“For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” (Romans 8:5-8, ESV)
This one surprised me so much, that I had to talk about it. Now, I know of many names of people who have been exposed as false teachers, Billy Graham, R. C. Sproul, John Hagee, J. Vernon McGee, Franklin Graham, Charles Surgeon, Ray Comfort, Kirk Cameron, John MacArthur, and others who are Calvinists, American Baptists, etc. (Click here to check that one out).
Now, as for John Piper, as I've said, this one surprised me. Maybe it shouldn't, but I don't know. Anyway, I looked at his Wikipedia article, and it led me to a doctrine called "Christian Hedonism", which appears to be an oxymoron.
Anyway, upon reading that article, which says that in developing the doctrine, John Piper was influenced by Ayan Rand, the author of Atlas Shrugged, and a stanch defender of individualism.
Is this not setting your mind on the flesh? Mind you, this is not the same as taking care of yourself, as it is written:
“For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church,” (Ephesians 5:29, ESV)
However, what John Piper is advocating in Christian Hedonism can be summed up in his quote attributed to him in the Christian Hedonism Wikipedia article:
The desire to be happy is a proper motive for every good deed, and if you abandon the pursuit of your own joy, you cannot love man or please God.
This appears very foreign to me (John 10:5). What about the motivation of fear?
“By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.” (Proverbs 16:6, ESV)
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