The blog post addresses the basis of the believer's everyday assurance of their eternal security. His argument is perhaps best summarized in the sentence commenting on Mark 13:13 "“We must” becomes “we will” because “God will.”
The centre of his argument lies in the two sentences:
Enduring faith happens because the great physician does his sustaining work every day. We keep
believing in Christ not because of antibodies left over from conversion, but because God does his life-
giving, faith-preserving work every day.
And of course he is right. We endure because God's work enables us to endure.
But the question Dr. Piper does not address is perhaps the most telling one of all...
On what basis does God keep working in any believer's life each day enabling them to endure?
To the Calvinist - like Dr. Piper - it is simply because of His faithful fiat. God works because that is what He chosses to do. He works out his purpose in your life and that purpose is always "good" (Romans 8:28).
Philippians 1:6 which Dr. Piper quotes bears this out where Paul simply and clearly states "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
God began the work. God will continue the work to completion until Christ returns. But even Philippians 1:6 doesn't answer the question... "Why?" Why is Paul so confident that God will work in this way in the lives of the Philippians?
Especially when Paul knows that time and again a faithful God is spurned by his faithless people... to their detriment and destruction. He uses the Israelites as Exhibit A of this very point repeatedly through his letters but since we are in Philippians i will simply remind us of Chapter 3:2-6 where Paul highlights that though the Jews had the covenant of circumcision, were zealous for God like only a Pharisees could be and enjoyed membership in the tribes of Israel they were still called "dogs", "evildoers" and "mutilators of the flesh" because they refused to boast alone in Jesus Christ.
So was it God's faithfulness that failed His people... or was it His people's faithlessness that thwarted God's work?
Its uncomfortable to admit that as a former Calvinist it is only my reading of the Scriptures themselves that have led me to the startling conclusion that time and again God has to admit in the Scriptures what He does in Jeremiah 35:17:
“Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.’”
Look at what Paul argues in Philippians 2 on this very point at the end of that majestic hymn of praise to Christ in verses 12 and 13:
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Look perhaps it is just a matter of emphasis.
Certainly I admit that Paul says "it is God who works in you" creating the desire "the will" and the obedience "to work" but nevertheless if it is ONLY or as Dr. Piper says "decisively" left up to God's will then why does Paul commend them for their obedience and give them the command to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling".
If it is "decisively" of God then what part does my work play requiring me to commanded to so?
Furthermore if it is decisively of God then where does "fear and trembling" come in? The context is clearly not one of worship where it could be argued Paul wants them to show due reverence in worship like it does say in Hebrews 12:28-29.
Dr. Piper and other well-meaning Calvinist's want to give harried, doubtful, often apathetic Christians who are really doing little for the kingdom or being little of the salt and light Christ called them to be, comfort by saying - as he does SO well - "rest, relax, rejoice" it is God who will take care of you.
But will He? Is that a scriptural comfort?
If it is just a matter of emphasis... Dr. Piper emphasizing the "decisive" power of grace and Arminians emphasizing the importance of discipleship and obedience... what is Paul's emphasis to the Philippians? Is his emphasis one of "relinquish, rejoice,rest" God's got your back, to use 3/4s of Dr. Piper's wonderful application of his flawed theological explanation. (I know he throws risk in on the end... is risk only 25% of the emphasis of Paul? Let's see below).
Or is his emphasis - as it appears much more to my eye and heart - to be "get to work, don't look back, beware the lethargy that can lead you astray, keep moving forward, actively engage the world, the flesh and the Devil with the resources God has put at your disposal knowing that He will take care of you through to the end."
Well i'm not sure. Dr. Piper's approach sounds so peaceful, so spiritual. I can't possibly be right. Well whether and I right or he is, I know Dr. Piper would agree that is immaterial.
What matters is what the Bible says. So lets let Paul settle this quandary, if possible.
Where does Paul end up with his emphasis on this point of what "decisively" keeps the believer believing each morning?
In Philippians 3 Paul has a long section detailing all the benefits God's grace has bestowed on him in Christ. He finishes that section with the very famous line "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
I could simply end there noting that Paul's concluding emphasis is one of the importance of the believer to make good on the gift of grace that has bestowed upon them. Paul doesn't "rest" or settle for simple "rejoicing". No he "presses on" in order to "win". But i won't stop there to make this point because Paul doesn't stop there. What is decisive in keeping the believer benefiting from the grace that God has bestowed? Look what Paul goes on to say in verses 12-14 of Chapter 3:
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
That's right... After recounting blessing after blessing of grace, Paul admits that even he has yet to really obtain what God has given him but that in order to do so he is required to continue to "press on" and to "strain" toward what he has been called to. If it really is just up to God's decisive grace... why all the forgetting? straining? pressing? taking? winning?
It sounds to me that what is decisive for Paul is his own attitude and effort to make good on all the benefits through grace God has given him. As hard as that will be for Dr. Piper and other Calvinists to admit, we all know it is of course even much harder for all of us to do. But nevertheless that is Paul's teaching and his example to us.
Marantha...even so... come Lord Jesus.
And of course he is right. We endure because God's work enables us to endure.
But the question Dr. Piper does not address is perhaps the most telling one of all...
On what basis does God keep working in any believer's life each day enabling them to endure?
To the Calvinist - like Dr. Piper - it is simply because of His faithful fiat. God works because that is what He chosses to do. He works out his purpose in your life and that purpose is always "good" (Romans 8:28).
Philippians 1:6 which Dr. Piper quotes bears this out where Paul simply and clearly states "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus."
God began the work. God will continue the work to completion until Christ returns. But even Philippians 1:6 doesn't answer the question... "Why?" Why is Paul so confident that God will work in this way in the lives of the Philippians?
Especially when Paul knows that time and again a faithful God is spurned by his faithless people... to their detriment and destruction. He uses the Israelites as Exhibit A of this very point repeatedly through his letters but since we are in Philippians i will simply remind us of Chapter 3:2-6 where Paul highlights that though the Jews had the covenant of circumcision, were zealous for God like only a Pharisees could be and enjoyed membership in the tribes of Israel they were still called "dogs", "evildoers" and "mutilators of the flesh" because they refused to boast alone in Jesus Christ.
So was it God's faithfulness that failed His people... or was it His people's faithlessness that thwarted God's work?
Its uncomfortable to admit that as a former Calvinist it is only my reading of the Scriptures themselves that have led me to the startling conclusion that time and again God has to admit in the Scriptures what He does in Jeremiah 35:17:
“Therefore this is what the Lord God Almighty, the God of Israel, says: ‘Listen! I am going to bring on Judah and on everyone living in Jerusalem every disaster I pronounced against them. I spoke to them, but they did not listen; I called to them, but they did not answer.’”
Look at what Paul argues in Philippians 2 on this very point at the end of that majestic hymn of praise to Christ in verses 12 and 13:
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Look perhaps it is just a matter of emphasis.
Certainly I admit that Paul says "it is God who works in you" creating the desire "the will" and the obedience "to work" but nevertheless if it is ONLY or as Dr. Piper says "decisively" left up to God's will then why does Paul commend them for their obedience and give them the command to "work out your own salvation with fear and trembling".
If it is "decisively" of God then what part does my work play requiring me to commanded to so?
Furthermore if it is decisively of God then where does "fear and trembling" come in? The context is clearly not one of worship where it could be argued Paul wants them to show due reverence in worship like it does say in Hebrews 12:28-29.
Dr. Piper and other well-meaning Calvinist's want to give harried, doubtful, often apathetic Christians who are really doing little for the kingdom or being little of the salt and light Christ called them to be, comfort by saying - as he does SO well - "rest, relax, rejoice" it is God who will take care of you.
But will He? Is that a scriptural comfort?
If it is just a matter of emphasis... Dr. Piper emphasizing the "decisive" power of grace and Arminians emphasizing the importance of discipleship and obedience... what is Paul's emphasis to the Philippians? Is his emphasis one of "relinquish, rejoice,rest" God's got your back, to use 3/4s of Dr. Piper's wonderful application of his flawed theological explanation. (I know he throws risk in on the end... is risk only 25% of the emphasis of Paul? Let's see below).
Or is his emphasis - as it appears much more to my eye and heart - to be "get to work, don't look back, beware the lethargy that can lead you astray, keep moving forward, actively engage the world, the flesh and the Devil with the resources God has put at your disposal knowing that He will take care of you through to the end."
Well i'm not sure. Dr. Piper's approach sounds so peaceful, so spiritual. I can't possibly be right. Well whether and I right or he is, I know Dr. Piper would agree that is immaterial.
What matters is what the Bible says. So lets let Paul settle this quandary, if possible.
Where does Paul end up with his emphasis on this point of what "decisively" keeps the believer believing each morning?
In Philippians 3 Paul has a long section detailing all the benefits God's grace has bestowed on him in Christ. He finishes that section with the very famous line "Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."
I could simply end there noting that Paul's concluding emphasis is one of the importance of the believer to make good on the gift of grace that has bestowed upon them. Paul doesn't "rest" or settle for simple "rejoicing". No he "presses on" in order to "win". But i won't stop there to make this point because Paul doesn't stop there. What is decisive in keeping the believer benefiting from the grace that God has bestowed? Look what Paul goes on to say in verses 12-14 of Chapter 3:
12 Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.13 Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
That's right... After recounting blessing after blessing of grace, Paul admits that even he has yet to really obtain what God has given him but that in order to do so he is required to continue to "press on" and to "strain" toward what he has been called to. If it really is just up to God's decisive grace... why all the forgetting? straining? pressing? taking? winning?
It sounds to me that what is decisive for Paul is his own attitude and effort to make good on all the benefits through grace God has given him. As hard as that will be for Dr. Piper and other Calvinists to admit, we all know it is of course even much harder for all of us to do. But nevertheless that is Paul's teaching and his example to us.
Marantha...even so... come Lord Jesus.
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