Loving thinking-about-God more than God / Loving worshipping-God more than God
This is a good word from Piper about replacing God with aspects of religion. It seems like it’s right, but it’s really pride. I’m definitely prone to fall into this sin. Check it out!?
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No commentsJohn Piper on Environmentalism
My favorite line from this is:
“Love for people, not love for mother earth. Who cares about mother earth, as a mother!”
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No commentsMaybe the best sermon I’ve ever heard…
Maybe. I’m not entirely sure, but maybe, John Piper’s sermon at the Together For the Gospel Conference 2010, is my favorite sermon ever. I love the ministry of John Piper. I’m not worshipping the man, but I thoroughly appreciate how God uses John Piper to bless my life and point me towards Jesus. This sermon from T4G2010 is simply amazing. In this sermon, Piper asks the question, “Did Jesus preach the message of imputation that Paul clearly preached?” In other words, “Did Paul alter the message of Jesus?” or “Are Jesus’ and Paul’s theology the same?” Piper’s answer is a resounding yes. Jesus and the Apostle Paul are in complete agreement, and his exegesis to prove this point is remarkable. This sermon is eye-opening and highly applicable to many of the errant teachings of emergent teachers (although Piper never makes that direct application himself in the sermon). I highly commend it for your consideration.
Manuscript http://www.desiringgod.org/Blog/2352_did_jesus_preach_pauls_gospel/
Audio http://www.t4g.org/resources/
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1 commentBook Review: Finally Alive by John Piper
I received a free copy of Finally Alive last month at the Death to Performance Conference in Nashville. Finally Alive is a new book (published in 2009) by John Piper that is all about regeneration. Regeneration is the technical (but still Biblical) term used to describe what the Bible calls “being born again.”
Piper’s aim is to return to a true, biblical understanding about the new birth. In the first chapter he offers a scathing rebuke to those who misuse the term “born again,” as well as an example of true regeneration by examining the conversions of C. S. Lewis and Augustine. Building upon the argument that Christians must truly understand regeneration, Piper then spends the next fifteen chapters unpacking the biblical teaching about the new birth. In typical Piper fashion, the exposition of Scripture is precise, the writing is technical, and the truths are glorious. Piper ends the book by spending two chapters urging believers to spread the message of the gospel. Christians must proclaim the message of Jesus. As he says, “God’s role in bringing about the new birth is decisive, and our role in bringing about the new birth is essential” (166). Piper is a Calvinist, but a biblical Calvinist who realizes that humans are the agency that God has appointed to proclaim the gospel to the world.
I found this book really encouraging. Piper’s balance in explaining the doctrine of regeneration is spot-on. He studies the work of regeneration from both God’s perspective and man’s perspective. The new birth is unashamedly God’s work, but it is always accompanied immediately by faith in the life of a believer. As Piper says on page 33, “When answering the question What happens in the new birth? never separate these two sayings of Jesus in John 3: ‘Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God’ (v. 3), and, ‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life’ (v. 36).” Equally important in Finally Alive is Piper’s explanation of grace and work in the life of a believer. The new birth occurs by grace alone, but by grace Christians become irreversibly linked with Christ and his life. This union with Jesus always results in love and good deeds, and the good deeds are evidence of true saving faith in the life of a believer. The most compelling part of the book for me was definitely the last two chapters. In chapters fourteen and fifteen, Piper encourages believers to return to good old-fashioned evangelism. As he says, “We’re ending with personal evangelism – an old-fashioned commitment in new contexts for the sake of the new birth in thousands of spiritually dead people for the glory of Jesus Christ” (177). He urges believers to “Tell people the good news of Christ from a heart of love and life of service” (166).
Having read this book, I’m more compelled than ever to embrace God’s absolute sovereignty in salvation, and my absolute need to share Jesus to those around me. Christians must never bow to a fatalistic mindset that ignores the necessity of sharing the gospel. While I know this to be true, I still struggle to be bold with my faith. But as Paul said, “the gospel…is the power of salvation to everyone who believes” (Romans 1:16).
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2 commentsBook Review: The Supremacy of God in Preaching by John Piper
How can I even begin to describe such a great book? If you’re a preacher you should read this book! The Supremacy of God in Preaching is one of the most helpful little books I’ve found about the privilege of expounding God’s Word.
I love this book for a few different reasons: 1) I agree with everything John Piper says in these pages, 2) this is a brief but digestible word to preachers, and 3) Piper’s approach to a book about preaching is unique.
I Agree with Everything John Piper says in The Supremacy of God in Preaching
I’ve read quite a few books on preaching, and I enjoy and glean insights from many of them, but there are usually one or two statements in all of them that really hack me off. This anger usually arises from the author unnecessarily attacking preaching styles that are unlike his own. Piper rises above these unnecessary attacks and simply tells it how it is. Everything in this book is helpful. It’s not that Piper offers no critique of certain preaching, but he does so in a winsome tone and with ample evidence to support his point. I love the encouragement that I find in The Supremacy of God in Preaching.
This is a Brief but Digestible Word to Preachers
Applying The Supremacy of God in Preaching will probably take a lifetime, but understanding it and reading it is easy. I was able to sit down and read (and underline the heck out of) this book in just a few hours. I honestly believe this book will benefit anyone who preaches the Word of God. And…it’s short enough that it can be read again and again. I love its usability!
Piper’s Approach to a Book About Preaching is Unique
Oftentimes books about ministry seem to all arise from the same think-tank. Books about small groups all say the same thing, books about parenting repeat again and again the same principles, and many times books about preaching just copy the preaching book that was published two years prior. No doubt – there is a kind of comfort in hearing that everyone agrees, but there’s also a sort of boredom that comes with book after book saying the same thing. I’m sure John Piper could have written a good book that was similar to many other books on preaching, but instead he infused his own unique approach to the subject. Specifically, much of this book is focused on the art of preaching as seen through the eyes Jonathan Edwards. Anyone who knows Piper well, knows that Edwards has been a huge influence on his life and ministry, so it should come as no surprise that Piper’s book on preaching is influenced by Edwards. Piper’s exposition of Edward’s method is refreshing and unique. He does say things that other preachers say, but says them differently. It’s a pleasant change from the status quo.
I love this book and hope to reread it multiple times! If you preach the Word of God, I think it will probably help you too.
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No commentsBook Review: Mere Christianity by C. S. Lewis
Precursory Thoughts
It’s been my intention for quite a while to spend time with the writings of C.S. Lewis. Four or five years ago I read nearly half of Mere Christianity, but at the time I was also reading several other books and attending seminary. The mixture of busy-ness made it easy to put this book down half way through.
Lately I’ve read several other authors who, quoting Lewis, have increased my desire to pick up Mere Christianity once again and give it a go. John Piper, whom I respect tremendously, often quotes Lewis; he does so especially in his seminal book, Desiring God. Likewise Tim Keller,whom I also respect, refers to Lewis as a huge influence and quotes from him liberally in The Reason for God. Lastly, Brian McLaren, whom I do not respect (his theology, not the man), also uses Lewis as a source of inspiration in some of his writings. The problem with this of course is that two men whom I greatly admire and agree with, site Lewis as a large influence. Contrariwise McLaren, whom I do not respect, sites Lewis as a reference too. In fact I would say that many of the most-loathsome beliefs that McLaren espouses seem to be founded in the thought of C.S. Lewis.
Watching a recent talk by John Piper about Lewis has helped clear the air for me in many respects. In the talk, which I encourage you to watch, Piper discusses some of the problems with Lewis, but he also discusses the rewards that C.S. Lewis has wrought within his own life.
Review
Mere Christianity was originally delivered as a series of Radio Broadcasts in the 1940′s, only later in 1952, was it developed into a book. As a result, it’s a very approachable read with subjects divided into nice, bite-sized chapters. The book is organized into four separate books each with its own chapters. The books are as follows: Book 1 – Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe, Book 2 – What Christians Believe, Book 3 – Christian Behaviour, Book 4 – Beyond Personality: Or First Steps in the Doctrine of the Trinity. Mere Christianity is essentially part apologetic for Christianity and part explanation of Christianity, and I have to applaud Lewis for doing a good job in his defending and explaining.
Personally, I enjoyed the apologetic in the beginning of the book and the thoughts on the Trinity at the end of the book most thoroughly. The book is a bit slow in the middle. Spiritually speaking, Mere Christianity gave me some interesting ways of thinking about Christianity. In fact Lewis’ greatest contribution may be that he allows readers to see problematic portions of Christianity in a new light through his vivid descriptions.
This book wasn’t life changing for me, but it was definitely a worthwhile read. If nothing else, I see portions of Christianity more clearly than I used to, and I have a bunch of Lewis quotes that will make me sound smart if I use them. The problematic parts of Lewis’ philosophy make this a hard book for me to whole-heartedly recommend (see Piper’s talk). Many will be blessed by its content and some may be led astray. As always we must place the Bible’s revelation of itself ahead of man’s interpretations. Our personal interpretations are subject to the scrutiny of Bible. I’m going to continue to read more of Lewis and see how my opinion develops after delving further.
Piper’s talk – http://theresurgence.com/why-cs-lewis-influenced-john-piper
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No commentsBook Review: Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller
I’m not going to give a full review of this book because I’m not sure that it’s really necessary. However, because I believe the academic exercise of reviewing books is a necessary one to synthesize thoughts concretely, I will at least provide a list of the highlights of my thoughts on Through Painted Deserts.
- This is Donald Miller’s first book in revised and rewritten form originally entitled Prayer and the Art of Volkswagen Maintenance.
- It’s apparent that this is some of Miller’s earlier writing. While still a good book, it’s not as immediately accessible as Blue Like Jazz, Searching for God Knows What, To Own a Dragon, or A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.
- Through Painted Deserts is less pointed in its spiritual approach. This is more of a memoir of Donald Miller than a statement about God. Miller does relate pieces of the struggle he had in his 20′s to believe in God over against Evolutionary and Scientific theories, but these struggles take a back seat to the overall story of the book.
- Having read this right after reading The Reason For God by Tim Keller, is was cool to see some of Keller’s arguments for God articulated in Miller’s real life experiences. Keller talks about the beauty and longing found within art and nature as indications of God’s reality, and Miller expresses these same thoughts personally as he relates his story of traveling across America. Miller also relates the insignificance he feels towards himself when observing God’s creation, a thought that is reminiscent of John Piper. So in a real way, Miller helps flesh out the arguments of Keller and Piper.
- This is an enjoyable read, but I feel it is Miller’s least important work to date. If you’ve never read Donald Miller before, I’d suggest reading any of his other books before reading Through Painted Deserts.
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1 commentCounted Righteous in Christ – by John Piper
I recently finished reading Counted Righteous in Christ by John Piper. It is a concise, 135 page book which defends the doctrine of imputation. Generally speaking, imputation means ascribing a quality (such as guilt or righteousness) to someone based on the actions of someone else (Apple Dictionary). Theologically, Piper describes it as “the act in which God counts sinners to be righteousness through their faith in Christ on the basis of Christ’s perfect “blood and righteousness,” specifically the righteousness that Christ accomplished by his perfect obedience in life and death” (Piper, 41). There are two parts to this imputation: 1) Christ’s suffering and death is substituted for the curse and condemnation we deserve, and 2) Christ’s suffering and perfectly, obedient life is substituted for the imperfectly obedient lives that we live (Piper, 41). In other words Jesus gets all the glory because He did all of the work of salvation.
Piper writes this book as a response to recent trends in theology that deny the Biblical foundation of imputation. Most notably Piper’s rebuttal is directed towards Robert Gundry. The book is divided into four chapters, but largest portion of the book is contained in chapter three where Piper defends imputation using careful exegesis of the relevant texts in the Bible.
I found this book compelling, easy to read, encouraging, and enlightening. It is compelling because “imputation” is one of those theological words that is thrown around often but rarely precisely defined. I found this book easy to read because of its length, but truthfully many will find it challenging because of the precise nature in which Piper exegetes the Bible and appeals to the Greek and Hebrew languages. It is encouraging because it is true and reminds me that salvation has nothing to do with my effort and everything to do with Jesus’ effort and accomplishments (Eph 2:8-9). And finally it is enlightening because I had no idea prior to reading Counted Righteous in Christ that the doctrine of imputation was under attack. Now I not only realize that it is under attack, but I am better prepared to recognize theological errors that I may come across while reading other books.
Counted Righteous in Christ is a wonderful explanation and defense of the traditional Protestant doctrine of imputation. The first several pages of the book include praise from many trustworthy authors such as: John MacArthur, John Frame, R. C. Sproul, John Stott, Bruce Ware, and Page Patterson. Read this book if you want to understand imputation. Read this book if you want to understand salvation.
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No commentsDon’t Waste Your Life Tour 09
I just saw this advertised on DesiringGod.org. I’m a big fan of the Reach Records guys and Desiring God, so I thought I’d promote the tour. LeCrae, Trip Lee, Tedashii, Sho Baraka, and Flame are headed to urban centers all across America this Summer to promote the message “Don’t Waste Your Life.”
Check it out at http://www.reachrecords.com/dwyl/.
Also check out LeCrae’s video for Don’t Waste Your Life, produced by Desiring God.
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No commentsJohn Piper on the 2008 Election; Ben’s Political Manifesto
I think perhaps I confuse a lot of my friends with my political ramblings, so I want to make a sort of political manefesto to clear the air:
I don’t think the Republican Party or the Democratic Party offer much hope for America. I think Jesus does.
I don’t think the ideals of the Republican Party or the Democratic Party represent a Christian worldview. I think parts of the ideologies of both parties are both beneficial and/or horrible depending on the issue we are dealing with.
I hate to think that a majority of the Christians I know seem to be adopting the viewpoints of conservatism in its entirety without deeply considering all the issues. It’s not just a 2 issue thing, it’s multiple issues. (Yes we must be anti-abortion if we believe in the 10 commandments, and yes we will reject the radical homosexual agenda believing that it is destructive to society and sinful, but believing those two things shouldn’t necessarily make us Republicans who adopt wholesale all Republican ideals).
America is not a Christian nation. What is a Christian nation anyway? America is a nation where (at least still at this point) there is freedom for competing ideas. If we take away one group’s freedom, we simultaneously endanger our own freedom.
We should vote to protect a Christo-centric morality in America, but we shouldn’t be surprised if society rejects that morality and votes differently. Moral laws in America are decided upon by vote, so go vote!
Ultimately, as Piper says above, our trust and hope and happiness are not in the political system. We’re involved in the discussion, but not overly involved. I believe we have freedom to embrace some of the policies of a political figure, while hating other policies of that figure. How should you vote? I don’t know. Search your own heart and head, and pray. But don’t pretend as if all Christians must vote one specific way.
Whether it drives people crazy or not, I’m just in the middle, and I’m very much questioning both sides. There’s more that could be said, but this is a start. If anyone is interested to know, I did not vote for McCain or Obama. Comments and discussion are welcome.
