John Piper says God is like Bill Clinton

http://blogtv.com/Shows/44572

John Piper says God is like Bill Clinton. In fact, he says all unbelievers are "like God".

How did Piper arrive at this awkward position? He assumes that all unbelievers have God's truth "deep down". Therefore, Piper must say that God is like unbelievers. Sadly, Piper fails to realise that natural man lost the image of God at the fall. Unbelievers are now as ignorant of God as oxen, birds and brute beasts are (Isa 1:3, Jer 8:7, Jude 1:10)

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Response to user FishyBirdMLS

He wrote me,

=== what proof do you have that Adam did not know how to multiply? Or, even more ridiculous, how to turn around? God told Adam to "be fruitful and multiply" as a parent might tell a kid, "Go outside and play." It isn't that the child doesn't know how to play. It's that the parent wants the child to play. It's command." ===

My response...

Interesting. You admit that God NEEDED TO COMMAND Adam to be fruitful and multiply. Adam couldn't have known the rightness/wrongness of multiplying by nature, could he? That's why God had to command him to multiply. After all, how was Adam meant to know the ethics of multiplying without God's revelation on the matter? Is Adam allowed to have more than one child? Was he allowed to fill the whole earth, or just the garden? Etc.

What seems obvious to us -- because we've been taught it from childhood -- is not that obvious when you think about it. It's only obvious because we've had revelation given to us.

It's just like the parent and the child. How's the child meant to know whether or not he's allowed outside to play that day? It may not be as self-evident as you think.

Can the child play in the cold? Will the parent let the child play in the rain? In the snow? With the next door neighbor? With the dog? In his new clothes? Til dark? After just eating? Before doing homework? etc etc.

One parent may let their child play in the cold with the dog but not before homework is done. Another parent might let their child play before homework but not with the dog in the cold. The fact of the matter is -- you can't innately know what's right and wrong.

And you can't know what's right by just speculating about it. It all depends on the requirements of the particular parent. And this is obviously why kids from easy-going homes can be "shocked" by the requirements of their friend's parents when they go visit. "Wow, your dad makes you do so many chores, and doesn't let you stay up late", one kid says to another. Clearly, you can ONLY know what someone wants -- whether a parent or God -- BY THEM TELLING YOU.

See the entire scripture -- God commands believers to teach their children the Law (because the children don't know it by nature). Secondly, unbelievers are defined as those "now knowing good from evil", i.e. lacking understanding right/wrong. Indeed, the fool says in his heart "there is no God" -- unbelievers are brute beasts (jude 1:10), and animals know more of their masters than unregenerate Israel understood about God (Isa 1:3).

Clearly, without faith we are "in the land of darkness", "without knowledge", "dead", "senseless", with "seared consciences", "ignorant". Only by faith can we know anything about God -- so the Bible HAS AN ABSOLUTE MONOPOLY ON THE TRUTH OF GOD WITH NO COMPETITION FROM ANY OTHER SOURCE OF KNOWLEDGE - BE THAT REASON/NATURE.

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Response to Ray Shores

He wrote me, "Where does the Bible say that "natural man lost the image of God"?"

My Response...

G'day Ray!

Thanks for the message.

First things first, let's define what "the image of God" is.

Paul says, "man ... was created in righteousness and true holiness." (Eph 4:24).

Elsewhere, Scripture says man was created "in the image" or likeness "of God".

So, Paul in Ephesians 4 is equating the image of God with righteousness and true holiness. Think about it. If sometimes the Bible says that man was created in the image of God, and other times it says man was created in righteousness and true holiness - then it's clear that...

Image of God = righteousness + holiness.

And this is why Paul says that Christ is THE image of God (2 Cor 4:4). Because only Christ is perfectly righteous and holy - that is, "the express image" of the Father.

Now, unless we're to say that Bill Clinton is like Jesus Christ... surely, Clinton is NOT in the image of God. To say he is, is to imply that he is perfectly righteous and truly holy - something only Christ is.

And do I need to quote Scripture which declares unbelievers to be "unrighteous" and "unholy"? In other words, Scripture that declares them NOT to be in the image of God?

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[rayshores]

Where does the Bible say that "natural man lost the image of God"?

The first few verses in the video do not say anything about losing the image of God.

Please respond.

[AndrewcBain]

G'day Ray!

Thanks for the message.

First things first, let's define what "the image of God" is.

Paul says, "man ... was created in righteousness and true holiness." (Eph 4:24).

Elsewhere, Scripture says man was created "in the image" or likeness "of God".

So, Paul in Ephesians 4 is equating the image of God with righteousness and true holiness.

[AndrewcBain]

Think about it. If sometimes the Bible says that man was created in the image of God, and other times it says man was created in righteousness and true holiness - then it's clear that...

Image of God = righteousness + holiness.

And this is why Paul says that Christ is THE image of God (2 Cor 4:4). Because only Christ is perfectly righteous and holy - that is, "the express image" of the Father.

[AndrewcBain]

Now, unless we're to say that Bill Clinton is like Jesus Christ... surely, Clinton is NOT in the image of God. To say he is, is to imply that he is perfectly righteous and truly holy - something only Christ is.

And do I need to quote Scripture which declares unbelievers to be "unrighteous" and "unholy"? In other words, Scripture that declares them NOT to be in the image of God?

[IAMWHODEY]

forgive me in advance..but HOLY CRAP? You are so out there Andy. Really...Clinton is a man,and man is crated in God's image...your videos are amazingly bad...really. Every one is a leap that you cannot land on the otherside of. Good luck in whatever your gaol is...but you need to stop these wacky wastes of time. they do you no favors. Grace and Peace.

[bball102407]

dude, every one of your videos completely pulls everything out of context so you can twist it around and make it into something its not.

[dillonpslater]

I didn't even watch the video and I already know you are wrong. Everyone takes things out of context these days, if you have Christ you will know that John Piper is absolutely correct in every sermon

[BrotherLeon2010]

You look like Simon Cowell's Evil Twin.

[ArdensSedVirens]

What a total muppet...! Nuff said!

[SkiesVibrant]

Andrew, you behave just like Riplinger, who makes her living by quote mining and misrepresenting what others say by subverting the context in which they said it.

Your behavior is reprehensible, vile, & wrong. You will have to give an account for your evil behavior to God. You'll have no excuse for this constant assault on men of God.

Your life is made up of a nest of lies. Thank our Risen Savior that most of us don't believe a word you say. You do know what happens to liars.... yes?

[Valpurgis9]

the consequences of you, me, humanity - not being alone is quite incredible and significant! : There is was and always will be - God - performing a delicate operation to let people live and have life while surgically removing sin from the world and ... as i look with humble eyes ... there God is, was, will be - operating my life too... YOU ARE SENDING YOURSELF TO HELL WITH YOUR FREE SINFUL WILL

[itsnolongeri]

@TheStyleHammer dude John Piper believes in the doctrines of grace e.g calvanism... just curious what you are meaning by your comment:)

[itsnolongeri]

Hi:) Are you insane? You must be trolling, noone could honsetly belive what it is you are saying, lol, either you have no understandeing of basic communication and the english lauguage, or now comprehension of scripture, or you are a very good troll... so im left to wonder are you 1. an athiest 2. a moron 3. a troll? I might be missing some options, and its not my intention to insult you (just incase you r serious) Have you ever done the good person test with Way of the Master? might be helpful

[itsnolongeri]

Hi:) are you insane? Is this a troll vid? The arguments are so laughable that im guessing it is, noone could be so truly unable to understand what Mr Piper was saying, maybe if you have zero understanding of scripture, so i'm left to wonder are you 1. an athiest 2. a moron or 3. a troll who is very good at what he does? Either way, thanx for the laughs, and Im sorry if any offence is taken.

[TheTurkey01]

haha this makes me laugh. how hard did you have to work to come to these conclusions because it must have taken several hours of creative thought or some serious mind altering drugs. to sum it all up argument fail.

[tmgrevolution]

What exactly is your doctrine?