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Description
HKM-170323 Powerful 74.5 Miles Long-Range 60V 40Ah 2400Wh 6500W Mid-Drive Electric Dirt Bike with Dual Suspension and Off-Road Fat Tires 46.6mphHKM 170323 Hekomart Sting HKM Electric Dirt Bike Next Gen Electric Performance HKM 170323 Hekomart Sting HKM Electric Dirt Bike Engineered for riders who demand uncompromising off road capability fused with zero emission electric power. The Sting HKM redefines trail riding with a 6500W mid drive motor, aerospace grade aluminum alloy frame, and a commanding 120 km (75 mi) rangeall wrapped in a lightweight, precision tuned chassis built for both
⚡ Next-Gen Electric Performance
HKM-170323 Hekomart Sting HKM Electric Dirt Bike
Engineered for riders who demand uncompromising off-road capability fused with zero-emission electric power. The Sting HKM redefines trail riding with a 6500W mid-drive motor, aerospace-grade aluminum alloy frame, and a commanding 120 km (75 mi) range—all wrapped in a lightweight, precision-tuned chassis built for both adrenaline-fueled adventures and refined urban exploration.
6,500 W
Mid-Drive Motor
Peak Output
233 Nm
Max Torque
172 lb-ft
120 km
Max Range
75 miles per charge
50+ km/h
Top Speed
31+ mph
Powertrain & Electrification
6500W Mid-Drive Motor
The heart of the Sting HKM is a high-efficiency mid-drive unit delivering 6500 watts of peak power. Unlike hub motors, the mid-drive configuration channels energy directly through the chain drive, optimizing torque multiplication and enabling the bike's extraordinary 233 Nm (172 lb-ft) of twisting force. This architecture provides superior weight distribution, improved handling dynamics, and cooler operating temperatures during sustained high-load riding.
60V 40Ah Lithium Battery
A high-density 60-volt, 40-ampere-hour lithium battery pack forms the energy backbone. With 2.4 kWh of usable capacity, it supports up to 120 km (75 mi) of trail range on a single charge. The intelligent Battery Management System (BMS) continuously monitors cell voltage, temperature, and state of charge, safeguarding against over-discharge, over-current, and thermal anomalies for consistent long-term reliability.
⚡ Acceleration Benchmark: 0–100 km/h (0–62 mph) in 7 Seconds
The Sting HKM rockets from a standstill to 100 km/h in approximately seven seconds—a figure that places it among the most responsive electric dirt bikes in its class. Instant torque delivery from the electric motor, combined with the single-speed drivetrain, eliminates shift lag and provides seamless, uninterrupted thrust from the moment the throttle is engaged.
Chassis, Suspension & Handling
Aluminum Alloy Frame
The chassis is constructed from a premium aluminum alloy that achieves an optimal balance between structural rigidity and mass efficiency. This material selection reduces overall vehicle weight while maintaining the torsional stiffness necessary for precise handling on uneven terrain. The frame geometry is tuned for confident stability at speed and agile responsiveness in tight trail sections.
Fastace Full Suspension System
Front and rear Fastace suspension components absorb trail irregularities with progressive damping characteristics. The system is engineered to maintain tire contact across a broad spectrum of surface conditions—from hardpack and gravel to loamy soil and mild rock gardens. This translates to reduced rider fatigue and enhanced control during extended off-road sessions.
17-Inch Wheels & CST Tires
Rolling stock consists of 17-inch diameter wheels wrapped in high-quality CST rubber—70/100-19 at the front and 80/100-19 at the rear. This tire specification delivers a generous contact patch for reliable traction across loose, muddy, and hard-packed surfaces. The tread pattern is optimized for both straight-line grip and confident cornering lean angles.
Hydraulic Disc Brakes
Stopping power is delivered by a hydraulic disc brake system that provides consistent, fade-resistant performance in both dry and wet conditions. The hydraulic actuation ensures precise modulation at the lever, giving the rider confidence to brake late into corners or scrub speed quickly when trail obstacles appear unexpectedly.
Ride Dynamics & Real-World Performance
Every component of the Sting HKM has been selected to elevate the rider's connection to the trail. The single-speed gear system eliminates the complexity and weight of a traditional multi-ratio transmission, allowing the rider to focus purely on throttle modulation and line selection. The freewheel rear hub decouples the motor during coasting, reducing drag and preserving momentum on descents.
🌱 Eco-Friendly & Weather-Ready Design
The Sting HKM produces zero tailpipe emissions, making it suitable for use in noise-sensitive and environmentally regulated riding areas. Integrated water-resistant construction protects critical electrical components from rain, puddle splashes, and light water exposure, so a sudden change in weather does not cut your adventure short. The included on-board toolkit enables quick trailside adjustments and minor maintenance.
🛠 Trailside Toolkit Included
A compact, bike-specific toolkit is included with every Sting HKM, providing essential tools for chain tension adjustment, bolt tightening, and basic field maintenance. Ride with the confidence that minor mechanical needs can be addressed without returning to the garage.
Technical Specifications
Motor Type
Mid-Drive, 6500W Peak
Max Torque
233 Nm (172 lb-ft)
Battery
60V / 40Ah Lithium
Range
Up to 120 km (75 mi)
Top Speed
50+ km/h (31+ mph)
Wheel Size
17 in (Front & Rear)
Tires
CST 70/100-19 & 80/100-19
Brakes
Hydraulic Disc
Suspension
Fastace Front & Rear
Frame Material
Aluminum Alloy
Transmission
Single-Speed
Water Resistance
Yes (Electrical Components)
Rear Hub
Freewheel
Toolkit
Included
Why the Sting HKM Stands Apart
Mid-Drive Advantage Over Hub Motors
Hub motors place unsprung mass at the wheel, degrading suspension response. The Sting HKM's mid-drive layout centralizes mass, preserves suspension performance, and leverages the chain drive's mechanical advantage for superior climbing torque and efficient power delivery across the entire speed range.
Instant Throttle Response
Electric motors deliver peak torque from zero RPM. There is no clutch to feather, no gear to select, and no power band to manage—just immediate, linear acceleration that responds faithfully to every degree of throttle input, making technical terrain more accessible to riders of all skill levels.
Silent Operation, Maximum Trail Access
With an operating noise level dramatically lower than internal combustion dirt bikes, the Sting HKM opens riding opportunities in areas with noise restrictions. Ride earlier in the morning, later in the evening, and through terrain where the natural soundscape is preserved.
Low Maintenance Ownership
Eliminate oil changes, air filter cleanings, spark plug replacements, and carburetor tuning. The electric powertrain dramatically reduces the number of wear items, translating to more time on the trail and less time—and money—spent on routine service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Real-world range depends on riding style, terrain, rider weight, and ambient temperature. Under mixed trail conditions with moderate throttle application, riders can expect approximately 90–110 km (56–68 mi). Conservative riding on flat terrain at lower speeds can achieve the full 120 km (75 mi) rating. Aggressive riding with frequent full-throttle acceleration in soft terrain will reduce range accordingly.
A mid-drive motor sits at the bike's center of mass, driving the rear wheel through the chain. This preserves proper suspension action by keeping unsprung weight low, improves weight distribution, and allows the motor to benefit from the chain's gear reduction for superior torque at the wheel. Hub motors add unsprung mass directly at the wheel, which can compromise suspension responsiveness and handling on rough terrain.
The 60V 40Ah lithium battery is integrated into the chassis for optimal weight distribution and protection from trail debris. Charging is accomplished via an external charging port on the bike. For detailed charging specifications, please refer to the product manual included with your purchase.
The Sting HKM excels on a wide variety of off-road surfaces including hardpack, gravel, loose dirt, sandy trails, and light rocky terrain. Its full suspension system and high-torque output make it equally capable on steep inclines and flowing singletrack. It is also well-suited for urban and suburban paved riding, though the CST tires are optimized primarily for off-road grip.
Licensing requirements vary by jurisdiction. In many regions, electric dirt bikes with certain power and speed capabilities may be classified differently from traditional motorcycles. We recommend consulting your local department of motor vehicles or relevant transportation authority to determine the specific requirements applicable to your location before operating the Sting HKM on public roads.
Purchase Protection & Policies
Free Shipping on All Orders
Every order ships at no cost to you. No minimums, no exclusions—just complimentary delivery straight to your door on every purchase.
180 Days Purchase Protection
Shop with confidence knowing your investment is safeguarded for a full 180 days against manufacturing defects and material flaws.
30 Days Money-Back Guarantee
If you are not completely satisfied within 30 days of delivery, return the product for a full refund—no questions asked.
24 Months Warranty Service
Every Sting HKM is backed by a comprehensive 24-month warranty, covering all major components for two full years of worry-free riding.
Shipping Notes
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4.7 ★★★★★
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
Excellent Read!
Format: Paperback
William Mounce always has a way with bringing things to light clearly, just read his Greek text books and you will see that. His new book “Why I trust the Bible” answers a very important question for Christians. We are to be people of the book, and today many try to cast doubt on God’s words. These attacks on the Word of God come from both the left and right of the issue, atheist and the KJV only crowd.
Mr. Mounce handles the issues with clear and accurate facts. From the reality and deity of Jesus Christ to the reliability of canon we call scripture. Does he have a biased? If he does he tells you, but he also is very pointed at the goal, showing I CAN trust the bible. “Why I trust the Bible” is a great read if you want the facts but don’t want to spend hours reading the arguments in multiple books or websites. Mr. Mounce provides the evidence and the tools for you to dig deeper and see where and what was said for yourself.
I would highly recommend this book as the issue is handled very concisely and with great clarity.
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Reviewed in the United States on September 14, 2021
★★★★★ 5
It argues for the reasons for helping the poor and provides ways to do so with helpful examples.
Format: Kindle
In Chapter 1 “What is Doing Justice?” Keller says just as tithe is the right or due of the priests, the poor and needy have rights to have their needs met. Any neglect shown to their needs is not called merely a lack of mercy or charity but a violation of justice. The Bible introduces God as a father to the fatherless, a defender of widows (Psalm 68:4-5). Giving justice and defending to the poor and weak is one of the main things he does in the world. He identifies with the powerless and takes up their cause. Because most of the oppressed are those who are poor and powerless, God gives them particular attention and has a special place in his heart for them. Justice is more than merely giving the poor small, perfunctory gifts, but turning the their life to a life of delight. Justice includes generosity.
In Chapter 2 “Justice and the Old Testament” Keller says Jesus has fulfilled the ceremonial laws of Moses, including clean laws of touching, diet, dress; sacrificial system and temple worship ordinances. However, the basic principles in the Old Testament remain the same. Christ only changed the way in which Christians exhibit their holiness and offer their sacrifices. Today, people are required to offer God their entire lives as sacrifices (Romans 12:1-2), as well as the sacrifices of worship to God and the sharing of their resources with others (Hebrews 13:5). Although the Bible does not guarantee that no one will ever fall into poverty, God promises that He will richly bless His people so that if they are kind and good to the needy around them by being openhanded and freely lending everything he needs, there would not be a poor man among them, that no one will suffer from permanent, long-term poverty. The money we have is as much a gift of God as the manna was a gift to the Israelites in the desert. The Biblical laws for the use of land criticize the statism that disregards the precious treasure of personal rootage as well as the untrammeled individualism which secures individuals at the expense of community. The three causes of poverty, according to the Bible are oppression, calamity, and personal moral failure. Taken in isolation no one factor – government programs, public policy, calls to personal responsibility, or private charity – is sufficient to address the problem.
In Chapter 3 “What did Jesus Say About Justice?” Keller says Jesus wants his followers to be profoundly generous to the poor, spending more money on them than on the rich and the friends. Genuine concern for the poor is not a means of getting salvation but rather the sign that you already have salvation. Whatever a person does to the poor is done to Jesus. The Bible sees sexual immorality and material selfishness as both flowing from self-centeredness rather than God-centeredness. Gospel preaching that targets some sins but not the sins of oppression cannot work among most people in the world, people who are poor peasants and workers. Our first responsibility is to our own families and relations (1 Timothy 5:8), and our second responsibility is to other members of the community of faith (Galatians 6:10). However, our responsibility also includes doing good to all people, including strangers such as foreigners.
In Chapter 4 “Justice and Your Neighbor” Keller says Jesus said that loving God and neighbor is the way to get eternal life. To this, the expert in the law asked who his neighbor is. Using the story of good Samaritan, Jesus says that anyone in need is our neighbor. We should not refuse to help others by saying that they are not yet in extreme poverty because we would not wait until we are in extreme poverty before doing something to alleviate our suffering. We should not say I cannot help anyone because we mean I cannot help anyone without burdening myself, cutting in to how I live my life. We should not refuse to help others because they are ungrateful and wicked because Jesus saved us not even though we are ungrateful and evil people. We should not refuse to help the poor who fell into poverty because of their own selfish, indolent, or violent behavior unless they continue in those evils. Even if they do persist in the same evil, we should still help the family members of those evil people. Jesus is the great Samaritan who came down and saved us out of his compassion on us, the spiritually dead.
In Chapter 5 “Why Should We Do Justice?” Keller says two basic motivations for doing justice that the Bible gives are first joyful awe before the goodness of God’s creation and second the experience of God’s grace in redemption. The fact that humans are created in the image of God shows that every human being deserves respect. God gave to humans management and authority over the earth but not the ownership. God gave the poor the right to receive favor and good will from the rich as the rich have received favor and good will from God. A person who experienced of God’s grace can no longer have pride and haughtiness and aloofness toward the poor.
In Chapter 6 “How should we do justice?” Keller says doing justice requires constant, sustained reflection and circumspection, thinking through how to do justice in every area of life.Vulnerable people need multiple levels of help. Keller call these layers relief, development, and social reform. Relief is direct aid to meet immediate physical, material, and economic needs. Development is giving an individual, family, or entire community what they need to move beyond dependency on relief into a condition of economic self-sufficiency. When John Perkins explained his philosophy of ministry, he always named three basic factors. One he called “relocation,” though others have called it “reneighboring a community.” This means the helper should live within the community and thus have firsthand knowledge of the needs of the neighborhood and real accountability to the residents. Perkins also spoke of “redistribution,” something others have called “reweaving a community.” This means that financial capital, social capital, and spiritual capital that are invested into the community should stay within the community for the benefit of the community. By “financial capital,” we of course mean the ability to attract businesses that not only provide goods for customers, but also keep wealth and financial capital in the community itself. By “social capital,” Perkins meant the training and retaining of local leadership. “Spiritual capital” refers to the spiritual and moral influence of the churches in the neighborhood. There is a third important factor in John Perkins’s strategy for rebuilding poor communities. He names it “racial reconciliation.” This includes empowering the resident of poor communities to control their own destiny as well as inviting professional helpers from outside to play a role. The new bonds with others in Christ are stronger than our relationship to other members of our own racial and national groups. The gospel gives believers critical distance from their own culture, enabling them to critique their own cultural idols. When these new insights are established in the consciousness of a Christian, a church, and a community, the resulting unity of relationships becomes both a means to reneighboring and reweaving and a direct witness to the world of the reality of the gospel. Besides relief and development (both individual and corporate) there is social reform. Social reform moves beyond the relief of immediate needs and dependency and seeks to change the conditions and social structures that aggravate or cause that dependency. Doing justice and generosity should not be the means to evangelism nor be considered the same thing as evangelism nor be considered something detracts from evangelism. Instead, they should exist in an asymmetrical, inseparable relationship. Doing justice and generosity is inseparably connected to preaching the gospel because the gospel produces love and concern for the poor and the deeds of justice and generosity give credibility to the preaching of the gospel. In other words, justification by faith leads to doing justice and generosity, and doing justice and generosity make many seek to be justified by faith. The most loving thing anyone can do for one’s neighbor is to help him or her to have a saving faith in God, to have a saving relationship with Him that will result in eternal life with Him. Christian church, like any other institution or organization, cannot do all things well, and thus should do the work of relief and some development inside and around its community for their own members, neighborhoods and cities and let its members to do the work of development and social reform through appropriate organizations and institutions.
In Chapter 7 “Doing Justice In the Public Square” Keller says there is no consensus on what justice is. People assume the other side know they are simply being unjust, but the reality is nearly everyone thinks they are on justice’s side. Justice is not a matter of common sense because people have differing opinions about what freedom and equality, what things that define justice, are. The causes for which justice is invoked are always matters of deeply held beliefs, rooted in particular view on matters of faith such as human nature, happiness, right, and wrong. There are competing visions of justice in our society which can fall into three categories: maximizing welfare, respecting freedom, and promoting virtue. Attempt to talk about justice in the supposedly neutral terms of freedom and equality that we can all agree on did not work because our ideas of justice are rooted in views of life that are nonprovable faith assumptions. The forbiddance to bring religious beliefs into public argument has made debate or discourse over normative matters barren, unsatisfying, and shallow. We can’t agree on what justice is because we are not allowed to talk about our underlying beliefs publicly. We are locked in endless disagreement, largely because we live with the illusion that we can achieve moral and religious neutrality. Many great political and influential figures in the past used religious language to argue for their cause. Prohibition of bringing personal morality into public policy is thus absurd. Our law is itself a codification of morality, much of it grounded in the Judeo-Christian tradition. Although Christians should not be strident and condemning in their language or attitude, Christians should not be silent about the Biblical roots of their passion for justice. Christians’ work for justice should be characterized by both humble cooperation and respectful provocation. Common grace of God gives skills in science, scholarship, crafts, government, art, and jurisprudence to nonbelievers as well. Christians and non-Christians have common values that can form a connection between them. Believers should let their coworkers know of how the gospel is motivating them, yet also they should appeal to common values as much as possible. At the same time, they should be respectfully provocative with them, arguing that their models of justice are reductionistic and incomplete. Christians should talk about how their beliefs are different than those of non-Christians even if they have the same basic social goals. Valuing things is always based on beliefs about the purposes of life, human nature, right and wrong, all of which are moral and religious. As Aristotle and other Greek philosophers reasoned, unless we can determine what human beings are here for, it is impossible to determine how we should live. Many prominent thinkers and scientists say that human being does not have inherent worth. Therefore, even atheist and agnostic philosophers acknowledge that the concept of human rights requires a religious dimension. Many nonreligious people believe in human dignity and human rights. However, it is just that any such belief is religious in nature.
In Chapter 8 “Peace, Beauty, and Justice” Keller says the Jewish description of the creation is unique in that God created the world as a craftsman or an artisan with much care and planning. God created all things in an interdependent, harmonious relationship to one another. Just as rightly related physical elements form a cosmos, so rightly related human beings form a community, and this interwovenness is what the Bible calls shalom, or harmonious peace. Shalom means peace resulting from right, perfect, and joyful relationship in all dimensions – physical, emotional, social, and spiritual. When there is crime, poverty, and family breakdown, there is no shalom in the society. However, when people share with others, work together for good and functional public services, school, and flouring businesses, the community experiences shalom. Broken relationship with God resulted in war, crime, family breakdown, oppression, injustice, hunger, sickness, aging and physical death. Doing justice means bringing shalom to the community, especially for the poor and the weaker members of the society. Perceiving the goodness of God in His sacrificial love makes doing justice and other things that honor and please God a delight to people. God identifies with the poor not only symbolically but also literally in the incarnation and death of Jesus. He had little the world valued and the little he had was taken. Though He was rich, for the sake of us He became poor, so that we through His poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).
In section titled “Justice Includes Generosity” in chapter 1, “What is doing Justice?”, the author seems to say that generous giving to the poor is a requirement from God. Mercy, compassion, or charity are not a requirement, but justice is. Therefore, generous giving must be justice, and justice unconditionally includes generous giving. Thus, the author equates justice with generosity or generous giving of time and resources. The author went further by saying that those who do not actively and generously share their resources with the poor are robbers.
I must disagree with what the author said above. When generous giving to the poor or generosity becomes justice, it means the rich have the legal obligation to give to the poor, and the poor have legal right to demand goods from the rich or even take goods from the rich without their knowledge. When the rich accuse the poor of stealing from them, the poor would be able to say “It is justice for us to receive generosity from you. Therefore, it is not stealing but merely exercise of justice and practice of our rights.”
Instead of calling generous giving to the poor justice, I believe generous giving to the poor is a righteousness. It is a righteousness that God demands from the rich. However, God did not give the poor the right to demand or steal from the rich. God merely gave the poor the right to ask for what they need from the rich, and the right to receive from the rich whatever the rich give them. If mercy, compassion, and charity to the poor by the rich are a requirement, an obligation on the part of the rich, some people may argue that generous giving to the poor can no longer be called mercy, compassion, or charity by the rich. I think they have a solid ground to argue that case, but indisputable truth that remains unchanged is that the generous giving to the poor through the rich is mercy, compassion, and charity by God.
The author said, “We do justice when we give all human beings their due as creations of God.” It is equally true to say, “God does justice when He gives all human beings their due as creations of God.” Then when the poor receive goods, or rather when human beings receive life, health, wealth, and peace from God, are they receiving their due from God? If so, human beings do not have to give thanks to God because they are only receiving their due from God and God merely doing what His Justice requires Him to do.
I agree with what Keller said regarding what Christians should do to help the poor. I could feel the enthusiasm he has for helping the poor while reading the book. I also give due respect to the efforts he has made. It seems to me he has done appropriate research for writing on this subject. He has proposed well-thought-out ways to help the poor. His mention of inputs from many other people, particularly those from Abraham Kuyper and John Perkins, were especially helpful. These various inputs helped considering the task of helping the poor in a more balanced and multifaceted way. Most importantly, he has a first-hand experience of helping the poor which gives him invaluable knowledge and know-off from which he can draw and helps him critically assess the benefits and shortcomings of inputs from others. I believe more improvements can be made upon the helping ministry that he and others have built upon. However, due to lack of first-hand experience, it is difficult for me to propose any valuable improvements.
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Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2021
★★★★★ 5
Marries God's Grace, Orthodox Theology, and Social Justice
When I ordered Timothy Keller's "Generous Justice," I thought I was buying a book about God's justice (in condemning sinners), which has been assailed by so many recently. Never have I been so pleasantly and emotionally surprised by a book. What Keller has done instead is to wed a theology of God's grace to us, and one that is fully orthodox in nature, with a biblical emphasis on social justice. Keller's main thesis is this: God's "generous justice" to humans who are poor in spirit and in great need is a motivation for our administering social justice - as well as an evidence that we have truly received the grace of God.
This is truly a mind-blowing, heart-rending thesis - and it's hit me like a ton of bricks! The very night I read this book, I read (from the Book of Common Prayer) the prayer for Social Justice in our Evening Prayer service at church. Obviously God is trying to teach me something, and I think He's trying to teach you all the same thing. That something is that Christians are to be involved in social justice not only because it's a commandment but because it's a response to a life that's received the grace of God (His "generous justice").
Keller cuts across the great conservative/liberal divide in this book. He has something that most of you will at first disagree about, but when you truly consider it, you'll find that he's probably right. Social justice is about caring for the poor and alienated, both as individuals and as communities. To conservative Christians he preaches that social justice does indeed involve changing entire communities and that real oppression and social injustice still exists in the U.S. To liberal Christians he preaches that much of poverty really does come from the personal moral failings of individuals. In fact, he outlines 3 possible causes of poverty: oppression, calamity, and personal moral failure. He believes that the biblical emphasis is especially on the larger structural factors (although I don't necessarily agree with him here.)
Perhaps most importantly, Keller is putting his money where his mouth is: his Redeemer Presbyterian Church is located in Manhattan.
What Keller does best, beginning with the Old Testament and continuing through the teachings of Jesus and the Epistles is to show God's concern for social justice. You cannot read this book without being challenged to want to be more involved in correcting social injustice, whether at the individual or social level. This book hit me like a ton of bricks because years ago I had read Ron Sider's Rich Christians in an Age of Hunger while in college. I was originally moved by the book but then became aware that Sider had made a lot of errors in his theology and thinking. For years, I allowed this and the liberal emphasis on the social gospel as opposed to the true gospel to shield me from the biblical message of the need for justice.
This book has been like a sledgehammer to my soul, and it will take me months and years to sort out what God would have me do next.
In addition to providing the biblical and theological rationale for caring for the poor and disadvantaged, Keller turns towards a more practical approach towards the end of the book, which was exactly what I needed. He answers questions I and many others have, such as "What if I don't live by an area of poverty?" (then look for the disadvantaged, abused, neglected, sick, single parents wherever you are!) He discusses 3 levels of help that need to be offered: relief (direct aid to immediate needs), development (giving a family or community what they need to move beyond dependency), and social reform (changing the conditions and social conditions that cause dependency).
Keller divides his book up this way:
Introduction: Why Write This Book?
Chapter One - What is Doing Justice?
Chapter Two - Justice and the Old Testament
Chapter Three - What Did Jesus Say About Justice?
Chapter Four - Justice and Your Neighbor
Chapter Five - Why Should We Do Justice?
Chapter Six - How Should We Do Justice?
Chapter Seven - Doing Justice in the Public Square
Chapter Eight - Peace, Beauty, and Justice
There are still things I disagree with about the book, and I have a few areas where I think Keller could have been clearer or more forceful so as not to mislead.
My 1st objection is that Keller seems to emphasize justice in terms of structures more than the justice we seek for individuals (for example, the many ways I seek justice among my kids at home). Keller didn't talk about this side of things enough. He also, in my opinion, doesn't adequately take into account the moral failings that are the cause of so much of American poverty since the 20th century. It's not that he isn't aware of this side of things: I just think he understates it.
Second, while Keller's clearly aware that our contemporary situation is not a theocracy like that of ancient Israel, too much of the time he seems to assume that the social justice we seek is out in the world at large, as opposed to the social justice we seek specifically in the Church. The New Testament letters are clearly more heavily weighted toward how we seek justice specifically in the Church, which is to model social justice for the world, even as the justice of national Israel was to be a model for the nations. He also doesn't address the problem that in ancient Israel and the first century Church, Christians knew who the poor were because there was little social mobility. They knew who was really lame and who was faking; they knew who had fallen on hard times; and they knew who was merely lazy or malicious. It's much more difficult for Christians today to discern this, and Keller makes no (or at least inadequate) reference to the traditional Christian distinction between the deserving and the undeserving poor (an issue that several books by George Grant discuss more adequately).
In spite of these errors or exaggerations, "Generous Justice" is still a book every church should be discussing. Read it, and see if it doesn't break your heart and make you more aware of God's grace to you, as well as your need to do justice to those around you!
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Reviewed in the United States on November 4, 2010
★★★★★ 5
How the Gospel & Justice go hand in hand
Anything by Tim Keller is worth reading and re-reading. His book Generous Justice is no different. I worked my way through it last week as I prepped my sermon on James 2.
Here is the main idea of the book: "If a person grasped the meaning of God's grace in his heart, he will do justice. If he doesn't live justly, then he may say with his lips that he is grateful for God's grace, but in his heart he is far from him. If he doesn't care about the poor, it reveals that at best he doesn't understand the grace he has experienced, and at worst he has not really encountered the saving mercy of God. Grace should make you just."
One of the more interesting things I found in the book was how Keller weaved through Scripture and looked at the various places that justice, poor, widows, orphans, etc. are talked about in the Old and New Testaments. He also pointed out how God is introduced in Scripture as "the father to the fatherless and defender of the widow" almost more than any title. Which strikes me because God is often associated with suburbia. If the church and his followers are to be like him, what does that mean our lives should be like? What would we have to do so that we are identified as "the father to the fatherless and the defender of the widow?" Keller answers, "If God's character includes a zeal for justice that leads him to have the tenderest love and closest involvement with the socially weak, then what should God's people be like? They must be people who are likewise passionately concerned for the weak and vulnerable."
But what does doing justice mean? It has become a polarizing word and idea. Often, "doing justice" is associated solely with left wing politics or liberal Christianity, the social gospel. In fact, after spending the last 2 weeks talking about loving the overlooked at Revolution I was asked by someone if we were getting political as a church. While the question is misguided, I understand where it comes from. Evangelical Christianity is more focused on souls and eternity, which we are called to and incredibly important, but we are also called to love people and meet practical needs at the same time. I don't think you can separate the two (or at least we shouldn't separate the two), even though lots of people do. Justice is intricately associated with the gospel. Keller says, "We do justice when we give all human beings their due as creations of God. Doing justice includes not only the righting of wrongs (the gospel), but generosity and social concern, especially toward the poor and vulnerable. This kind of life reflects the character of God. It consists of a broad range of activities, from simple fair and honest dealings with people in daily life, to regular, radically generous giving of your time and resources, to activism that seeks to end particular forms of injustice, violence, and oppression."
Here are a few things that jumped out:
-A true experience of the grace of Jesus Christ inevitably motivates a man or woman to seek justice in the world.
-God loves and defends those with the least economic and social power, and so should we. That is what it means to "do justice."
-The Bible gives believers two basic motivations for doing justice - joyful awe before the goodness of God's creation, and the experience of God's grace in redemption.
I highly, highly recommend picking up this book. Every Christian needs to wrestle with what it means to be changed by the gospel and the implications on how we live and what that means in terms of the overlooked and "doing justice" in our world. For more, check out [...]
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Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2011
★★★★★ 4
Good Book; Slightly Biased
I liked Tim Keller's book quite a bit. He makes a strong, biblical case for the necessity for christians to do justice. This part of the gospel has been lacking in conservative, evangelical circles. So, Pastor Keller performs a real service, as a conservative evangelical, in speaking out on the issue.
However, there is a slight, conservative, bias in the book. He seems to try to bend over backwards to be fair, but still ends up missing and misstating a few things.
As a conservative, he de-emphasizes the important role of government in social justice and the necessity for christians to actively promote justice in the public sphere. Yes, he mentions this, and even gives some examples where christians should be involved in promoting justice in the public sphere. But, the instances he cites are small cases like when we see injustice in local law enforcement or building inspector corruption. Those sorts of things. That's fine as far as it goes, but it's the tip of the iceberg. The things that can make a big difference in our society in promoting justice are national policies involving health care, housing assistance, education assistance, food stamps, etc.
Mr. Keller avoids talking about those things because they are inconsistent with the politics that conservative christians almost universally support. So, he doesn't want to alienate his supporters. And, perhaps he himself opposes things like national health care. Of course, obviously, that position is inconsistent with what Jesus taught about caring for the poor and sick. Mr. Keller, and other conservatives, would say it's not the government's role to provide health care to the poor; rather the role of the church. And, he would cite some small example of some church that maybe offers free health screenings. Give me a break. Tell me the church I can send a homeless person to where he can live and receive the cancer or heart treatment he needs and then I'll agree with Mr. Keller and the conservatives. Until then, the government MUST play a role in this area and christians should be leaders in promoting that.
But, Mr. Keller, rather predictably, mostly ignores this issue of the actual, true role of modern government in justice -- which necessarily, for better or worse, has to be quite large.
We see this conservative slant to the book other times as well. For instance, when talking about the Sermon on the Mount, Keller says that both conservatives and liberals miss part of Jesus' message. He says conservatives ignore Jesus' words about social justice and liberals ignore his words about personal morality. I just don't think that's fair because I think liberal christians care just as much as conservatives about private morality. It's possible to point to an issue here or there where that's not true; but then it's possible to point to others that point in the other direction. The bottom line is that supporting social justice requires private morality (unselfishness). Mr. Keller cites the private/individual morality issues that Jesus discusses as sexual lust in the heart, adultery, divorce and overwork and materialism. Yet, there is no evidence that liberals are more guilty of these issues than conservatives; in fact, I'd suggest the opposite may be true (certainly with respect to overwork and materialism).
I wish Keller would simply admit the obvious which is that liberal christians are much more on board with the Sermon on the Mount and generally with Jesus' message of promotion of Justice and God's Kingdom on earth. That message is at the heart of christian liberalism. But, rather than simply admitting that this is an area that liberals generally get right and conservatives get wrong; instead Keller reaches for straws that don't exist.
We see this again when Keller says in the introduction to the book that Walter Rauschenbusch (a "father" of liberal christianity) "rejected the traditional doctrines of Scripture and atonement." As evidence for this serious and broad criticism, Keller provides a footnote which fails to provide any quotes, rather it simply references Rauschenbusch's book A Theology for the Social Gospel, Ch. 19 and says that Rauschenbusch therein "rejects the theory of penal substitution."
Yet if one reads Ch. 19 of Rauschenbusch's book, one will find he clearly does NOT reject the theories of atonement or penal substitution. In fact, on page 244 Rauschenbusch states: "As Christian men we believe that the death of our Lord concerns us all. Our sins caused it. He bore the sin of the world. In turn his death was somehow for our good. Our spiritual situation is fundamentally changed in consequence of it." Then on pg. 273, Rauschenbusch says: "The cross is the monumental fact telling of grace and inviting repentance and humility."
Furthermore, Rauschenbusch on numerous occasions in all his books specifically states that his ideas of social justice take nothing away from traditional christian theology; rather they add important things to it. The very things Keller talks about.
Again, Keller provides no detailed information about why he thinks Rauschenbusch denied the theory of atonement -- he simply says he did and in a footnote cites a book that seems to not say what Keller thinks it says.
This kind of unfair and misleading criticism of "liberal" christians is just wrong and we see it too much. Liberal christianity does not deny any of the essentials of the faith (at least the liberals that Keller talks about); but adds the "do" and "God's Kingdom" parts of the gospel that conservative christians too often miss. Keller does a great service in pointing this out. I just wish he was fair to liberal christians who have long been exactly where Mr. Keller has now arrived.
But, again, very good book. And, one that I hope many christians (conservative and liberal) will read.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 12, 2011