the-freedom-of-self

In Keller’s usage, the ego refers to the human sense of self-worth and identity, the psychological center that monitors how one is perceived and evaluated by others and by oneself. Unlike popular usage where “ego” often simply means arrogance or self-importance, Keller treats the ego as a universal human feature that can manifest as either inflated (pride) or deflated (low self-esteem), but in both cases remains fundamentally dysfunctional when not grounded in God’s verdict. The natural ego is characterized as empty, painful, busy, and fragile—constantly drawing attention to itself through comparing and boasting, perpetually seeking validation it can never securely obtain.

Gospel-humility represents Keller’s distinctive concept of humility transformed by the gospel, which he distinguishes from conventional understandings of humility as self-deprecation or perpetual awareness of one’s lowliness. Gospel-humility, in Keller’s framework, means not thinking more highly of oneself (pride) or thinking less highly of oneself (low self-esteem), but rather thinking of oneself less—achieving a state of self-forgetfulness where the ego functions naturally without constantly drawing attention to itself. This humility results from the security of knowing one’s identity is grounded in God’s verdict rather than in human performance or approval, freeing the person from perpetual self-monitoring and self-evaluation.