Comments on: John Piper on Biblical Counseling

By: Mary Steele

Mary Steele — Sun, 18 Sep 2016 23:52:00 +0000

We are to make much of God, not the other way around. But He did give us His Son and a way to reconciliation when He did not need to. I think the reason that we struggle with wanting to put some of the focus on ourselves is because of our innate sinful natures that are selfish and want a way to NOT make it ALL about anyone else, namely God. But He is the only One worthy of all praise, adoration, attention, glory, honor and He is the only One who can completely satisfy us. It seems that the more deeply we see God for who He really is, holy, in light of our sinfulness, the less we can honestly grab any glory or think we should be made much of by God. The Trinity, before creation, was completely fulfilled, satisfied, loving, relational, complete and had no need to create us and make much of us. We are to reflect God’s glory and make much of Him. I am so eager for the day that we see Christ face-to-face and we will be like Him for we will see Him as He is! Then we will be blessed to be intimately in God’s presence and worship Him for all eternity!

By: Marie Peterson

Marie Peterson — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 02:20:10 +0000

Venkatesh, it’s interesting you mention “Christian Hedonism.” I actually think that Piper’s words, if they really do exclude taking joy in God’s delight in us, would go against Christian Hedonism rather than uphold it.

By: What I Read Online – 06/08/2013 (a.m.) | Emeth Aletheia

What I Read Online – 06/08/2013 (a.m.) | Emeth Aletheia — Sat, 08 Jun 2013 00:35:23 +0000

[...] John Piper on Biblical Counseling | HeadHeartHand Blog [...]

By: Rob de Roos

Rob de Roos — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 23:31:45 +0000

David,
I missed your point … “making much”; sorry. I agree with you I think though I agree with Piper to the degree that we need to take up our cross and follow Him and this following is basic to self-denial. Perhaps your point is that this self-denial is not a denial of what or who I am. Perhaps some balance is found in Rom 12:3- “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”

By: Rob de Roos

Rob de Roos — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:32:03 +0000

Yes, I agree so much. The focus of a lot of counseling seems to be on the “technology of repentance” but in Phil. 3, Eph 4; Col. 3, Paul’s focus is not merely on behavior change or even heart change but on identification and communion with Christ because of faith-union with Christ. So in ordering our inner self along the lines of the standard Thomist disposition and habit needs a broader base in the heart and life, which is the sweetness of Christ. Without this positive focus the sustenance the right view of living is not strong enough.

By: David Murray

David Murray — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 18:15:50 +0000

Thanks Tony. As soon as you wrote that, it rang a bell. I remembered that I actually reviewed Piper’s new chapter in the new edition of “Brothers, we are not professionals,” and noted how he had issued a “mid-course corrective.” See here:

http://headhearthand.org/blog/2013/02/18/brothers-we-are-not-professionals-book-review/

That raises serious questions about my memory! But it also raises questions about the decision to publish two conflicting chapters in the same year!!

I do welcome the more balanced note.

By: Tony Reinke

Tony Reinke — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 16:10:50 +0000

Just a couple points worth mentioning, David. The chapter in this book under Piper’s name is an edited version of an article previously appearing about a decade ago in the Journal of Biblical Counseling (20.2; Winter 2002). It’s worth keeping this in mind.

In the last decade (indeed the last 3 years especially), Pastor John has labored to express why God makes much of us (for his glory). See the following examples:

• Piper, sermon, “How Much Does God Love This Church?” (April 18, 2010)
• Piper, chapter, “Brothers, God Does Make Much of Us,” in the book, Brother, We Are Not Professionals (2013).
• Piper, conference message, “Getting to the Bottom of Your Joy” (Jan. 3, 2011)

Blessings brother!

Tony

By: Venkatesh

Venkatesh — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 15:44:43 +0000

Thanks for the review, Dr. Murray. Piper’s Christian Hedonism theology touches everything he writes. I once read his book God is the Gospel at a time when I was feeling really low about God. However, instead of helping me that book made me feel miserable. I am not saying that Piper hasn’t written good stuff. But at times this theology of “making much of God” can be really detrimental to the spiritual health of weak Christians like me. As you said, God has made much of me in the cross and I am thankful for him for that.

By: Steven C. Kettler

Steven C. Kettler — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 14:39:25 +0000

Thanks for the wise comments. We all need to be brought back to a focus on the Absolute Sovereignty of God and the Total Depravity of Mankind. Biblical Counseling should be Christ-centered counseling . . . and will inevitably lead toward a knowledge of systematic theology . . . Someone once said “All of our problems prove the same thing, the lordship of Jesus Christ.”

By: Kurt Strassner

Kurt Strassner — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 13:30:37 +0000

Thanks for this, David. Especially the last few sentences. Piper’s point it well taken, and may be especially helpful for those Christians living in a world of me-oriented, consumer oriented Christianity. But many sincere Christians struggle with the knowledge that they do not love God as they ought, but still need the healing balm of knowing that He loves them and yes, in a manner of speaking, makes much of them in the cross.