In light of the recent controversy over Rob Bell’s latest book, “Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived” , I thought John Piper’s comments on our passage for today were timely: Hell is insufficient to save anybody. I mean hell cannot scare anyone into heaven, because heaven is a … More John Piper: Fear of hell is no proof of love for God
God’s purpose in Romans 9:23 is “to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory.” John Piper states in a sermon, “God’s Ultimate Purpose: Vessels of Mercy Knowing the Riches of His Glory”- As a Christian you are a vessel of mercy. You were called out of spiritual … More John Piper: Vessels-by mercy, through mercy, and for mercy
Our read-through-the-Bible plan brings us to Romans 9 today, a difficult passage to understand. John Piper has written a whole book, “The Justification of God” which covers the first 23 verses of chapter 9 of Romans. In 2002, he preached a sermon on Romans 9 and said this, “because of Romans 9 I left teaching … More John Piper: “The gospel of Romans 9”
What’s the difference between these the sheep and goats in Matthew 25:31-46? How they treated his brothers, that is his disciples. Mercy is the difference Jesus focuses on. When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 Before him … More Sheep, Goats and Mercy
Romans 8 is such a beautiful, wonderful passage of promise and hope. It was hard to know what part to highlight on our read-through-the-Bible plan. Here are John Piper’s comments: Verse 35 says that there will be tribulation and distress and persecution and sword. Verse 36 says that Christians are being killed all day long, … More John Piper on Romans 8: The Solid Logic of Heaven
Two days ago, a massive earthquake and catastrophic tsunami struck Japan. Today in our read-through-the-Bible plan, we come to Psalm 60: 60:1 O God, you have rejected us, broken our defenses; you have been angry; oh, restore us. 2 You have made the land to quake; you have torn it open; repair its breaches, for it totters. … More A cry for mercy for Japan
John Piper in a sermon, “No Condemnation in Christ Jesus, Part 1:” The Essence of Christianity The essence of Christianity is that God is the supreme value in the universe, that we do not honor him as supremely valuable, that we are therefore guilty of sin and under his omnipotent wrath, and he alone can … More John Piper: This is what we lay down our lives to communicate to the nations and the neighborhoods: No condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
Today, we come to Romans 7 in our read-through-the-Bible plan. We come to an important question, which can have some very practical consequences in our lives. Is Paul writing this description of his life and experience before he became a Christian? Or does it describe his present struggles as a Christian? You could find advocates of … More John Piper: God give us the honesty and candor and humility of the apostle Paul.
Romans 7:4: “Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God.” Dr. John Piper, in a sermon, “Dead to the Law, Serving … More Fruit on a vine or tinsel on a tree? John Piper on Romans 7:4
What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But … More John Piper: do not jump to the conclusion that the battle is a charade
