{"id":2406,"date":"2006-09-29T06:40:00","date_gmt":"2006-09-29T06:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/adrianwarnock.com\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-a-charismatic-mandate\/"},"modified":"2018-01-15T14:24:26","modified_gmt":"2018-01-15T14:24:26","slug":"piper-friday-charismatic-mandate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/","title":{"rendered":"PIPER FRIDAY – A Charismatic Mandate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/a> <\/p>\n

This week I want to direct your attention to <\/span>an article from 1991<\/span><\/a> in which Dr. John Piper makes the most charismatic statements I have seen anywhere in his material, and argues for his position very clearly. If you are interested in a more extended explanation of Piper\u2019s views, there is also a fourteen-part sermon series on the gifts entitled, \u201cAre Signs and Wonders for Today?<\/a>\u201d which he preached in 1990. Piper is not your typical charismatic, but is more open to gifts than many assume of him. I share this as part of a list of resources I would recommend for those interested in studying the issues further following our <\/span>charismatic debate<\/span><\/a> here on the blog.\n

Like his hero, Martyn Lloyd-Jones, before him, Dr. Piper does not associate extensively with charismatic ministries, nor does he tend to describe himself as a Charismatic or Pentecostal<\/a>. In understanding the teaching of both Piper and Lloyd-Jones on this issue, it is important that we do not miss their scepticism of much of the modern charismatic movement<\/a>. In that, I have to say I do largely agree with both of them.<\/p>\n

It seems, at least in this article, that Piper goes further than many today by clearly urging us to not merely be \u201copen but cautious,\u201d but rather to eagerly desire and cry out to God for an impartation of the Holy Spirit and all His gifts.<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n

<\/p>\n


I strongly recommend the whole article for a carefully-reasoned argument to support a continuationist position written by the greatest preacher\/theologian of our time. It is interesting that \u2014 at least as far as I remember \u2014 this kind of clear trumpet-call to the church today has not yet made it into one of Piper\u2019s published books. But for those willing to spend some time digging at <\/span>http:\/\/www.desiringgod.org\/<\/span><\/a> \u2014 or indeed in the archives of my Piper Friday<\/a> posts \u2014 it will become clear that the sentiments of this article are also expressed elsewhere in Dr. Piper\u2019s preaching.
<\/span><\/div>\n
\n

\u201cI am one of those Baptist General Conference people who believes that \u201csigns and wonders\u201d and all the spiritual gifts of 1 Corinthians 12:8-10 are valid for today and should be \u201cearnestly desired\u201d (1 Corinthians 14:1) for the edification of the church and the spread of the Gospel. I agree with the words of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, preached in 1965:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is perfectly clear that in New Testament times, the gospel was authenticated in this way by signs, wonders, and miracles of various characters and descriptions . . . . Was it only meant to be true of the early church? . . . The Scriptures never anywhere say that these things were only temporary \u2014 never! There is no such statement anywhere.<\/em>\u201d (The Sovereign Spirit<\/em><\/strong>, pp. 31-32)<\/p>\n

. . . I want to argue in this section that the New Testament teaches that spiritual gifts (including the more obviously supernatural or revelatory ones like prophecy and tongues) will continue until Jesus comes. The use of such gifts (miracles, faith, healings, prophecy, etc.) give rise to what may sometimes be called \u201csigns and wonders.\u201d Therefore, signs and wonders are part of the blessing we should pray for today.<\/p>\n

There is no text in the New Testament that teaches the cessation of these gifts. But more important than this silence is the text that explicitly teaches their continuance until Jesus comes, namely, 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 . . . .<\/p>\n

. . . Both of these phrases (\u201cseeing face to face\u201d and \u201cunderstanding as we have been understood\u201d) are stretched beyond the breaking point if we say that they refer to the closing of the New Testament canon or the close of the apostolic age. Rather, they refer to our experience at the second coming of Jesus . . . .<\/p>\n

This means that verse 10 can be paraphrased, \u201cWhen Christ returns, the imperfect will pass away.\u201d And since \u201cthe imperfect\u201d refers to spiritual gifts like prophecy and knowledge and tongues, we may paraphrase further, \u201cWhen Christ returns, then prophecy and knowledge and tongues will pass away\u201d . . . .<\/p>\n

Therefore, 1 Corinthians 13:8-12 teaches that such spiritual gifts will continue until the second coming of Jesus. There is no reason to exclude from this conclusion the other \u201cimperfect\u201d gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10. Since these include miracles, faith, healings, etc., with which we associate \u201csigns and wonders,\u201d there is clear New Testament warrant for expecting that \u201csigns and wonders\u201d will continue until Jesus comes.<\/p>\n

Now add to this conclusion the forthright command in 1 Corinthians 14:1, and you will see why some of us are not only open to, but also seeking, this greater fullness of God\u2019s power today. This command says, \u201cMake love your aim, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.\u201d And it is repeated twice: \u201cEarnestly desire the higher gifts\u201d (12:31); \u201cEarnestly desire to prophesy and do not forbid speaking in tongues\u201d (14:39).<\/p>\n

I wonder how many of us have said for years that we are open to God\u2019s moving in spiritual gifts, but have been disobedient to this command to earnestly desire them, especially prophecy? I would ask all of us: are we so sure of our hermeneutical procedure for diminishing the gifts that we would risk walking in disobedience to a plain command of Scripture? \u201cEarnestly desire spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.\u201d<\/p>\n

I have come to the point of seeing that the risk lies in the other direction. It would be a risk not to seek spiritual gifts for myself and my church. It would be a risk not to pray with the early church, \u201cGrant your servants to speak your word with boldness while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through your holy servant Jesus.\u201d Disobedience is always a greater risk than obedience.<\/p>\n

Much of my experience disinclines me to \u201cearnestly desire spiritual gifts,\u201d especially the gift of prophecy. However, I do not base my prayer for such spiritual empowering on experience, but on the Bible. The Scripture is sufficient for all circumstances by teaching us the means of grace to be used in all circumstances. And I agree with Martyn Lloyd-Jones that one of the means of grace needed in our day is the extraordinary demonstration of power by signs and wonders. Here is what he said:<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is needed is some mighty demonstration of the power of God, some enactment of the Almighty, that will compel people to pay attention, and to look, and to listen. . . . When God acts, he can do more in a minute than man with his organizing can do in fifty years.\u201d <\/em>(Revival<\/em><\/strong>, pp. 121-122)<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

<\/p><\/span><\/div>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This week I want to direct your attention to an article from 1991 in which Dr. John Piper makes the most charismatic statements I have seen anywhere in his material, and argues for his position very clearly. If you are interested in a more extended explanation of Piper\u2019s views, there is also a fourteen-part sermon […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1268,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[262,355,58,128],"tags":[410,561,536],"class_list":["post-2406","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-gifts-of-holy-spirit","category-gifts-of-the-holy-spirit-2006","category-john-piper","category-revival","tag-healing-2","tag-john-piper","tag-revival"],"yoast_head":"\nPIPER FRIDAY - A Charismatic Mandate<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"This week I want to direct your attention to an article from 1991 in which Dr. John Piper makes the most charismatic statements I have seen anywhere in\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"PIPER FRIDAY - A Charismatic Mandate\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"This week I want to direct your attention to an article from 1991 in which Dr. John Piper makes the most charismatic statements I have seen anywhere in\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Adrian Warnock\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/adrianwarnockpage\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2006-09-29T06:40:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2018-01-15T14:24:26+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"http:\/\/wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/files\/2006\/09\/piper1-7149231.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Adrian Warnock\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@adrianwarnock\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Adrian Warnock\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/\",\"name\":\"PIPER FRIDAY - A Charismatic Mandate\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2006-09-29T06:40:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2018-01-15T14:24:26+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/#\/schema\/person\/4dc7481b9baa3553d9a7698715084eaa\"},\"description\":\"This week I want to direct your attention to an article from 1991 in which Dr. John Piper makes the most charismatic statements I have seen anywhere in\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"PIPER FRIDAY – A Charismatic Mandate\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/\",\"name\":\"Adrian Warnock\",\"description\":\"Patheos Evangelical\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/#\/schema\/person\/4dc7481b9baa3553d9a7698715084eaa\",\"name\":\"Adrian Warnock\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e5ff2076e287d1578e3b13fc015d78be?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e5ff2076e287d1578e3b13fc015d78be?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Adrian Warnock\"},\"description\":\"The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Just not all at once. Healing takes time. Compassion and patience carry us over a lifetime of change. These are the themes I explore in my books and in the articles I have written for Patheos since 2003. My writing draws on my scientific training as a doctor and psychiatrist, my work in the UK's National Health Service and the pharmaceutical industry, alongside more than twenty-five years as a member of a growing church where I served on the leadership team offering pastoral care. My perspective has also been shaped by chronic illness since 2017, when I developed life-threatening pneumonia that caused lasting damage to my body, triggered several further conditions, and uncovered a diagnosis of blood cancer. This was successfully treated, although doctors expect it to return in the future. Out of these experiences I founded Blood Cancer Uncensored, an online patient-led support community. I am the author of the Transformed by Jesus: Spiritual Renewal series of books, which ask: \u2192 Is the Easter story true, and what does it mean? Raised With Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything \u2192 Why is change so difficult? What causes the resistance? The Traitor Within: Understanding and Healing Our Deceitful Hearts \u2192 How does transformation happen over time? Amazing Grace: How Faith Grows in the Human Heart \u2192 What are the first steps on a journey of faith? Hope Reborn: How to Become a Christian and Live for Jesus These books bring together medical, psychological, social, and faith-based insights, advocating for a biopsychosocial\u2013spiritual model of wellbeing. My qualifications and training reflect this integrated background: \u2192 British MB BS medical degree (equivalent to an MD in the USA) \u2192 Postgraduate qualifications in Psychiatry (MRCPsych) and Pharmaceutical Medicine (MFFM, DipPharmMed) \u2192 Theological training courses run by Newfrontiers\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\",\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/adrianwarnockpage\/\",\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/adrianwarnock\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/author\/awarnock\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"PIPER FRIDAY - A Charismatic Mandate","description":"This week I want to direct your attention to an article from 1991 in which Dr. John Piper makes the most charismatic statements I have seen anywhere in","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"PIPER FRIDAY - A Charismatic Mandate","og_description":"This week I want to direct your attention to an article from 1991 in which Dr. John Piper makes the most charismatic statements I have seen anywhere in","og_url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/","og_site_name":"Adrian Warnock","article_author":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/adrianwarnockpage\/","article_published_time":"2006-09-29T06:40:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2018-01-15T14:24:26+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"http:\/\/wp.patheos.com.s3.amazonaws.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/files\/2006\/09\/piper1-7149231.jpg"}],"author":"Adrian Warnock","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@adrianwarnock","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Adrian Warnock","Est. reading time":"5 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/","name":"PIPER FRIDAY - A Charismatic Mandate","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/#website"},"datePublished":"2006-09-29T06:40:00+00:00","dateModified":"2018-01-15T14:24:26+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/#\/schema\/person\/4dc7481b9baa3553d9a7698715084eaa"},"description":"This week I want to direct your attention to an article from 1991 in which Dr. John Piper makes the most charismatic statements I have seen anywhere in","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/2006\/09\/piper-friday-charismatic-mandate\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"PIPER FRIDAY – A Charismatic Mandate"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/","name":"Adrian Warnock","description":"Patheos Evangelical","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/#\/schema\/person\/4dc7481b9baa3553d9a7698715084eaa","name":"Adrian Warnock","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e5ff2076e287d1578e3b13fc015d78be?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e5ff2076e287d1578e3b13fc015d78be?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Adrian Warnock"},"description":"The resurrection of Jesus changes everything. Just not all at once. Healing takes time. Compassion and patience carry us over a lifetime of change. These are the themes I explore in my books and in the articles I have written for Patheos since 2003. My writing draws on my scientific training as a doctor and psychiatrist, my work in the UK's National Health Service and the pharmaceutical industry, alongside more than twenty-five years as a member of a growing church where I served on the leadership team offering pastoral care. My perspective has also been shaped by chronic illness since 2017, when I developed life-threatening pneumonia that caused lasting damage to my body, triggered several further conditions, and uncovered a diagnosis of blood cancer. This was successfully treated, although doctors expect it to return in the future. Out of these experiences I founded Blood Cancer Uncensored, an online patient-led support community. I am the author of the Transformed by Jesus: Spiritual Renewal series of books, which ask: \u2192 Is the Easter story true, and what does it mean? Raised With Christ: How the Resurrection Changes Everything \u2192 Why is change so difficult? What causes the resistance? The Traitor Within: Understanding and Healing Our Deceitful Hearts \u2192 How does transformation happen over time? Amazing Grace: How Faith Grows in the Human Heart \u2192 What are the first steps on a journey of faith? Hope Reborn: How to Become a Christian and Live for Jesus These books bring together medical, psychological, social, and faith-based insights, advocating for a biopsychosocial\u2013spiritual model of wellbeing. My qualifications and training reflect this integrated background: \u2192 British MB BS medical degree (equivalent to an MD in the USA) \u2192 Postgraduate qualifications in Psychiatry (MRCPsych) and Pharmaceutical Medicine (MFFM, DipPharmMed) \u2192 Theological training courses run by Newfrontiers","sameAs":["http:\/\/patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/adrianwarnockpage\/","https:\/\/twitter.com\/adrianwarnock"],"url":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/author\/awarnock\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2406","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1268"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2406"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2406\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2406"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2406"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/adrianwarnock\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2406"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}