Are there some important issues in your life which you find so perplexing to affirm them or to deny them? Issues that most people seem to know for certain but you are very uncertain. Issues that you have to act upon them because they are very crucial and pressing.
Well, we all have.
I would like to call such a mental condition, "John Piper Syndrome"
because I like Dr. John Piper and would like to name after him. By the way,
that's tongue in cheek too! He is a godly man, and it's because of that I can
afford to make fun of him. Certainly, you wouldn't want to make fun of Kim Jong
Un. He would evaporate you!
John Piper is an
interesting influential guy with intriguing undecided issues. His other
influential friends are certain, but he wonders how they are certain. Sometimes
he would attempt to get along with them, sometimes he would not. His very
certain friends would call him out when he is not in line with them!
This is about
Piper, Grudem, MacArthur, and White on the issues of speaking in tongues and the
presidential election of America! The first issue is very important for all
Christians in the world. The second issue is important for Christians of
America particularly. Piper is uncertain about these issues while those three
are very certain!
Grudem believes in
charismatic gifts that speaking in tongues, a gift of healings, and prophecy
still must be sought after by our present church until the return of the Lord.
He wrote many books including one of the most influential Systematic Theology
books promoting it. John Piper is caught praying for the gift of tongues in a
video. His other friend, MacArthur, on the other hand, believes those specific
gifts cease to exist in our time, and called out John Piper for his uncertainty
in the 2013 Strange Fire Conference. However, MacArthur was sympathetic towards him and he even
wrote a letter of plea to charismatic friends. You will find that letter in the book, Strange
Fire.
Grudem believes
Trump is a better choice than Biden. MacArthur also believes so. They will vote
for Trump and will pray for Trump re-election. Piper believes Biden is
disqualified and doesn't want to even talk about him, but he has lots of questions
for those who favor Trump. Again Grudem has written a long letter to Anti-Trump
Christian Friends. Yesterday Piper puts up a new article to which James White
responds by calling him out.
That's what and why
and how I call John Piper Syndrome!
Here are some of
the links I am talking about:
1. Grudem's Letter:
2. Piper's Article:
3. James White
called out Piper (54:20 minutes onwards):
Updated 27/10/2020: More links to read
4. Sam Storms’ Response: A brief reflection on John Piper’s recent article concerning the presidential election.
5. Albert Mohler’s Article: Christians, Conscience, and the Looming 2020 Election
6. Wayne Grudem’s Response: A respectful response to my friend John Piper about voting for Trump