Let The Nations Be Glad Review Midterm
John Piper’s “Let the Nations Be Glad”, explains how Piper guides the reader through the fundamental issues of missions within seven chapters. However, they are divided between three parts. For example, part one discusses missions as means of worshipping God which is found in chapter one. Thus, followed by the power of prayer and the price of suffering in missions in chapters two and three. Part two is devoted to answering two important questions of whether Jesus Christ is the only way towards deliverance from sin and its consequences. Also, if the task of the missions is to attract as many people as possible or to attract people from all types of societies. Part three is all about how Piper examines the relationships between the empathy of people and devotion for the glory of God. He also ponders over the true meaning of worship within the last part. The central theme of the book is the supremacy of God in missions. It is biblically based and rich in scriptural references with many relevant supporting stories and extensive explanatory footnotes. In chapter one, Piper argues that worship is the ultimate goal of the church, not missions. Missions exists because there are millions all over the world who do not worship. In addition to being the goal of missions, worship is also the main essential for missions. Those who do not cherish the true God cannot commend Him to others with sincerity. Thus, non-christians would rightly observe the deception of those who pronounce these such bold claims. Such as “all must trust in Jesus Christ to be saved”, but yet they have little love for the Savior. Piper then argues that God’s main wish is to glorify and enjoy himself forever. He then goes on to use biblical references that make this argument such as, (Eph. 1:4-6, 12, 14; Isa. 43:6-7, 49:3) . He points that if the glory of God is God’s main passion, then it should be ours as well. The infinite horrors of hell are a vivid demonstration of the infinite value of God’s glory. Piper responds to the criticism that self-exaltation on God’s part cannot be love. It is love because love seeks its own joy in the joy of others, and man’s greatest happiness is found in the exaltation of God; and God must exalt that which is infinitely glorious. For example, himself . For God to do otherwise would be idolatry. So, while any human except God becomes an idolater through self-exaltation, God would be an idolater if he did not exalt himself. The principle is to not exalt in something that is non-God. Thus, being satisfied with all that God is for us in Christ glories God, therefore God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. Piper’s theology on this is successfully captured in a few words from John Dawson, which Piper quotes. “Humanity does not deserve the love of God any more than you or I do. We should never be Christian humanists, taking Jesus to poor sinful people, reducing Jesus to some kind of product …show more content…
Piper goes onto explaining that the missions is means for the worship of God, which is “the fuel and goal of missions,” because “all of history is moving toward one great goal, the white-hot worship of God and his Son among all the peoples of the earth” (p.20-21). This is portrayed as a wake up call for those who are religious to break out of simply thinking missions as just saving lost souls and discover the centrality of God in all aspects of missions. Chapter three then goes onto the role of suffering in making God supreme in missions. Piper uses the verse, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matt. 13:34) as reference. The point of this is that the extent of sacrifice and the depth of his joy display how much value he assigns to the treasure of God, which is salvation. In addition to that is, if we treasure it for ourselves, why wouldn’t we give sacrificially so that others can treasure it also. Piper argued that Col
John Piper’s “Let the Nations Be Glad”, explains how Piper guides the reader through the fundamental issues of missions within seven chapters. However, they are divided between three parts. For example, part one discusses missions as means of worshipping God which is found in chapter one. Thus, followed by the power of prayer and the price of suffering in missions in chapters two and three. Part two is devoted to answering two important questions of whether Jesus Christ is the only way towards deliverance from sin and its consequences. Also, if the task of the missions is to attract as many people as possible or to attract people from all types of societies. Part three is all about how Piper examines the relationships between the empathy of people and devotion for the glory of God. He also ponders over the true meaning of worship within the last part. The central theme of the book is the supremacy of God in missions. It is biblically based and rich in scriptural references with many relevant supporting stories and extensive explanatory footnotes. In chapter one, Piper argues that worship is the ultimate goal of the church, not missions. Missions exists because there are millions all over the world who do not worship. In addition to being the goal of missions, worship is also the main essential for missions. Those who do not cherish the true God cannot commend Him to others with sincerity. Thus, non-christians would rightly observe the deception of those who pronounce these such bold claims. Such as “all must trust in Jesus Christ to be saved”, but yet they have little love for the Savior. Piper then argues that God’s main wish is to glorify and enjoy himself forever. He then goes on to use biblical references that make this argument such as, (Eph. 1:4-6, 12, 14; Isa. 43:6-7, 49:3) . He points that if the glory of God is God’s main passion, then it should be ours as well. The infinite horrors of hell are a vivid demonstration of the infinite value of God’s glory. Piper responds to the criticism that self-exaltation on God’s part cannot be love. It is love because love seeks its own joy in the joy of others, and man’s greatest happiness is found in the exaltation of God; and God must exalt that which is infinitely glorious. For example, himself . For God to do otherwise would be idolatry. So, while any human except God becomes an idolater through self-exaltation, God would be an idolater if he did not exalt himself. The principle is to not exalt in something that is non-God. Thus, being satisfied with all that God is for us in Christ glories God, therefore God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. Piper’s theology on this is successfully captured in a few words from John Dawson, which Piper quotes. “Humanity does not deserve the love of God any more than you or I do. We should never be Christian humanists, taking Jesus to poor sinful people, reducing Jesus to some kind of product …show more content…
Piper goes onto explaining that the missions is means for the worship of God, which is “the fuel and goal of missions,” because “all of history is moving toward one great goal, the white-hot worship of God and his Son among all the peoples of the earth” (p.20-21). This is portrayed as a wake up call for those who are religious to break out of simply thinking missions as just saving lost souls and discover the centrality of God in all aspects of missions. Chapter three then goes onto the role of suffering in making God supreme in missions. Piper uses the verse, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field” (Matt. 13:34) as reference. The point of this is that the extent of sacrifice and the depth of his joy display how much value he assigns to the treasure of God, which is salvation. In addition to that is, if we treasure it for ourselves, why wouldn’t we give sacrificially so that others can treasure it also. Piper argued that Col