Monday 3 January 2011

John Piper's thoughts on his leave

Click here to read John Piper's report of his recent eight-month leave from his ministry responsibilities.

I found it a very encouraging read. John Piper gets grace, and he models it amazingly. He's got grace, and so he can show his weakness and failure. He doesn't need to project a 'sorted' front, pretending he's perfect, because that's not the reality, and that's not what Christianity's about.

I find most encouraging his section on marriage, in which he talks about some of the struggles that they face. His openness and willingness to show his failure and sin proclaims brilliantly the cross: he can show that he's not perfect and that he struggles in some areas because his hope is not in his morality - it's in the righteousness of Christ. We'd do well in churches to take heed of his example and to be more transparent with one another. Grace frees us to be real with each other and to help each other in areas that we struggle.

Through this openness he can model that sanctification is an ongoing process for all Christians, and that he is struggling with sin, as we should be.

Great post - have a read!

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