Prayer
Thank you Lord for your precious Word. 2 Timothy 3:16, states boldly “All scripture is God-breathed and useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction and for training in righteousness.” May we be not be like Israel, in Zephaniah 3:2, who did not heed the voice of the Lord or accept instruction. She failed to trust or draw near to God. We humbly ask for your direction through the Holy Spirit as we compare the fallible teachings of man to your perfect word and as Hebrews 4:12 declares, ‘let your living and active word act as a double-edged sword and pierce our soul and spirit, joint and marrow and judge the intentions of the heart.” Please purify us in your truth.
Introduction
I do not enjoy the following polemic I am about to wade into but also feel compelled to protect and warn those who have an ear (Matthew 11:15) to listen to the findings I have humbly gleaned from other believers who have taken the time to study to show themselves approved (2 Timothy 2:15).
As a believer who is being sanctified, I understand the error we can fall into and the correction the Lord administers to His children. I am thankful for His loving hand of discipline and direction as he keeps His sheep on the narrow path. May the following information be studied with a teachable, humble spirit.
Warning Against a False Gospel
John Piper’s worldview and teachings are founded in man’s philosophy (his own) and although his writings and preaching sound biblical, at closer examination, are found to be outside the Word of God.
Error: Christian Hedonism
Piper teaches that Christians should find their ultimate satisfaction in God and has given the philosophy a name, Christian Hedonism. I give merit for the word play and can give wiggle room for the concept of finding our source of satisfaction in God’s ways. Piper takes his concept and builds upon it through his book and website, Desiring God and expounds on it at conferences. This view is at the very least is an incomplete view of finding satisfaction in God and at the most is man-centered instead of a Christ -centered philosophy.
First, the term ‘Christian Hedonism’ is an oxy moron. An oxy moron uses contradictory terms to make a point. Rhetoric and literary usage gives this idea a dramatic effect. ‘Christian Hedonism’ certainly accomplishes the grab and wow factor.
The term ‘Christian’ was first given to the followers of Jesus at Antioch (Acts 11:26). This was about 40 A.D. around 10 years after Jesus’ resurrection. The term was given to the disciples, by pagans (worldly), as a label. It was a way to define those outside the typical social structure and strong evidence suggests the term was used in a derogatory fashion. Tacitus (AD 96) in His Annals (15,44) writes, The Vulgar calls them Christians. On a side note, the writers of the New Testament never called themselves ‘Christians’, they usually said, brethren, disciple or saints to name a few terms. The term ‘Christian’ comes with a connotation of suffering. Those that gave that term to the followers of Jesus understood that Jesus suffered and those that followed Him would also suffer. The coiners of this term thought followers of Jesus were crazy for their beliefs and the term was used in conjunction with reproach. In 1 Peter 4:16, Peter encourages his fellow brethren with these words, “Yet if any man suffer AS a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let Him glorify God on His behalf.” Suffering ‘AS a Christian’ meant the world will label you because you don’t fit within their definitions, mock you because you follow Jesus and cause you to suffer just as He did.
The term ‘Christian’ in its original usage is a worldly label bestowed upon true followers of Jesus and since the world is at enmity with God, it is a derogatory term. In modern days, we have co-opted this term to mean; a follower of Christ, but in reality, in its original context, it was not a nice word to be associated with.
Keep all this in mind. Later in this paper, context will have bearing on why the philosophy of ‘Christian Hedonism’ is worldly and not biblical.
Secondly, the term hedonism is also a worldly concept. The Webster dictionary defines the word as a “pursuit in pleasure.” Piper also uses this as his definition. (As spoken in the Passion Conference, 2011).
Hedonism is a philosophy founded by Aristippus the Cyrene. He was a disciple of Socrates. His basic idea was that a good life was valuing pleasure as highest and pain as lowest. Epicurus took this idea further with ethical hedonism that it was a moral obligation to maximize pleasure and happiness. We are to decrease life’s pain according to Epicurus. Essentially, this philosophy was founded in Hellenistic, worldly thought, which is the root for man-centered morality. (This is drastically different than spiritual precepts).
Hedonism was denounced in the middle ages by Christian philosophers due to the lack of emphasis on avoiding sin, doing God’s will and developing Christian virtues such as, hope, faith and charity. Erasmus, (Reformer-Humanist and Polemicist against the Catholic Church) brought this idea back with the thought that God designed us to be happy, but that he uses our desire for happiness to motivate us to behave morally. David Hume (Post Modern Philosopher-Humanist) furthered the idea through the beginnings of utilitarianism, the thoughts that the action is right if it benefits the majority.
After this brief history of the terms and what they truly mean, one can see the oxymoronic nature. The paired down definition is: The sufferer who seeks his pleasure. Piper does try to say we need to make God our pleasure and our obligation is to find our maximum joy in God. On the surface, this statement is philosophically grand and agreeable but it lacks in giving the full picture of God and his design.
The question needs to be asked; did Jesus seek his own pleasure? Philippians 2:7. Jesus limited Himself
(kenosis) read the link for a correct view of that term. There are heretical interpretations of that word... (Jesus is 100% God and 100% Man). Self-renunciation, humbling and servanthood is the best way to look at that word. He set himself aside and surrendered the full use of his divine attributes but had the full power of them. He only did what the Father told Him to do. A picture of submission. (Jesus could do whatever He wanted in His power but was obedient unto death. Something our fallen nature has a hard time fully understanding.) Restraint is a good word
The question needs to be asked; Was Job a failure for not seeking pleasure when he suffered but instead questioned God about his misery?
The question needs to be asked, Was Jeremiah, the weeping prophet, who’s life was full of sorrowful emotions and pain and brought about by the will of God in order to speak to the nation of Israel wrong? Jeremiah did not seek his own pleasure?
The question needs to be asked, Does remorse and contrition for sin cause us to be outside our obligation to pursue our pleasure?
The question needs to be asked; Does the warning, by the Holy Spirit to Paul, that his life would face hardship and death for His purpose have anything to do with seeking pleasure?
The problem with Christian Hedonism is it has roots in man-centered philosophy. In the natural world we can seek pleasure and creature comforts that lend to our happiness. In the supernatural, god-philosophy, the world and its’ pursuits are temporal, his promises are eternal. We seek HIM alone and in that he gives JOY. Joy has nothing to do with happiness. Joy is a God-given gift to the human that trusts in Him in all things. (Obedience is also a key factor in all of the above scenarios.)
The subtle error is trying to take something temporal and natural and spiritualize it. Unfortunately, we all can easily fall into this error. When we do, we should correct and seek the truth. When man-philosophy enters into Biblical philosophy, terminology has a lot of room for mishandling of the definition and interpretation.
Humanism is not biblical and Epicurus’ following quote shows the psychology minded, human based philosophy. The word ‘feeling’ should be highlighted. Feelings can be an outcome or an indicator but to give license to feelings as the basis for a decision process for what is good is wrong. - “We recognize pleasure as the first good innate in us, and from pleasure we begin every act of choice and avoidance, and to pleasure we return again, using the feeling as the standard by which we judge every good.” Epicurus. (Ephesians 4:14).
John Piper –Definition of Christian Hedonism- “You are obligated to pursue your maximum joy in God … Since God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him, therefore, in everything we do we should always be pursuing maximum satisfaction in God. (Fifteen Dreams for the Future of Christian Hedonism, 2016.)
False Gospel- ‘Christian Hedonism’ is the heart of what it means to be a Christian, to be saved, you’re not saved if you’re not a Christian Hedonist.” (Fifteen Dreams for the Future of Christian Hedonism, 2016.) John Piper.
I beg to differ on Piper’s statement. God is most glorified in us when we take up our cross and follow Him and keep his commandments. This is a death to the flesh and opposite of what hedonism states. Matthew 16:24-26. I do not see Jesus or the cross in his claim. If this was a single sermon or sermon series on subject matter such as Christian conduct or the need to be content and look on things eternally I could understand the premise but Piper is basing and focusing a whole movement and philosophy on his unscriptural definition. His bold statement that “you are not saved if you are not a Christian hedonist” just put him in the false teacher category. Nowhere in my Bible do I see that statement supported by scripture. This statement undermines the doctrine of salvation by faith through Jesus Christ alone. When the doctrine of Salvation is tainted by man it is heresy, we are told to separate from those that practice or teach this. (2 Tim.4:3-4, Galatians 1:7,9)
Colossians 2:8 –“ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human thinking and from the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.
Scripture states the heart of man is the seat of sin. Ecclesiastes 9:3, Jeremiah 17:9, Romans 3:10.
Sadly, man-centered philosophy can lead to deeper error if not corrected or kept in check. If you think I am just splitting hairs or Piper is just being creative in packaging a way to teach Christian living, hold your hats, the following teaching of Piper is heretical.
Error: ‘Evil’ and ‘The Law’
John Piper: “The essence of evil is to lose a taste for God…to prefer anything more than God is the essence of all your evil.”
Piper does not back this statement up with scripture because there is no scripture to back it up. A scriptural definition of evil is the absence of the character and nature of God. Evil, truth, sin, etc. is what it is because it is based on the character and nature of God, or the lack thereof.
Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. He is our standard. (John 14:6)
The Greek word for “evil is “kakos- It means “of a bad nature, wicked.” The Hebrew word is “ra” and means “bad” or “disagreeable.
Evil is the opposite of God’s Nature. Sin is part of this equation.
Piper was interviewed and asked if the Ten Commandments were for today. His answer was not biblical. He says, “No,” and gives a half-truth for his answer stating, “We are not under the law…so the approach towards ethics is different.”
Nine out of Ten of the commandments are re-stated in the New Testament. The only one not repeated is “to keep the Sabbath Holy.” (Romans 14:5, Colossians 2:16- Essentially every day is the Lords). The civic and ceremonial law is not for today but the moral aspects of the law certainly still apply. The commandments reflect the Nature of God. Romans 1-3 states the law is written on the heart of man and his conscience bears witness
We are not under the law for salvation but we follow and pursue the moral law in our sanctification. Piper says the approach towards ethics is different. He is over emphasizing grace (something Paul refutes in Romans 6:1,15)
Antinomianism is the outcome of not taking Romans 6 in its full context. Antinomianism comes from two Greek words, “anti” meaning “against” and “nomos” meaning “law’. In theology it is the belief that there are no moral laws God expects Christians to obey. Antinomianism takes a biblical teaching to an unbiblical conclusion. It misapplies the meaning of God’s gracious favor.
When Jesus died on the cross he indeed did fulfill the Old Testament law (Romans 10:4, Galatians 3:23-25. There is in fact a moral law God expects us to obey today, It is the law of Christ which encompasses the old moral law in these verses John 5:3, Matthew 22:37-40.
We are not under the law for justification… but we follow the law for our sanctification. (Matthew 5:17,19, Hebrews 8:13- it’s a work in progress. From sacrificial system of animals for covering of sin, to Jesus being the sacrifice once and for all, to living a just and holy life under Jesus, who embodies it all).
For further refutation of John Piper’s error with specific emphasis on his book Desiring God, the book by E. S. Williams, Christian Hedonism, A Biblical Examination of John Piper’s Teaching should be read or the documentary can be seen on Youtube. E.S. shows evidence of Piper’s antinomianism.
Error: ‘Original Sin’
John Piper takes Genesis chapter 3 and states, “ What is the ultimate essence of the first, original, world-infecting sin… it was that Adam and Eve desired, desired, desired, this fruit more than God.
They delighted more in what the fruit could be for them than what God could be for them. Eating was not the essence of evil, they preferred something else and that’s the ultimate essence of evil.”
I have to stop right here and quote these bible verses (Genesis 3:1) in full before moving on, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?” Satan twists one thing to deceive Eve. He get’s her to question what God really said. He wants her to doubt.
John Piper, is doing the same thing with twisting of Genesis 3. God gave Adam and Eve a commandment. Genesis 2:16, 17, And the Lord God commanded them,“You MUST NOT eat from the tree (of knowledge of good and evil) in the garden;… God DID NOT say, ‘ desired something more than God.’
John Piper states he was taught incorrectly, “ I’ve been taught that they disobeyed. Period. No! Disobedience to the command of God is not more basic, not more fundamental, not more ultimate than what they desired above God.”
“As long as you see commandment keeping as the essence of good and commandment breaking as the essence of evil. You will never know why you do what you do!”
This is heresy!
Read these passages and highlight the word ‘command’ and ‘law’. Disobedience was the original sin.
Genesis 3:8-11
Genesis 3:17A
How we know what is right and wrong, good and evil and what is sin.
I John 2:3-4
I John 3:4
I John 5:3
John 14:155
John 15:14
2 John 1:6
Luke 11:28
James 1:25
Psalm 19:7,8
Romans 2:15
Romans 3: 19-20 – the unbelievers are under the law…judge by it and can’t keep it
Romans 5:19
Romans 7:12
Romans 7:22
ECCLESIASTES 13:12-13- Refutes Piper’s Hedonism philosopy
The law is a reflection of God’s Nature. If we love God we will KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS. We know what is sin by the study of the Word of God. Any thing other than the above is antinomianism.
Jesus came to fulfill the law not destroy it so I can be accredited with His righteousness. When Jesus fulfilled the law He made it stricter in a sense. (Matthew 5:28). He strengthened the law, for ongoing faithfulness and obedience in pursuing righteousness. (sanctification).
The sin of Adam was the sin of disobedience. The apostle Paul states this plainly in Romans 5:19. “For by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.”
Error: ‘Liberal Theology’
Calvinism is a reformation, man-centered salvific heresy. The basic understanding of salvation is encompassed in the TULIP acronym.
The basics consist of predestination and election. These concepts are taken out of context biblically. Calvinism also taints the sovereignty of God and twists Romans 9.
The term elect is taken out of context. The term elect in the Bible is usually attributed to the nation of Israel or if used for an individual is due to their nationality as a Jewish citizen. Calvinism uses the term ‘elect’ for individual salvation, which is an exegetical error of grand proportion.
The error of Calvinism leads to many other errors due to the mishandling of scripture. When the word is not rightly divided and eisegesis takes the place of exegesis wrong thinking will dictate teaching.
Calvinism not only get’s salvation wrong, it wrongly interprets the role of the church and Israel in the Bible. Replacement Theology believes the church is the fulfillment of all the Bible’s kingdom prophecies and the church has replaced Israel. Which leads to Covenant theology, which states all of Abraham’s promises were given to the church.
Replacement Theology leads to Amillenialism, the belief that the literal 1,000 year reign is within this present church age. This is a misinterpretation of Revelation 20. This leads to Kingdom Now or Dominion theology, which tries to build the kingdom for Jesus. This also leads to Social Justice programs.
John Piper believes in all the above theologies in some degree. (Any degree is false and not biblical.)
I could explain in depth on the above but that is for another time. With the above theology, the time line of the Bible is off with the application of wrong concepts. They all promote a different gospel. It give the church a task that has not been decreed by the Lord, essentially humans are trying to push the agenda or take over God’s timing in the above belief systems. This also leads to not preaching the gospel, which we HAVE been commissioned to do. To preach the good news (JESUS) and make disciples is the churches goal, that is true kingdom building, teaching the WORD of God in the fullness of truth. Not social programs or taking promises before God’s time or taking them from a nation.
Error: His (Piper) united efforts with Rick Warren
John Piper has read the Purpose Driven Life and has 20 pages of notes on the matter and is seen in an interview supporting Rick Warren in regards to this subject matter.
It would take another book to explain the egregious mishandling of the principles and scripture in Rick Warren’s book. It is a psychobabble, feel good, false gospel with no real mention of the real gospel.
John Piper also supports Rick Warren in his PEACE plan, which is ecumenical. He (warren) does not preach the gospel to these folks but instead says there are many ways to God.
This is the road to Babylon, which Revelation describes as the anti-christ system in the last days.
Rick Warren also does not support studying end time prophecy. Any pastor who says that is a worker of iniquity.
John Piper supports this man, who misleads the sheep and is truly a wolf in sheep’s clothing. (Matthew 7:21-23)
A man who tweets, “You are not saved by faith alone” is SCARY!
TRUTH
I will end with this our highest calling and duty as a ‘Christian’ who truly glorifies God is to love Him with all our heart, mind and strength by obeying His commands.
For visual/video support of the above dossier on John Piper. Youtube videos by Brannon Howse can be seen in entirety.
VIDEO REFERENCES
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Please pray as you study this and God’s word and ask the Holy Spirit will lead you into all truth.
