Dedicated to the devotional, exegetical and philosophical study of theological paradox in Conservative, Thoroughly Biblical, Historically Orthodox, Essentially Reformed theology . . . to the glory of God alone!

Friday, October 09, 2009

John Piper on the Paradox of God's Sovereignty and Human Choice

I enjoyed John Piper's recent blog post about "Real Choice, Divine Sway, and the Way Paul Lived."

If I hadn't already given him a THEOparadox t-shirt, I'd give him one now. Well, okay, I'll just give him another one . . .



Here's a quote from Piper's post . . .

"One of the most influential passages in the Bible that God used to open my mind to his sovereignty over my will is Philippians 2:12-13.
Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
So my working and willing are necessary. They are real. But they are not first or ultimately decisive. God’s willing and working is decisively under and in my willing and working. The word “for” is crucial. I work because he is working in me. I will, because he is willing in me."

The final sentence says it all . . .

"So abandon any anti-Bible intellectual baggage you have inherited from planet earth, and recalibrate your brain to embrace the paradoxes of real human choice and decisive divine sway."

2 comments:

  1. Derek,

    You're gonna like Hebrews then.

    He's holding up the arms just to taunt me, right?

    Tony

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tony,

    I knew you were going to say that, and I actually contemplated removing his arms just for your sake.

    Can't wait for that Hebrews series! (but I will)

    Derek

    ReplyDelete

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