Many of the opponents of the doctrine of justification and penal substitution criticize us for not being as interested in the resurrection as the cross. I increasingly think that it is not so fair to accuse most evangelical theologians of not having a place for the resurrection in our system of beliefs. I do feel, however, that we perhaps under-emphasize the resurrection at times. As I was reading this book, I was aware that, of course, Piper was interacting with... Read more
UPDATE In January 2008, the following post was identified as the 13th all-time most popular post with readers of this blog. The 14th most-read post was the summary of my interview with the leader of Newfrontiers, Terry Virgo. This post was part of a series of posts on the debate between Wright and Piper over justification. Other parts of this series which would have made the top 30 in their own right include: John Piper, N. T. Wright, and Gracious... Read more
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John Piper has delivered an amazing lecture on the vital place of justification to the ETS. The manuscript, video, and audio are available online, and this sets his new book, The Future of Justification, into context. The whole talk is fantastic, but these couple of paragraphs stuck out for me, especially considering his audience! I’m aware that for some in the academic world, perhaps some of you, this very confession calls my fitness into question as a competent exegete. “This... Read more
People who know me well know that the football genes have skipped a generation. I am, of course, referring to the original game of football as invented by us British and called “soccer” by only one nation on earth (i.e. the USA). To the rest of the world it’s just ‘football’. My father and brother love football and support Tottenham. My eldest son, Henry, has caused some consternation by rejecting this club and defecting to Arsenal instead. My brother and... Read more
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As we continue looking at John Piper’s book we have now reached page 200 and following. I want to highlight Piper’s attitude to the law. What, according to Piper, is the purpose of the law? “The reason the law is not against the promise is precisely that it was designed not to give life but to hold under sin and lead to Christ who gives life. Paul says that if the law had given life, then it would have been... Read more
My friend, Tony Miles, reports on the death of Rob Frost. More information is available at Share Jesus International, where reflections from his family are also available. I found this passage striking: On the last evening of Easter People this year Rob preached, and as he left the platform he was sad that this would be the last Easter People . . . but he believed God said to him, “. . . you will not be here next year... Read more
Today I want to share how John Piper brings two passages to bear on the justification debate. The quotes are all from his new book, The Future of Justification, and come from pages 170-180. The two passages are Romans 5 and 2 Corinthians 5. Piper is responding to Wright’s slightly odd way of speaking about them. If you are interested in seeing an example of this, there is an article by Wright on 2 Corinthians 5:21 that I must say... Read more
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In his book, The Future of Justification, John Piper addresses the issue of legalism and the first century Jew. Piper responds to some of the notions of the New Perspectives people who claim that first century Jews had not drifted from the grace message of the Old Testament into legalism. He explains . . . “In regard to the second objection to the general view that “the Jew keeps the law out of gratitude, as the proper response to grace,”... Read more
There is a very interesting quote from Matt Perman, one of John Piper’s students, which Piper includes in his book, The Future of Justification. It addresses N. T. Wright’s view that Judaism was not legalistic. Matt argues that there are, in fact, two types of legalism. Speaking of Wright and others he says: “They appear to be thinking only in terms of hard legalism, which is the notion that either your works bribe God or that they are self-produced by... Read more
Today is remembrance day. It is the day which we hope ended war forever in the main countries of Europe. It is a day for silence, contemplation, and gratitude. The thought that strikes me is that what is true of nations is also true of individuals. We war and fight with one another, and just as a small event all those years ago erupted into a major war that engulfed the globe, so in our personal relationships small disagreements can... Read more
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