Comments on: Why John Piper is Dangerous

By: Anne

Anne — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:23:34 +0000

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and the wages of sin is death. We all deserve hell. When you talk about horrible things happening to people, you should remember that the good things are actually the exception, and the question we should be asking is why do good things happen to us? If we truly understood how awesome and terrible God is (for our God is a consuming fire), we would shudder at our audacity to think that He owes us anything. The fact that He sent His Son to die for us should shock us into mystified silence. You can talk about how a good God would not want horrible things to happen to us, but you forget that He is justified for we have sinned . . .
PS: Here’s my caveat – I only read through the first few comments. I haven’t seen Piper’s message about the tornado and the church or the bridge, so my response is really not directed at Piper or what is being said here about him. I’m just responding to the general sense I received from the post/comments. If God decided to destroy us all (not just physically, but spiritually by sending us all to hell, He would be justified – we need to remember that).

By: Patti

Patti — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 04:25:08 +0000

You won’t understand until the Holy Spirit comes into your soul, and HE may never come You can’t see until then… It is supernatural. That’s why you can’t argue with an unbeliever.

By: R.O. Flyer

R.O. Flyer — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 02:13:53 +0000

I brought this point up in a class the other day when we were discussing the flood and I made reference to Piper’s statements.

By: isaac

isaac — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 21:54:55 +0000

to borrow a line from Hauerwas: i have no doubt that Piper is sincere in his faith; but that just goes to show that sincerity has nothing to do with being a Christian.

By: Andy Alexis-Baker

Andy Alexis-Baker — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 21:11:50 +0000

I meant what I said about him. It was not sarcasm or jesting. He worships a different God than I do.

Jesus was quite biting when he wanted to be Brad “You brood of vipers!” “You make your disciples twice the sons of hell that you are.”

By: Brad

Brad — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 17:03:00 +0000

I am so glad that you guy are able to be so certain that Piper is not even saved. I for one would rather take a safer route instead of standing over as you are judge/jury emphasizing in a very cutting/sarcastic way the things that make Piper’s theology stand out. Guys this is a guy who has given himself to serving people and made it his ambition in life to serve Christ passionately however the Lord leads him. I’d rather say as the High Priest said about the disciples.

“Men consider carefully what you are about to do to these men.”

I for one don’t want to limit what God is attempting to do. Call it naiive if you like. But John Piper is a good man. He also lives a lot more disciplined, God-fearing, and a loving servant to those around him. While I strongly don’t agree with many parts of his theology. Just listen to the man and see how he loves his Lord, and passionately proclaims his life’s ambition to exalt Jesus. If you haven’t noticed his message, in it’s extreme may be whacked out, is full of words of deep conviction. His church is strong and they are a people of great faith. They are incredible in prayer, abundant in giving, explosive in missions, helping the poor and the urban community like you wouldn’t believe! And we dare have the right to say all kinds of evil against him so what we can feel better about ourselves?

Paul said, “if anyone thinks that he has knowledge and that knowing makes him anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know.” Humility friends of the cross and of the love of God.

Sure continue to disagree with the man’s teachings on one subject. But don’t fall into an extreme of taking one thing and discounting every other good thing. Let us remember that we ought to be sober, level headed and not cynical as men that must give account for any rash words we have spoken or typed.

Carry on with your banter, debating, jesting, sarcasm if you so desire. Just remember to keep in the Spirit with Christ. Who was not vicious and sarcastic, even with the Pharisees until he had perfectly understood the way they lived their life not simply a teaching they had. Continue now demonstrating patience and kindness, refusing to argue in the hope that people that are in bondage may find freedom.

By: Brad

Brad — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:43:43 +0000

I hope that doesn’t mean that you think all Christians should agree with Ryan that they are the worst sinners and deserving punishment.

By: Brad

Brad — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:41:08 +0000

Okay, lets say that we sinned and so we get cut off from God and live our lives in rebellion against him. So then we hear the message of forgiveness and peace with God and we receive Christ message. We are transferred from darkness to light, kingdom of Satan to God, bondage to freedom. WHY would you ever say after all that Christ has done for you…

i AM the worst of sinners and I DESERVE the worst punishment.
Dude, like read your Bible. Paul writes the letters to all the churches and says to “the sinners in the church and to those that deserve the worst punishment” OH WAIT no that’s not it. You got teachers that have convinced you to overlook the obvious. You are a Saint, a holy one, a redeemed, loved, enjoyed by God, masterpiece of a work, fighting on the winning side. COME ON MAN, shake off all that false guilt the devil is heaping on you and get excited you are FREE.

By: Brad

Brad — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:31:57 +0000

Sorry when I said both sides I was thinking Calvinist and Arminian. I really am amazed at how God takes what we give Him and works through our imperfect understandings to further His kingdom. Like Paul said the kingdom is not a matter of talk but of power.

By: Brad

Brad — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:29:21 +0000

I can’t resist. I was under Piper for years and then a Calvinistic Charismatic thing and I see God using both sides to reach people with the message of Christ life redeeming transforming and empowering. Anyway. I think it is so funny that as you read through Romans 11 you come to the place where you realize.

The ones God chose (elect) rejected Him.
The ones that rejected him became His elect.
And then Paul’s like ok so now you are elect don’t blow it like the previous elect and cut off.

It’s Hilarious. God is so funny.

By: Halden

Halden — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:31:52 +0000

they find themselves challenged and surprised because they have underestimated what they are handling.

Wow, so you really do make sweet passionate love to yourself every night, eh?

By: Halden

Halden — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 05:28:06 +0000

Heh heh. The delusions of the neurotically “reformed” are so funny to listen to.

By: d. w. horstkoetter

d. w. horstkoetter — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 02:23:33 +0000

Frank, if Glen Beck in all his glory (and I use that term lightly — perhaps I the term sublime would be a better fit, with the aesthetic definition of sublime rather than a popular dictionary definition) can get 2.8 million viewers now, perhaps your digs mean nothing.

By: Bobby Grow

Bobby Grow — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:53:07 +0000

Actually, Frank, I just wasn’t comfortable with your format; there wasn’t anything about what you had/have to say that is very hard to “deal” with. Your debate blog is just kind’ve, contrived; so it just does not come off as a genuine place for fruitful dialogue, except for you to try and impress your “choir.”

I think you need to just let this go, Frank . . . quit pouting.

By: Bobby Grow

Bobby Grow — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 01:47:32 +0000

You mean like “chub’s of meat” jokes about PoMo’s, Frank?