John Piper says Murder = Desiring God

John Piper says that even the murderous actions of gladiators are a desire for God. He reached this awkward position by assuming that unbelievers are still in the image of God. Thus, even the most perverse actions of unbelievers reflect the image of God in them (according to Piper). He says, "There is in the human heart an insatiable longing for beauty and I am persuaded that the reason it is there is because God is the infinitely beautiful One and he made us for himself. Even the most perverted desires for beauty -- say, the desire of people to relish the excellence of skill and strength and speed as gladiators hack themselves to death -- even that longing for beauty is a distorted remnant of something God put in the human heart that will not be satisfied until it is satisfied with God. We can know that these desires are from the Lord because we're unsatisfied until we find him, the all satisfying object." (Sermon, "Jesus is Precious", 3/28/1982)

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[burkhartpm]

also, he does give biblical support for this quoting the centurion that says "i believe, help my unbelief!" perhaps there are two kinds of unbelief. there is the unbelief of the unregenerate which produces a further hardened heart; and there's the unbelief of the newly regenerated heart that produces a casting of oneself upon Christ. i believe the latter is what Piper is endorsing.

[AndrewcBain]

Unbelieving believers?! What's next - Believing unbelievers? Oops. Too late. Piper's already said an unbeliever can believe the Gospel.

Also. Poor choice with the centurion example. He was living before the Resurrection and lacked the final decisive proof that Jesus was the Christ. That was the reason he doubted.

I can't find any examples of believers doubting AFTER the Resurrection. Can you? More info here. Godnoliar.##com/john_the_bapti­st.htm

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[burkhartpm]

this is how a true calvinist preaches evangelically. you don't tell a non believer "you have no will, you can't choose God. i can only hope He does something to you soon before it's too late." No- you plead with them telling them to choose Christ and that He is so much more beautiful than the pleasures they are pursuing now. you do this all along knowing that they can't choose God apart from God already having chosen them. this is what piper is doing.

[AndrewcBain]

Piper is telling unbelievers to pray BEFORE they are saved. This implies that something is needed FROM MAN, ON TOP of Christ's work in order for a man to be saved.

[mosteel30]

andrew is taking john pipers words out of context, go listen to the whole sermon

[jamiejame911]

Andrew you are not getting what he is saying.

[JudgeEden]

@manualboyca

Preachers deserve to be dissed if they're teaching nonsense. Are you implying he doesn't have love because he is criticizing your idols? Christians today really make me shake my head in frustration.

[JudgeEden]

@ProstrateBeforeHim

Heresy Hunter? I thought that was a term only used by the TBN preachers. Do you watch TBN? He's not a blind guide, everything he says makes sense, and he's right.

[manualboyca]

start reading your bible Andrew. stop dissing preachers. Love fulfills the law.

[FollowTheCloud]

everyone should do themselves a favor and never pay any attention to andrew bain at all. arguing with him encourages him, its the fuel to his fire, dissension is the reason his ministry exists.(romans 16:17) tells us to stay away from these type of people "such people are not serving the Lord but their own appetite.he has been doing this for a long time and he has been warned many times.he is not gonna repent for his ministry.may God help him.just pray for andrew theirs nothing more we can do

[Ridgetown100]

Piper says "distorted view"...

[xTHExELEVENTHxHOURx]

@AndrewcBain

Can't find examples? What about Thomas? John 20:24-31

[ProstrateBeforeHim]

You, sir, are a blind guide--a heresy hunter of the sort that damages people's opinions of men of God by ineptly and inaccurately nitpicking their arguments to the detriment of your hearers.

In love, I do not feel that the Spirit is leading and directing you in this endeavor. I pray that men like you would receive eyes to see and come to ever-increasing understanding of the character of God.

Read 1 Timothy 4:15-16

If you are truly His, the maturity and the fruit will come. Repent.

[mightymergz]

Geeze, you really don't like Piper...