Last week in my reply to my fellow HTC Student (and curry chomping buddy) David Kirk, I recommended that he read, John Murray's book 'Principles of Conduct' in support of John Piper's statement that "he is bad and so are you." Sadly Murray's book argues to the contrary which will teach me not to recommend a book I am only half way through. Murray in the chapter a New Dynamic argues with Paul that the Old Man has been put to death, not being put to death, but actually dead. Sin no longer has dominion over us. Although we do still sin, Augustine said it was now possible for the renewed man not to sin. Which is contrasted with the unregenerate man who always sins. So John Piper might not be bad after all when compared to the old nature and those around us. Yet when we consider ourselves next to God's full holiness, then we see every spot and wrinkle and we see that we are still sinners. 'We are not what we used to be, nor are we what we ought to be, one day we shall be before him and be as he is because we shall see him has he is.' (paraphrase of John Newton).
God Bless
Stephen <><
2 comments:
I do not wish to elevate a preacher (re other blog item), but I have been so blessed by John Piper's ministry, that if he says he is bad, then I believe him!
For me, I experience Romans 7:21-25, but I also experience Romans 8!
The quote with which you finisehd the article reminded me of a hymn which was sung when I was baptised. The last verse is:
Then we shall be where we would be,
Then we shall be what we should be,
That which is not now, nor could be,
Then shall be our own.
God bless,
Les
PS Maybe see you at Pwllheli
Interesting! I have been planning to post on VdT on John Murray's chapter on Definitive Sanctification. Yes, I would like to think Murray's with me - or rather I'm with Murray - on this one.
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