I was listening to a John Piper sermon today - he's a famous Calvinist teacher, author, and preacher.
And I disagree with so much of what he says, but his confidence and his thought process is fascinating to me.
In this particular sermon, Piper approvingly related a story from Voddie Baucham (another famous Calvinist preacher) about a student feeling that God hadn't treated him the way he thought he should. That is, God had allowed too much suffering into this kid's life.
According to Piper, Voddie's response to this student - a believer - was spot on:
"The main question you need to answer is why God didn't kill you in your sleep last night!"
Can you imagine? In other words, Piper and Baucham are saying we as believers must never forget we deserve only death and damnation. We ought not to complain about our station in life, but rather be grateful that God has spared our lives one more day. Miserable wretches that we are.
To my way of thinking, that's a pretty twisted way of relating to God. Is He not our heavenly Father?
How would you respond to a young man who confessed to you, "I will not complain about anything my dad does to me, after all, I am really fortunate he didn't kill me in my sleep last night. Because ... you know ... that's what I deserve"?
Personally, I would urge that kid to get away from that monster and to seek counseling.
I am often struck by how very different the Calvinist conception of God is from the Father of the prodigal son in Scripture. Or, more importantly, Jesus Christ Himself.
It's night and day.
I don’t think that would be my go-to response. Jesus’ response on at least one occasion was, “This happened so that the works of God might be displayed in you.” (John 9:3)
ReplyDeleteI think there is some truth in what Piper and Baucham say, though. The wages of sin is death and God is the judge. If we are alive, it is because he has mercifully given us time to repent.
Yes, I think Jesus' response is 100X better than Baucham's - and much more pastoral.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, this was a young believer he was speaking to. How much better to redirect his focus by saying in effect: "Watch for the good the Lord will bring from these difficult circumstances in your life."
I think John the Apostle might take issue with Baucham and Piper:
1 John 4:16-18 - "So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love."