is-service-to-god/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) ## 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 Despairing quotes > [“An atheist is someone who is disappointed in his search of god. He is a man who strongly needed god but couldn't find him.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/an-atheist-is-someone-who-is-disappointed-in-his-search-of-god-he-is/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [First, I thought, almost despairing, This must crush my spirit now; Yet I bore it, and am bearing- Only do not ask me how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-heine/first-i-thought-almost-despairing-this-must-crush-my-spirit-now-yet-i/) [Heinrich Heine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-heine/) > [“A despairing arse will never produce a happy fart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frater-u-d/a-despairing-arse-will-never-produce-a-happy-fart/) Frater U.D > [I don't keep from despairing. I let myself despair. I just don't linger there for too long. There's too much to laugh about, two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-raboteau/i-don-t-keep-from-despairing-i-let-myself-despair-i-just-don-t-linger/) [Emily Raboteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-raboteau/) > [I hope that the kind reader recognises this as a despairing attempt at humour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-springer/i-hope-that-the-kind-reader-recognises-this-as-a-despairing-attempt/) [Nancy Springer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-springer/) > [All my work shares a kind of balance between black comedy and sad and despairing melancholy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-mcdonagh/all-my-work-shares-a-kind-of-balance-between-black-comedy-and-sad-and/) [Martin McDonagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-mcdonagh/) > [“Once you believe that god is not a private property of anybody, you are on your way to becoming a new messiah. Maybe your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/once-you-believe-that-god-is-not-a-private-property-of-anybody-you/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [If I place love above everything, it is because for me it is the most desperate, the most despairing state of affairs imaginable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andr-breton/if-i-place-love-above-everything-it-is-because-for-me-it-is-the-most/) [Andre Breton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andr-breton/) > [Paradoxically, the only thing that helps when I'm feeling despairing about writing is to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-van-den-berg/paradoxically-the-only-thing-that-helps-when-i-m-feeling-despairing/) [Laura van den Berg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-van-den-berg/) > [“Love makes you strong when others are weak, brave when others are scared, hopeful when others are despairing and cheerful when others are sad.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/love-makes-you-strong-when-others-are-weak-brave-when-others-are/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Despairing of love and of chastity, I at last bethought myself of debauchery, a substitute for love, which quiets the laughter, restores silence, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/despairing-of-love-and-of-chastity-i-at-last-bethought-myself-of/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [Newman cast a despairing glance at his small store of fuel, but, not having the courage to say no-a word which in all his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/newman-cast-a-despairing-glance-at-his-small-store-of-fuel-but-not/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [I don't think that people are disinterested or uninterested in politics. I think very often they are disengaged from the formal political process. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bercow/i-don-t-think-that-people-are-disinterested-or-uninterested-in/) [John Bercow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bercow/) > [“The angel descended when you were least expecting it. Tracy felt something quietly go click in his despairing heart.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-russell/the-angel-descended-when-you-were-least-expecting-it-tracy-felt/) [Paul Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-russell/) > ['Money Changes Everything' is this terribly despairing, heartbreaking song.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greil-marcus/money-changes-everything-is-this-terribly-despairing-heartbreaking/) [Greil Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greil-marcus/) Browse all 55 Despairing quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Sin is the despairing refusal to find your deepest identity in your relationship and service to God.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Timothy Keller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-your-deepest-identity-in-your-2/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Despairing" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-your-deepest-identity-in-your-2/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a43/timothy-keller-240_despairing_sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-yo_2626455.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a43/timothy-keller-240_despairing_sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-yo_2626455.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a43/timothy-keller-240_despairing_sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-yo_2626455.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Sin is the despairing refusal to find your deepest identity in your relationship and service to God.” — 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": "Sin is the despairing refusal to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-your-deepest-identity-in-your-2/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-keller/sin-is-the-despairing-refusal-to-find-your-deepest-identity-in-your-2/#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 } } ] } ```