Chapter 39: Pages 556-571
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13
This morning, I continued John Piper's book Providence (purchased from Amazon Kindle Store) with Part 3 "The Nature and Extent of Providence", moving to Section 8 "Providence Over Christian Living" - moving to chapter thirty-nine "God's Command-and-Warning Strategy".
Here, Piper's focus is to explore how God "see to it that his people are conformed to Christ and make it safely from conversion to glory?" His answer is that God does this "by commanding us to engage all that we are in the wholehearted pursuit of holiness." Piper refers to how God does this as God's "command and warning strategy." We must first hold fast our faith (1 Corinthians 15:1-2, Hebrews 3:6, 12-14). We are to be "earnest, rather than cavalier, about our perseverance" (Hebrews 6:11-12). We are warned about "drifting" (Luke 8:14) and the remedy is to earnest and vigilant (Mark 13:37).
Piper tell us that "the strategy of God's providence to make us holy is not to make us passive." He uses 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 and Matthew 5:29 to warns us about running aimlessly and to make war on lust and sin.
We are not only to have a strong defense against sin but also a strong offense - and Piper writes this this is love. He uses 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 and 1 Corinthians 16:14 as key scriptural examples of how love is the "essence of holiness and the sum of obedience."
Piper wraps it up by stating that "God bring us to glory by commanding us to engage all that we are in the wholehearted pursuit of obedience, holiness, and love. And he warns us that if we don't obey, we don't know God (1 John 2:4); and if we don't pursue holiness, we will not see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14); and if we don't love, we abide in death (1 John 3:14)." This pursuit is described as "striving" and Piper wants us to see that if we are don't feel like we "agonize, struggle, fight, wrestle....we may not be living the Christian life."
Comment and discuss this post here.
My Prayer: Heavenly Father - You are a great God and worthy of my praise and sacrifice - You are a good, good Father - thank You for saving me and adopting me into Your family...and for providing for strong defenses and equipping me to pursue obedience, holiness and love. I am not deserving of all that You have done and will do for me. I continue to sin...worry, etc. Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me. Help me grow in my faith. Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength. Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo. Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior. Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin. Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others. Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.
