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!

Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Piper on Marriage


"So I start with the assumption that my own sin and selfishness and cultural bondage makes it almost impossible for me to feel the wonder of God’s purpose for marriage. The fact that we live in a society that can defend two men or two women entering a sexual relationship and, with wild inconceivability, call it marriage shows that the collapse of our culture into debauchery and anarchy is probably not far away.

I mention this cultural distortion of marriage in the hopes that it might wake you up to consider a vision of marriage higher and deeper and stronger and more glorious than anything this culture—or perhaps you yourself—ever imagined. The greatness and glory of marriage is beyond our ability to think or feel without divine revelation and without the illumining and awakening work of the Holy Spirit. The world cannot know what marriage is without learning it from God. The natural man does not have the capacities to see or receive or feel the wonder of what God has designed for marriage to be. I pray that this book might be used by God to help set you free from small, worldly, culturally contaminated, self-centered, Christ-ignoring, God-neglecting, romance-intoxicated, unbiblical views of marriage.

The most foundational thing to see from the Bible about marriage is that it is God’s doing. And the ultimate thing to see from the Bible about marriage is that it is for God’s glory. Those are the two points I have to make. Most foundationally, marriage is the doing of God. And ultimately, marriage is the display of God."


-John Piper, This Momentary Marriage, pp. 20-21 (Online PDF Version - FREE!)
Posted by THEOparadox at 7:55 AM
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2 comments:

  1. The BlainemonsterJuly 6, 2011 at 11:54 AM

    Ya know, it is such a huge blessing that so much of Piper's writing is available at the push of a print button. Thanks for this, gonna read it. :)

    Ha! Word Verification: goods...as in, I got 'em.

    ReplyDelete
  2. THEOparadoxJuly 6, 2011 at 1:26 PM

    Blaine,

    I agree, it's great to have an abundance of free resources from DG. There are so many free theological resources on the web, it's actually a bit overwhelming. I recently added some amazing sites to the study links in the sidebar. Listening to various seminary courses has reminded me that I am barely scratching the surface on so many areas of theology.

    Glad you've figured out how to navigate the security features! I don't like them, but they are a necessary evil.

    Blessings,
    Derek

    ReplyDelete

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