Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Matt Slick Highly Recommends X-Rated Pastor Mark Driscoll

CARM's Matt Slick highly recommends X-rated pastor, Mark Driscoll, one of the most foul-mouthed, sexed-obssessed, inappropriate, ungodly men around today, who has been a leader in the Emergent Church Movement for years.

Last year Dr. John MacArthur showed just how unbiblical and really, uncouth, Driscoll was in his raping of the Song of Solomon. I've posted on this here. I suggest reading this article which includes some good insights from a couple of solid men who commented on this whole issue.

Driscoll treats that which is holy as if its unholy. His "Vintage Jesus" is a good example of this. A thorough treatment of the vast problems of this unqualified, carnal man who heads up Mars Hill Church is here.

This comes as no surprise, given the fact that Slick has said that a person can be saved even though they don't have faith in the Resurrection, contrary to Scripture like Rom. 10:9-10, since the Gospel that saves includes His resurrection; indeed this is of "FIRST IMPORTANCE" unlike what Slick has stated repeatedly.

1Co 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures....

Here is what Driscoll offers--the man Slick says, has a "good understanding of Christian theology"---on "Spiritual Disciplines" Driscoll offers:


For Dietrich Bonhoeffer concerns here.

The dangers of Donald Whitney here and here.


Serious concerns regarding Gary Thomas here.

There are many videos that also reveal Driscoll's incompetance in handling Scripture on various issues, while trying to come off as some stand-out leader with guts. What he shows is he's just unqualified to be behind a pulpit.

It is clear that others who have dug deeper than the surface (because the surface itself was so unbiblical), have seen the multitude of doctrinal and practical error of Mark X-Rated Driscoll. A man can claim a lot of "right" theology on the one hand, but then deny it with the other hand. This is what Driscoll, who is the epitome of Post-Modernism, has done. Those easily satisfied with Christianese will accept the wolf and offer the sheep to him as if he's there to feed them. What people like Slick has done is just handed over people to be ravaged by the wolf himself.

Here's the question, just how do you think that false teachers "secretly creep in among you"? Consider that its by those who approve of and invite in the wolf himself because they had little to no discernment at all, or just wanted to be friends with such traitors of Christ.

Monday, April 25, 2011

Yale Professor of Religion Finally Figures Out What Christians Already Knew Years Ago: Oprah Sells Religion

Its funny this is "news". Its not new, its old. I knew about Oprah's high priestess status years ago. Not only has she had a cult following, including "Christian" women, but she pushes and pushes hard New Age religion (Marianne Williamson, Dr. Oz, and Eckhard Tolle are three examples of who she enjoys touting). Moreover she blatantly and repeatedly denies the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here she even states, "God isn't something to believe, God "is". And God is a feeling experience, not a belief experience... If God for you is about a belief, then its not truly God."


Now to an excerpt of the report from the New York Post:


The power of Oprah is hard to deny -- but is she really her own religion now?


A Yale professor who claims to have studied nearly every episode of her show from the last 12 years says the talk show queen's success is due to one thing -- she has transformed herself into the equivalent of a religious icon.


By using the techniques of a preacher, Oprah has been able to create a new "gospel" that goes beyond just being a simple daytime TV show, Yale religion professor Kathryn Lofton writes in her new book.


"Gospel is a word that means 'good news,' " Lofton says. "Oprah says that the good news is 'you.' "


The idea that Oprah's fans follow her with the fervor of a religion is not new. What is new about Lofton's book ("Oprah: The Gospel of an Icon") is the theory that Oprah, herself, built that following by using the language and trappings of traditional religion to get her message across.

Read more here.

Oprah wants a religion that doesn't have a Holy Holy Holy Creator God, who calls her to account for all her sin. She wants a god that pats her on the back and strokes her head telling her she's a good person. And millions agree with her and follow her down the Broad Road of destruction to Hell. Oprah is not a deceived woman; she's a Deceiver. She is apostate, turning away from the Truth, daring to call God a liar, to speak for her father the Devil, attacking God and His Word, hissing the words "Hath God said?" while mesmerizing people to continue in their rebellion against Jesus Christ, The Only Way to the Father.

2Jn 1:7 For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist.
2Jn 1:9 Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son.
2Jn 1:10 If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting;
2Jn 1:11 for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.

Friday, April 08, 2011

Piper: Burning the Quran Is Parallel to the Crucifixion of Christ Jesus

Piper opines in part in Burning the Qur’an and Crucifying Christ”:

Walls draws our attention to the fact that one of the differences between Islam and Christianity is how translatable Christianity is by its incarnational nature, and how resistant Islam is to translation:

Christian faith must go on being translated, must continuously enter into vernacular culture and interact with it, or it withers and fades…

Much misunderstanding between Christians and Muslims has arisen from the assumption that the Qur’an is for Muslims what the Bible is for Christians.

It would be truer to say that the Qur’an is for Muslims what Christ is for Christians.

The giving of the Qur’an is in Islam what the incarnation of Christ is to Christianity.

If this is so, then Qur’an-burning is parallel to Christ-crucifying.

So the Qur’an has been burned and the Christ has been crucified—and continues to be crucified.

The test is in the response.

End quote.

Remember, this is John Piper, who got a degree in philosophy (which is against the mandate of Scripture),the one who is entrenched in the Lausanne Congress; who's mentor was Ralph Winter (the inter-faith man who believed its possible to be a Muslim Christian. Piper and Rick Warren both gave tribute to Winter at his memorial service), the man who finds truth in the Roman Catholic philosopher, GK Chesterton.

Besides being heavily philosophical in his Post-modern nonsense, there's a lot wrong with Piper's view.

1) "Incarnational" is a word heavily used by the Emergent Church Movement. This should be a red flag to anyone who's familiar with the truth about that movement and how it speaks and acts.

2) The Emergent view of Christian needing to change with the times to relate to the modern culture is also very Emergent/Post-Modern. Biblical Christianity (notice I said "Biblical") is timeless because its based on the timeless truths of Scripture and the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. This too, is a red flag.

3) I see no "misunderstanding" arising "from the assumption that what the quran is for Muslims, the Bible is for Christians." What's to misunderstand? The quran is the foundation of Islam, along with the Haddith. The quran gives the command to Muslims to go and slaughter all non-Muslims, particularly the Jews and the Christians ("the People of the Book"). In fact, not 11 years after our Independance (1786) did Islam start terrorizing America:

Quote:

America's two main diplomats at the time were John Adams in London and Jefferson in Paris.Together they called upon Ambassador Abdrahaman, the envoy of Tripoli in London, in March 1786. This dignitary mentioned a tariff of three payments--for the ransom of slaves and hostages, for cheap terms of temporary peace and for more costly terms of "perpetual peace." He did not forget to add his own commission as a percentage. Adams and Jefferson asked to know by what right he was exacting these levies. The U.S. had never menaced or quarreled with any of the Muslim powers. As Jefferson later reported to the State Department and Congress, "The Ambassador answered us that it was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as Prisoners."

~ Christopher Hitches in “Time Magazine

End quote.

This statement is an example of how the quran is authoritative for behavior. Scripture is the sole authority for all things pertaining to life and godliness for biblical Christians (2Peter 2:1; 2Tim. 3:16-17).

4) "The giving of the Qur’an is in Islam what the incarnation of Christ is to Christianity."

This is in error. I don't know where Walls gets this from. No source is cited. Why he comes to that idea is beyond me. In doing some research myself, I don't see this comparison at all. Instead, its very similar: the quran is their book of authority as the Bible is for the Biblical Christian. Jesus Christ is the founder of Christianity. Muhammad is their founder and prophet whom they uphold in greatest esteem, without which there would be no Islam. There's a reason why they used to call Islam "Muhammadanism".

Muhammadanism states:

"Muslims refer to the Qur'an and the Sunnah of Muhammad as the basis for their religion. The Qur'an instructs Muslims to pattern their lives after Muhammad because he is thought to be the perfect pattern of conduct. To accomplish this task, Muslims study many volumes of the hadiths, because these books contain his sayings and behavior (Sunnah).

The prophet of Islam is considered by Muslims to have been the most perfect of men, in fact the most noble and perfect of all of Allah's creation, ashraf al-makhluqat. Allah bestowed upon him all the virtues and all the perfections which the human state is capable of possessing. As the Noble Qur'an states, he did not acquire the state of prophethood by himself but was chosen by Allah; furthermore, all of the virtues became perfectly actualized in him.

In fact, Muslims obey Muhammad as if they were obeying Allah. This shows the elevated place that Muhammad occupies: 'He who obeys the Messenger, obeys Allah. Sura An-Nisa 4:80' "

End quote.

So you see, without Muhammad there is no Islam. Without Christ Jesus there is no Christianity. (Hebrews 12 says HE is the Author and Finisher of our faith.) Christianity follows Christ; moreover the biblical Christian worships Christ Jesus because He is eternally God the Son and deserves all worship.

A cartoon of Muhammad and the Muslim world riots for days which ends in death. But when the cross is placed in a jar of urine at an art gallery, its protected as "art" and no riots or worldwide threats of violence break out.

5) "If this is so, then Qur’an-burning is parallel to Christ-crucifying. So the Qur’an has been burned and the Christ has been crucified—and continues to be crucified." ~ Piper

The problem here is that the parallel is not accurate, as I have shown. Ironically for Halls, Noll, and Piper, its the quran that actually denies the crucifixion of Christ Jesus the resurrected Lord (Surah 4:157)!

Do I have to even state the obvious? To try to make any parallel between quaran burning and the Crucifixion of Christ is absolutely unfathomable. Jesus Christ IS God; the quran is a demonic book from Hell. Its to make the wrong assertion that the quran's importance to the Muslims is equivilant to the importance of Christ's crucifixion to Christians. Not only does it not make sense, its not even consistant with Islam and the Muslim world. Why not compare (if you really think you have to), apples to apples: the quran to the Bible; Muhammad to Christ; Jehovah to Allah?

6) Piper makes the comparison of the offense of Muslims at the burning of the quran to the crucifixion of Jesus. So I need to ask: How many Western "Christians" really are horrified at the Crucifixion of Christ? Muslims of course, are highly offended at the burning of their book or even a cartoon of Muhammad. But mindset of "Christians" regarding the Cross is: “Jesus loved me so much, He stretched out His hands…and died”. They see the Cross as about love; Scripture first portrays it as about the WRATH OF GOD (Is. 53; Matt. 27:45-46 for instance). Only when we see the real horror of the Cross, can we then get a glimpse into the price He paid and the love of Christ toward those He chose to purchase on that Cross. The Cross shows how HORRIFIC WE AND OUR SIN ARE, not how loveable, how valuable we are! So I don't see the comparison of the rage at the quran burning, to that of the crucifixion.

Lastly, I'm not against the burning of the quran. To burn that book just to raise the ire of the Muslims is unnecessary: one can just pass around a cartoon of Muhammad to do that. Of course, raising the ire of the Muslims deliberately by either action is unnecessary: proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the thrice Holy Triune God is offensive enough to them. But let me show you something:

Act 19:18 Also many of those who were now believers came, confessing and divulging their practices. 19 And a number of those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in the sight of all. And they counted the value of them and found it came to fifty thousand pieces of silver. 20 So the word of the Lord continued to increase and prevail mightily.

Those who CAME OUT of the occult/magic arts had such holy wrath against that which was idolatry and rebellion against the true God of creation, that they would have absolutely NOTHING to do with their old pagan religions. Moreover, they wanted to make a public display of their loyalty to the King who ransomed them, showing they'd rather give up the world and its religion and money, for the cause of the One Who died for them. That kind of quran burning would be acceptable, I believe; those saved OUT OF Islam should burn their qurans and haddiths and prayer rugs.

Thursday, April 07, 2011

John Piper and D.A. Carson Participate with Emergent Acts 29



Click it and it takes to you The Gospel Coalition:

Ray Ortlund Jr. is a pastor of an Acts 29 church. They state:
Quote:
"Acts 29 welcomed a new church planter recently, Ray Ortlund Jr. Though
he may be new to the pastorate, he is not new to ministry. Prior to
becoming a pastor Ray was the Professor of Old Testament and Semitic
Languages at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School alongside Mars Hill
Church’s good friend, Dr. D.A. Carson. Mars Hill Church members may know
him better as the man who wrote the notes for the book of Isaiah in the
ESV Study Bible
."
Acts 29, the brainchild of Emergent X-Rated "pastor" Mark Driscoll. Info here. It is through this network of church plants that the Emergent Church Movement spreads its Post-Modern liberalism and rebellion. In recent years, it seems they have tried to re-position themselves as not so rebellious, maybe even a bit Reformed. However, they are still what they have always been.
Ray Ortlund is proving his lack of biblical discernment and wisdom--something one who worked on the notes of the ESV would actually have. Unfortunately, like so many others, its just academic knowledge.
Why is D.A. Carson now considered a friend of a well-know, well-entrenched spearhead of the ECM through Acts 29 (go here and here for info on Acts 29)? I remember sensing Carson's critique of the ECM being tepid (like many others) a few years ago (an example follows, below). Finding truth in everything will cause a person to go down the Downgrade. I'm afraid we're seeing him pulled into the Acts 29 network, instead of truly seeing the horror of the ECM and rejecting it outright--this Emergent baby had to be thrown out with the Post-Modern bath water.
DA Carson on the ECM:

Is there at least some danger that what is being advocated is not so much a new kind of Christian in a new Emergent Church, but a church that is so submerging itself in the culture that it risks hopeless compromise?

Even to ask the question will strike some as impertinence at best, or a tired appeal to the old-fashioned at worst. I mean it to be neither. Most movements have both good and bad in them, and in the book from which this article is taken I highlight some of the things I find encouraging and helpful in the Emergent Church movement. I find that I am more critical of the movement because my "take" on contemporary culture is a bit removed from theirs, partly because the solutions I think are required are somewhat different from theirs, partly because I worry about (unwitting) drift from Scripture, and partly because this movement feels like an exercise in pendulum swinging, where the law of unintended consequences can do a lot of damage before the pendulum comes to rest.

End quote.

This is why I guess I'm not that surprised that Carson has jumped into the Acts 29 circle.

Folks, when you can't reject an entire movement or ministry when it clearly springs from unholy, unbiblical roots, loyalty to Christ disappears. There is no reason for any biblically minded Christian to give any room for such things. Its treachery against Christ and His Word. It is eating from the forbidden tree of "knowledge" that God say was NOT good.


Wednesday, April 06, 2011

Why John Piper Should Be Rejected

***New Update** 4/19/20

Piper in 2004 in a Q & A said that God broke the 2nd commandment by the incarnation of Christ which then legitimizes the drawing of pictures of Jesus, so movies and pictures of Jesus isn't breaking the 2nd commandment.



For the full Q&A: https://www.epm.org/resources/2004/Feb/4/desiring-god-2004-national-conference-speaker-pane/   Time mark 5:30. But realize by nature the answer is a stand alone answer, since it's a q & a. I couldn't fine this version but did find the snippet of the answer here: 

If you don't want to download the audio, the question and answer alone is over at Disntr.

This is absolute blasphemy, to accuse God of breaking any of His commands. This is absolute and total satanic talk, what the ancient Serpent did in the Garden of Eden in Ge. 3. This is exactly what the Pharisees charged Jesus with as well. But Scripture makes it clear that all three Persons in the Trinity are sinless. Jesus was incapable of sinning thus He never sinned because by His eternal nature, He never ceased to be God. He was impeccable. To break a commandment IS to sin. Heb 4:14,

2Co 5:21  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 


**New Update** 7/16/19

Links to more info:

6 part article on "Christian Hedonism" by Michael Butler. Follow the link at the end of each article to see the next one. 


**New Update** 8/18/18

Piper claims Jesus had six ways to fight depression:
"The Bible gives us an amazing glimpse into the soul of Jesus the night before he was crucified. Watch and learn from the way Jesus fought his strategic battle against despondency or depression."

The problem is that the biblical Jesus didn't fight depression. He has eternally been God the Son and therefore has always had all the perfections of God, without deficit. Moreover, in His flesh, He remained perfect:
Php 2:5  Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6  who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7  but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 
 Joh 15:10  "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in His love. 
Joh 17:4  "I glorified Thee on the earth, having accomplished the work which Thou hast given Me to do. 
Moreover, Piper says Jesus staved off depression by having friends, having them pray, and "opened His soul" to them. The problem is that Jesus didn't have any reason to be depressed, as He knew the outcome of what was about to happen. 
Joh 2:23  Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, beholding His signs which He was doing. 24  But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, 25  and because He did not need anyone to bear witness concerning man for He Himself knew what was in man. 
Had the real Jesus relied on these cowardly, weak men for propping up, why wouldn't he have been depressed, because they didn't help him when he needed it the most (mere men are going to help God the Son along in His preparation for the Cross?). The biblical Jesus wasn't relying on them. He relied on God the Father which was the WHOLE point (Piper does include Jesus praying and trusting the father).  After all, the true Jesus knew the weaknesses of His disciples--and He was their shepherd--they were not His.

***New Update***


Two videos that introduce the dangers of Piper:

Part 1 - Piper's Journey Into Hedonism


Part 2 -Into the Darkness


 Here, Piper's antinomianism is explored (start at time mark 5:02):




Piper redefines "faith" and the reason for salvation, both of which are entirely man-centered and focused on the senses. Faith is not about "seeing God's beauty". Faith is defined in Heb. 11:1 as the assurance of things hoped for, evidence of things not seen. Faith in Christ alone for who He is and all He's done. Piper also redefines "lostness" as "not merely rebellion against God's authority, but blindness to His beauty." Wholly unbiblical.

The latest videos on Piper uploaded by The New Calvinist (ES Williams' page) and many others regarding other New Calvinists like Al Mohler, Mark Driscoll, Annihilationist Anglican John Stott, are here.


Piper: “The greatest good of the gospel is God’s gift of the beauty of God in Jesus for your everlasting enjoyment.”


“Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “ Mt. 3:10 Hence sanctifying preaching is our weekly fare.



For this I was born. To bear witness to the truth. Bend your damned neck. Not your grandma’s movie. Neither was the crucifixion. RiverThief.



How can you know that you have been sealed by the Spirit for the day of redemption? Answer: You do not want to grieve him. Ephesians 4:30.


In 1990:

Here Piper endorses heretic John Wimber, proponent of the demonic Word of Faith movement a big name on TBN and a faith healer who died of throat cancer:
Last week fifty eight people from Bethlehem went to a conference in Anaheim, California called “Holiness Unto the Lord.” It was sponsored by Vineyard Ministries International. The Vineyard movement, led by John Wimber...The best introduction to the Movement is Power Encounters by Kevin Springer and John Wimber.
I saw at least ten things at this conference that I thank God for and want as part of my life.Openness to God’s presence today in the form of supernatural demonstrations of power....

I believe God is at work in the Vineyard Movement—as in hundreds of other movements today. Oh, that we may be on the Move with God in Minneapolis!

End quote.

After giving 10 things he thanked God for from Wimber's Word of Faith conference, he only had three "concerning" issues, but all in all, in his mind, Wimber and the WOF is of God.

Then he said this in another article, discussing healing in James 5:
"Could it be, then, that the picture of the elders in this passage teaches usnot that extraordinary spiritual gifts have ceased, but that shepherds are responsible to be zealous for spiritual gifts? " 

And then there's this:

"Ambushing Satan With Song" from 1985...

More here.

***New Update***

Piper defends Driscoll even with his disgraced firing from Mars Hill and the closing of all Mars Hill churches. Piper claims to have no regrets in sharing the platform over the years with Driscoll and says he's learned much wisdom from Driscoll. This proves my point for some time now: it was Piper who was the TRUE disciple and Driscoll the TRUE mentor.

***New Update***

The following are the latest most disturbing tweets by John Piper. For more info on why, go here and scroll down to see my posts in relation to these tweets.





O my, this is good. Anyabwile on “The Coming Reformation of Black Churches.” Pray him into a prophet.


















  • Is Oral Sex Okay? — Today’s :


















  • 5:30 PM - 5 Aug 2014





  • Down by the river the teenagers would go to make out. I watched them drive back. They never looked happy. Especially she.



    Some whittle birds. I whittle words. God made us like himself to make: One birds, One words, Both for his sake.



    “Missionaries are getting a bit bland. I think I’ll combine a Jewish scholar with a feisty chorus-girl.”
    12:27 PM - 27 Jul 2014

    I want joy = I want to be joyful. I want a biscuit ≠ I want to be a biscuit. Be clear: the heart's state ≠ the heart's object.
    5:02 AM - 19 Apr 2014

    ***New Update***

    Never forget, the point of the kitchen is the banquet. The aim of hermeneutics: happiness. The goal of exegesis: ecstasy.


    Biblical hermeneutics has zero to do with happiness nor ecstasy. That's about as Self-centered, temporal, and fleshly as one can get. The goal of biblical hermeneutics is understanding biblical truth and thus honoring the Lord Jesus Christ. What is Piper's problem? And why won't he clarify such outrageous statements? He sounds more like Ann Voskamp and her spiritual sex with "god".

    ***New Update***
    Piper joins International House Of Prayer (IHOP), Kansas City, missionary and instructor at IHOP University Stephen Venable.  Matt Chandler is also sharing the platform with this false teacher. IHOP is a leading proponent of what the Strange Fire conference put on by Grace To You in October 2013. As Apprising Ministries reminds us, IHOP is the brainchild of New Apostolic Reformation leader, Mike Bickle. NAR was also warned against at the Strange Fire Conference.

    Also, this is AFTER John MacArthur warned John Piper and other "Charismatic Reformers) (that's an oxymoron!) both at the closing of the conference and in the last chapter of his book Strange Fire, to turn from promoting such strange demonic fire and stay loyal to Christ.


    Because of Piper's defiant defense of false teacher Rick Warren both prior to and at the end of his Desiring (I don't know what kind of) god Conference a few years ago, plus his ongoing walk into darkness (he now denies the necessity of believing in the doctrine of Imputation (Justification) in order to be saved, that I'm not surprised at all. In fact, just a week or so after the conference and MacArthur's call and "rebuke" (it was softer than that) Piper. Piper went out of his way to show himself in locked-step with Sam Storms (a Charismatic named at the Strange Fire Conference), and corrected MacArthur's portrayal of Piper as an "anomaly".  In other words, his loyalty was made clear. As it is yet again.


    This is more of Piper's in-your-face-John behavior. He doesn't give a rip. 



    ***New Update***

    Piper states that denial of Justification by Faith alone and/or holding to a gospel of works doesn't necessarily condemn a soul. This is an out right lie since Scripture clearly states it does indeed damn a soul to Hell.


    *Updates at the end of this article*

    Note:There are many reasons why John Piper is dangerous to Christians, having several articles in regard to Piper, I decided it would be easier to put them here in one article.

    I'll begin with Scripture and a challenge.

    John 7:24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment."


    Mat 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Mat 7:17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

    Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good morals." (1Co 15:33)

    2Pet 2:1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.

    Jud 1:4 For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.


    Are you willing to give up a once beloved author/speaker if he fails the test of Scripture for faithfully holding and teaching to the pure milk of the Word? Or is he your "paper pope" who could never be in grave error? Are you willing to be loyal to Christ and the Word at all costs, or are you one who sees "truth in everything" and think its possible, even noble to pick out of the leavened loaf that which is unleaven (Matt. 16:6)?

    Gal 4:16 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

    Piper's "Christian" Hedonism:

    Where it all began:


    "Christian Hedonism" was a term Piper made popular in his "Desiring God" book referring to the pursuit of pleasure in God, pursuit of happiness in God as one lives one's life.

    Where "hedonism" came from:


    "HEDONE was the spirit (daimona) of pleasure, enjoyment and delight. As a daughter of Eros (Love) she was associated more specifically with sensual pleasure. Her opposite number were the Algea (Pains). The Romans named her Voluptas."

    Marry a word with that history and connotation (even to this day) to "Christian" and what do you get? What would you expect to get? Biblical Christianity? Or worldly Christianity? And would that be pleasing to the HOLY HOLY HOLY God Who rejects such a marriage between paganism and worship of Him?

    Peter Masters (of Spurgeon's Metropolitan Tabernacle of London) shares serious concerns of this very issue in "Christian Hedonism". Since this review, Piper has only deteriorated.

    How John Piper Got To Where He is Today And Why So Many Don't Have A Problem With It. This article is by John Robbins of The Trinity Foundation, who had serious concerns with Piper back in 2002.

    Piper quotes liberals in a favorable way:

    As Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries writes:
    Quote:
    Make no mistake, Warrengate is now still slowly simmering. In my last post I shared that I had initially received a tip from a source; and as I followed up on it, it would eventually lead me to discover some disturbing information which I placed within. Dr. Gary Gilley sums up my own feelings as I examined the evidence I had been led across as it concerns Dr. John Piper:
    Finally, Piper quotes favorably from a very disturbing stable of authors: Dietrich Bonhoeffer (popular liberal theologian, who, by the way, was executed not for his faith in Christ, but for his part in an assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler) (p. 90), Dallas Willard (leader in the unbiblical spiritual formation movement) (p. 119), G.K. Chesterton (Roman Catholic author) (p. 196), and Richard Foster (father and main promoter of the infiltration of Roman Catholic mysticism into evangelical circles) (pp. 192-193). He also speaks twice of the “dark night of the soul” which comes from counter-reformation Catholic mystic St. John of the Cross (pp. 217, 229).
    Most disturbing is Foster’s quote calling for “new prophets to arise in our day” to which Piper responds, “And when they arise, one way that we fight for joy in God is to read what they write” (p. 193). After authoring a book which majors on pointing us to the Bible in our fight for joy, it is disconcerting to now read of an encouragement to read the words of modern prophets; and coming from Foster’s perspective and Piper’s theology on prophets, they are both referring to extrabiblical revelation through present-day prophets).
    (Online source)
    End quote. ~Source.

    Piper's church offers Quaker Mystic Richard Foster.

    Piper and Roman Catholicism:

    Piper promotes Roman Catholic philosopher GK Chesterton. Chesterton, was fascinated with the occult and used the Ojui Board as a young man (Autobiography, Chapter IV). He converted from Anglicanism to Roman Catholicism, and apparently denied the inerrancy of Scripture. (source)
    Piper uses Chesterton in When I Don't Desire God - How to Fight for Joy:

    [Children] often say, “Do it again”; and the grown up person does it again till he is nearly dead. For grown up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony. But perhaps, God is strong enough to exult in monotony. It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun; and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon. It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike; it may be that God makes each daisy separately, but never got tired of making them. It may be that he has the eternal appetite of infancy; for we have sinned and grown old, and our Father is younger than we. - G.K. Chesterton as quoted in Piper's "When I Don't Desire God" p. 197

    End quote.

    Piper and Warren promote praying for God's choice of a new pope.


    Piper's "clarification" on his pope tweet which gives even MORE concern in regard to Piper and the Gospel. This is probably one of the strongest reasons to reject Piper. 




    Contemplative prayer: "Rome Had It Right"

    Piper, Warren, and Keller all promote Contemplative praying. 

    Piper Endorses Doug Wilson And Federal Visionism


    Piper and Islam

    Piper is anti-Zionist according to "Israel My Glory", a respected Christian magazine.





    "Muslims, Jews, Christians! Allah and Adonai are only known and loved through the crucified and risen Christ. Jn 8:19; 5:42-43."  I dissect that tweet here.
    Clearly this is absolutely unbiblical

    Piper said the burning of the quran is parallel to the crucifixion of Christ Jesus.

    What Federal Visionism is and why its dangerous.


    Piper's Bethlehem Institute promotes Roman Catholic CS Lewis and Federal Vision heretic Doug Wilson: (Note: Federal Visionists like Wilson include Roman Catholics in the New Covenant, a heresy because Scripture says in Hebrews only believers are in the New Covenant).

    **Update**

    Doug Wilson  teaching again at DGC (2012) and  again at pastor's conference (2012), and again with interview with Wilson in 2013.

    Review of Piper's "Future Grace" by the Trinity Foundation: (it is written by a Presbyterian, so the Covenantal issue does show up as an issue in the review, which I dismiss).

    Piper's Defiant Defense of Mark Driscoll, the X-rated "Pastor"


    Why Driscoll's a false teacher:


    Well documented article by Cathy Mickles here. Very helpful and informative.

    Quotes from Driscoll here.

    John MacArthur confronts Driscoll's rape of the Song of Solomon.

    Mark Driscoll, author of "Porn Again". Some of his information on his church website has a warning: "Warning: MH- 17. Under 17 requires permission" and let's just say that its not appropriate to even mention here what he talks about. Even his casual dress reflects his casual attitude about Jesus Christ. 


    Piper had Driscoll speak at the 2006 DGC: During this time Driscoll was heavily into the Emergent Church movement (he was a founding leader) that promoted Contemplative Spirituality. Piper thought it was good to invite him to teach at the DGC.

    Piper's defense of having Driscoll speak at the 2006 DG conference.


    Piper's defense of having Driscoll speak at 2008 National Conference of DG, ironically titled "The Power of Words and the Wonders of God".

    Piper, Ray Ortlund, DA Carson involved and promotes Emergent Acts 29.

    John Piper and Desiring God: cussing and the influence of others. Also here.

    Piper Promotes Rick Warren:
    If Warren is teaching a “gospel” that is void of essential truth...and he does
    If Rick Warren teaches a “gospel” that makes man the center and not Christ…and he does
    If Warren is promoting Easter Mysticism…and he does
    If Rick Warren promotes Roman Catholicism…and he does
    If Rick Warren shares the platform with homosexuals and their organizations…and he does
    If Rick Warren shares the pulpit with Word of Faith heretics…and he does
    If Rick Warren promotes the Emergent Church Movement…and he does
    If Rick Warren lied about his Syrian trip…and he did
    If Rick Warren approves of women pastors…and he has
    If Rick Warren steers his followers away from studying Scripture…and he does
    If Rick Warren distorts and twists Bible verses taking them out of context and misapplying them…and he does

    ...then the man is a false teacher. 2 Peter 3: 16b “ There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.”

    Is. 8 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.


    ***A summary with multitude of links here of why Rick Warren is a false teacher.** This link and the link below on why Warren isn't what he claimed to be to Piper, is necessary to understand the fatal error and pride of Piper. Warren is not merely a "Seeker-Friendly" pragmatist. He is FAR MORE than that. He is smart and deadly viper.

    List of why Warren is not what he told Piper he is. (The fact Piper had a list of questions and answers should have shown the problem to begin with; if he was such a theologically deep and sound teacher as Piper claims in the quote below, then why did Piper have to ask at all?). Piper's defiance shows at the end of that short defense when he states with a chuckle: "I'm going to need help to know why I should feel bad about this decision." I show the major claims Warren made to Piper from the video and how they are not true.

    Piper on Rick Warren:

    “.. I do think he’s deeply theological. He’s a brilliant man. He wouldn’t have the church he does or the Peace Plan, or all the influence he does and of course the greatest sentence in the Purpose Driven Life is the first one isn’t it? It’s not about you, it’s about God. The Glory of God. So I don’t think he’s emergent. At root I think he is theological and doctrinal and sound.” ~John Piper, 35 minutes in on Rick Warren and his invitation to Warren to attend his Desiring God Conference 2010 (via Take Heed Ministries)

    Piper says we slammed Warren, even after Warren's own Pelagian teaching at DGC.

    Summary of Piper's promotion of Warren.

    What Warren taught at DGC in October 2010: Here's one quote:"We all have a mental illness. It’s called sin. This means we can’t trust what we ourselves even think." If that sounds like Robert Schuller, you'd be right. Schuller was a mentor of Rick Warren. Warren also said at the DGC: "Nothing happens till somebody starts dreaming. What we need today are great dreamers."
    The panel discussion of the speakers at DGC Conference 2010 on Rick Warren's message, a few quotes you just read above:
    Quote:

    1. Can you give us your initial reflections on the message we just heard from Rick Warren?

    Burk Parsons: I saw a man with character and with simple, childlike dependence on Christ.

    John Piper: An unbelievable communicator with incredible application. Be encouraged and relax with who you are, and give it all to Jesus while learning all you can from Rick.

    8. What would you say to our "non-thinkers" who are here tonight? Surely the conference isn’t made up completely of those who consider themselves "thinkers," right?
    Tchividjian: I would say that everyone here is a thinker. Non-thinking is not possible. If they think they’re a non-thinker, then they’re a walking contradiction.

    Piper: There are people in here who love to think and there are others who don’t like to think. This conference is a pain in the rear end to them. They’re just here to see Warren and Piper fight. Here’s how I would say the question: What do you have to say to people who don’t want to think?
    End quote.

    Here is Piper's introduction to his 90 minute + interview with Rick Warren with questions about his doctrine because of the controversy he created by inviting him to his conference (if he has to interview him with such a long list of questions, then that means Warren isn't clear in his teaching and books--and he isn't):

    Quote:


    Rick is not known for being a doctrinal preacher. One reason for this is his intention to be theologically sound and practically helpful without using doctrinal or theological terms in his public ministry. Inside of Saddleback there is a greater intentionality about building biblical and theological categories into the people’s minds and hearts...But then I am not even close to the fruitful evangelist that Rick is.

    We both have chosen risky ways. There are pitfalls of short- and long-term unfruitfulness. But in the end we do not govern the impact of our lives. God does. We do what the Bible and our hearts call us to do. I believe Rick’s is a faithful heart. Listen to the clarity of his doctrinal commitments and hear the heartbeat of his love for Christ and those perishing without him.
    Let this remarkable testimony of faith send you down into the Word of God for a deeper understanding of God and his ways. Here are the topics we tackle and when they begin on the video.
    End quote.
    ***UPDATE***  12/17/15

    Warren 

    The World Meeting of Families finished with a capacity crowd listening to Rick Warren, bestselling author and pastor of Saddleback Church, and Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston taking the stage to talk about “The Joy of the Gospel of Life.” Pastor Warren was invited by Pope Francis to be the concluding speaker at last November’s Humanum Colloquium at the Vatican. Cardinal O’Malley addressed the importance of Warren being among so many Catholics: “It’s important that Rick Warren is here. This is a witness of unity that’s important in today’s world, as we strive to proclaim the gospel of life... It’s a great consolation to share this stage with a fellow Christian who is truly committed to preaching the Gospel. 

    ~Recorder Standard 


    Piper Promotes Reformergent  Tim Keller



    Keller on preaching on homosexuality (or not).



    Piper Promotes Beth Moore

    Piper promotes  Beth Moore who teaches men as well as women and promotes Contemplative prayer. She says God gave her a vision that Roman Catholics are Christians too.  More on Piper and his church endorsing Moore as well as Piper and Moore leading the arena in Lectio Divina here.

    Piper on Old Earth Age:

    He rejects the Genesis account (as well as the rest of Scripture's account) of a literal 6 day creation: God spoke it and it came to be immediately.


    Spurgeon on "Fraternizing With Heretics".

    This timely article by A.W. Pink is challenging and also very encouraging on taking heed of what you not only hear, but read.

    Bottom line:

    If only one passage shows why Piper should be rejected, its this one:

    2Jn 1:9  Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son. 10  If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; 11  for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds.



    The only way a person won't see the need to reject Piper according to 2John 9-11 is because they don't believe this:

    Mat 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing but inwardly are ravenouswolves. 16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

    Many of the teachers that Piper endorses are false teachers. That alone finds him guilty of the same evil deeds as those false teachers, according to God.


    Gal 4:16 So have I become your enemy by telling you the truth?

    ***UPDATE***

    Piper has stepped down from the pulpit at his church. Citing increasing complexities in running the church and his desire to write and speak elsewhere, I believe these are not biblical reasons. It sounds like restlessness. A seasoned pastor who has maturity and wisdom should be in the pulpit shepherding over his flock, not moving on to doing other things.  Who he's turning the pulpit over to is concerning, since Jason Meyer's resume includes teaching "Spiritual Formation". This is a red flag because Spiritual Formation is connected to Contemplative Spiritual mysticism. 


    ***UPDATE***

    Piper is endorsing more heretics like Judah Smith (Word of Faith) and "Jesus" Culture band (Word of Faith) by sharing the stage with them in ministry at this year's Passion Conference. He's appearing alongside again with Francis Chan, Beth Moore, and of course, Louie Giglio. Beth Moore is not only incapable at teaching Scripture, she teaches men even at this conference  (she also has taught at Giglio's church in the pulpit one Sunday morning since then). Moore, Chan, Giglio, and Piper all lead their audience into the Eastery mystic Lectio Divina at last year's Passion Conference. Now with sharing the ministry and thus giving credibility to both Judah Smith and "Jesus" Culture, he's endorsing horrific and blasphemous "teachers". 


    1Kings 18:21  Elijah came near to all the people and said, "How long will you hesitate between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people did not answer him a word. 



    ***UPDATE***
    On April 9, 2013 Piper promotes Charismatic "spiritual warfare" which is on his "Desiring 'God'" website.

      "I tend to think there is an Influence around them.. and there's a WAY
    I pray INTO the situation, NAME the situation, PRAY AGAINST IT, and
    just if you like CUT OFF The CORDS that are HOLDING THEM BOUND
    Tobe Koleoso , point  8:02 

    This is classic Charismaticism/Word of Faithism and cannot be supported by Scripture. Those in Christ are sealed by the Holy Spirit. We do see in Acts16 where a woman who was possessed by a spirit of divination who harassed Paul and his companions by following them for many days. He eventually commanded the demon to come out of her. In that situation, while there was a harassment, but the demon could not bind the slaves of Christ Jesus. Jesus, in Matt. 12 is the One who binds the strongman (Satan) and takes all his possessions. That has to do with salvation, and its Jesus Who does it the binding and removing of Satan in the life of an unbeliever, and takes them and the Spirit places that person into the kingdom of God. In the parallel passage of Mark 3:27 MacArthur notes:

    "3:27 enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods. One must be stronger than Satan in order to enter his domain (“strong man’s house”), bind him (restrain his action), and free (“plunder”) people (“his goods”) from his control. Only Jesus had such power over the devil. Cf. Rom. 16:20; Heb. 2:14, 15."


    Rom 16:20  The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. 

    Heb 2:14  Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15  and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

    That said, we do see Christians who get caught in a sin (Gal. 6:1, Heb. 12:1) which must be dealt with. John Gill says of Eph. 4:27 about not giving any opportunity to the devil:

    "Eph 4:27  Neither give place to the devil. Or "to the accuser", or "slanderer"; that is, to any adversary, that takes delight in slandering and reproaching the saints; give such no room, nor reason, to calumniate the doctrine and ways of Christ, through an unbecoming conversation, by lying and sinful anger, or by other means; or rather the devil, the great accuser of the brethren is meant..."

    We know that James also says that worldly or earthly "wisdom":
    Jas 3:14  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. 15  This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

    Sin is always a spiritual issue that must be dealt with and a believer never has a demon because Jesus has removed us from the kingdom of Satan into His kingdom, we are sealed by the Holy Spirit, and we are IN CHRIST JESUS. We are also kept in the hand of both the Father and Jesus, so there is no way that Satan can overcome the power of the Trinity.


    There is absolutely no indication of demons binding up Christians. 


    ***UPDATE***

    Piper continues to promote Romanist Anglican CS Lewis here (September 2013 conference on Lewis) and here ((his book on Lewis). Here are two articles on the false teachings of Lewis and why he cannot be considered a Christian: here and here.