Looks like I am able to get back into my blog, but blogging will still be light until Thursday. We are currently in CA visiting with my wife Marni’s family and therefore missed John Piper’s first sermon at Bethlehem since February.
Matt at What Else Floats has a good post summarizing the message. The sermon dealt with the justification of the tax collector in Luke 18:9-14. Though I have not yet heard the sermon, there seems to be a relationship between the message and a manuscript that Piper has written, which he described in an open letter to Bethlehem at the close of his sabbatical. Here is the description:
The other book is a response to N. T. Wright on the doctrine of justification. I have no immediate plan to publish it until I get the feedback from critical readers. My motivation in writing it is that I think his understanding of Paul is wrong and his view of justification is harmful to the church and to the human soul. Few things are more precious than the truth of justification by faith alone because of Christ alone. As a shepherd of a flock of God’s blood-bought church, I feel responsible to lead the sheep to life-giving pastures. That is not what the sheep find in Wright’s view of Paul on justification. He is an eloquent and influential writer and is, I believe, misleading many people on the doctrine of justification. I will keep you posted on what becomes of this manuscript.
This should be an outstanding book.
(HT: Tim Challies and Justin Taylor)