Originally named in memory of Lady Powerscourt, one of the 'Chief Women among the Brethren,' this is simply a place for me to collect stray thoughts about the Bible, women, the Brethren, Bible translation, manuscripts, writing systems, movies, books....
Thursday, August 20, 2009
John Piper's third strike
I'll let you read about John Piper and God's anti-gay tornado on on Doug's blog, Clayboy. There was a young boy killed in Ontario today by a tornado. I hope that his family have not heard of John Piper.
Not that I'm very excited that he addressed things the way that he did, but I think the point of Piper's points 5 and 6 are that natural disasters are a reminder to EVERYONE (no exceptions) of God's judgment. In this sense he's not trying to (or at least not supposed to) sound like Christians have a natural moral high ground from which they can look down their noses at everyone else. It just seems a little disingenuous when he makes the point when a group he has theological disagreement with is the victim rather than any old time a natural disaster happens.
I agree that every disaster should remind us that time is short and we need to live as if every day were the last.
However, I found it ironic to read this post of his, just after he inserted a "therefore" into the text of John 4:45. Perhaps he is assuming a cause and effect relationship where none pertains.
WE all will face the Judgment of God! For Christians it will be the Bema-seat of Christ, but even there it will be something of a purgation. Even CS Lewis believed in the Christian's purging before the Lord Jesus, after death. (Heb.9:27 / 2 Cor. 5:10).
Not that I'm very excited that he addressed things the way that he did, but I think the point of Piper's points 5 and 6 are that natural disasters are a reminder to EVERYONE (no exceptions) of God's judgment. In this sense he's not trying to (or at least not supposed to) sound like Christians have a natural moral high ground from which they can look down their noses at everyone else. It just seems a little disingenuous when he makes the point when a group he has theological disagreement with is the victim rather than any old time a natural disaster happens.
ReplyDeleteBlake,
ReplyDeleteI agree that every disaster should remind us that time is short and we need to live as if every day were the last.
However, I found it ironic to read this post of his, just after he inserted a "therefore" into the text of John 4:45. Perhaps he is assuming a cause and effect relationship where none pertains.
" Perhaps he is assuming a cause and effect relationship where none pertains."
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of Luke 13 when they asked Jesus about the sin of those in the collapsed building.
WE all will face the Judgment of God! For Christians it will be the Bema-seat of Christ, but even there it will be something of a purgation. Even CS Lewis believed in the Christian's purging before the Lord Jesus, after death. (Heb.9:27 / 2 Cor. 5:10).
ReplyDelete