This post was written by Randy Newman on January 12, 2009
Previously I suggested certain authors to read to prompt intelligent engagement regarding the Christian life. Recently I pointed to C.S. Lewis and Jonathan Edwards. Today I want to recommend the writings of John Piper.
You probably already know some of the strengths of Dr. Piper, pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is intense, scholarly, devotional, and rich. All of his books, without apology, have the same thesis - his life’s message - ”God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.”
In the past, I have appreciated Piper’s books - but only to a certain point. I found that reading any of his books (without exception!) resulted in the following experience:
First, I would struggle to grasp his main point. Second, once I understood it, I would appreciate it and then marvel that I had not heard this point before. Third, I would start to apply the lens of his insight to areas of my life. Finally, I would tire of his point. I found that by the time I finished one-third of the book, I no longer needed to have the point repeated.
So I found the first one-third of his books to be beneficial but the rest to be tedious to read. Apparently, I’m not alone because I’ve heard that same insight from others.
But someone recommended his book, The Pleasures of God, and told me I would not find it repetitious. Many have said it’s his best work. Now that I’ve read it, I would agree. The book flows and holds together but does not bog down into simply restating the same point with different words. It consistently challenges the reader to think more comprehensively, apply more rigorously, and meditate more deeply.
The subtitle of the book is Meditations on God’s Delight in Being God. Piper first entertains the notion that God is not egotistical to delight in himself. Then he considers what that would entail in God’s delight in His Son, in all He does, in His creation, in His fame, etc.
In ways that should encourage a scholar’s heart, Piper applies the discipline of thorough thought to these kinds of themes, explores the Scriptures to support them, and then applies them to various areas of life - areas that do not get addressed often enough (or ever!) in many contemporary, self-glorifying Christian books.
The final chapter, “The Pleasure of God in Concealing Himself from the Wise and Revealing Himself to Infants,” is especially challenging. In the course of his discussion, he explores the whole issue of the life of the mind. Special consideration is given to the pressure towards anti-intellectualism that has plagued the church for many years, especially in the past century. I’ll share more thoughts about that chapter in a future post.
In a day when many minor issues are receiving major emphasis and God-glorifying themes get subsumed (or eclipsed) by self-glorifying themes, I am very thankful for the ministry and writing of John Piper. I hope you’ll consider reading The Pleasures of God.
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