
John Piper, a well-known Christian theologian and pastor, has a unique perspective on faith that has sparked much discussion and debate within the Christian community. In his view, faith is not merely intellectual assent or agreement with certain theological truths, but it is inherently connected to our emotions. He defines faith as trusting all that God promises to be to us in Christ Jesus, emphasising the importance of trusting God and His Word. For Piper, faith is not just a passive belief but an active trust that leads to satisfaction and delight in God. He argues that faith is an essential aspect of our salvation and that it is constituted by our affections for Christ. Piper's understanding of faith as affectional has been both praised and criticised, with some arguing that it provides a helpful premise for believers, while others find his definitions confusing and inconsistent.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Trusting | All that God promises to be to us in Christ Jesus |
Treasuring Christ | All-satisfying pleasure |
Satisfaction | God |
What You'll Learn
Faith is trusting in God's promises
Faith is about trusting in God's promises as they are laid out in the Bible. For example, God promises to satisfy your heart in Christ (John 4:13-14), to forgive your sins (1 John 1:9), and to give you wisdom (James 1:5). Focusing on these specific promises will strengthen your faith.
John Piper's definition of faith is similar to the one outlined above. He states that faith is "trusting all that God promises to be to us in Christ Jesus". He emphasizes that faith is not just about agreeing with certain truths, but about trusting in God and His Word.
Piper's view of faith also includes an emotional aspect. He believes that faith is "affectional", meaning it has an inherent emotional quality that is needed for it to be saving. This means that treasuring Christ and finding satisfaction in Him is an essential part of faith.
However, some critics argue that Piper's definition of faith as primarily emotional is confusing and inconsistent. They claim that faith should be understood in more traditional terms, such as trust in Christ, rather than satisfaction or emotion.
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Faith is not the same as agreement
John Piper's definition of faith is "trusting all that God promises to be to us in Christ Jesus". This means that faith is not just agreeing with certain truths, but rather it is trusting God to fulfil His promises. While demons agree to the truth of God, they do not have saving faith because they are not trusting in God. Instead, they are relying on Satan.
So, the question is not just what truths do I agree with, but who or what am I trusting to secure a satisfying future for me? Faith means trusting God to do what He has promised in His Word. This includes specific biblical promises such as God's promise to satisfy our hearts in Christ, forgive our sins, or give us wisdom. By focusing on these specific promises, our faith can be strong and clear.
Furthermore, faith is not just an intellectual exercise, but it also involves our emotions. Piper argues that faith is "affectional", meaning it has an inherent emotional quality that is needed for it to be saving. This does not mean that faith is merely an emotional response, but rather that our love for Christ and our satisfaction in Him are aspects of faith's nature.
In conclusion, faith is not the same as agreement. Faith involves trust, emotion, and a deep satisfaction in Christ that goes beyond mere intellectual assent. It is a heartfelt reliance on God's promises and a treasuring of Christ above all else.
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Faith is an emotional experience
John Piper's definition of faith is affectional, meaning that it has an inherent emotional quality that is needed to make it saving. Piper's definition of faith is fundamentally emotional. He believes that faith is constituted by our emotions and that faith is an emotion in itself. Piper's view of faith as emotional does impact its role in salvation. He explains that what turns believing into saving faith is when we apprehend and embrace the spiritual beauty and worth of Christ through the illumination of the Holy Spirit. This emotional aspect is what makes faith into saving faith.
Piper's definition of faith as emotional is at odds with the traditional, Reformed theology definition of faith as trust in Christ. In Piper's paradigm, faith is defined as satisfaction and this satisfaction is what constitutes faith. This means that when satisfaction has the upper hand in one's heart, they are satisfied with Christ and his promises. However, this statement is a tautology and makes no argument. It is difficult to understand how one can pray for the satisfaction that they already have.
Piper's definition of faith as emotional also impacts his view of justification. He explains that faith is the occasion of God's forgiving and acquitting and reckoning as righteous by virtue of faith's uniting us to Christ. In Piper's paradigm, feeling properly satisfied is merely God's opportunity to justify. This is inconsistent with the traditional view of justification, where faith is the instrument of receiving Christ.
Piper's definition of faith as emotional also leads to a conflation of faith and obedience. He explains that the battle against covetousness is a battle against unbelief and a battle for faith in future grace. Covetousness is the loss of contentment in Christ and a craving for other things to satisfy the longings of our hearts. Piper's paradigm equates a lack of satisfaction in God with a lack of faith. This means that even momentary lapses where a believer may succumb to covetousness removes the occasion of God's forgiving and reckoning as righteous since their satisfaction is elsewhere.
In conclusion, John Piper's definition of faith as "affectional" and emotional is inconsistent with the traditional, Reformed theology definition of faith as trust in Christ. This emotional definition of faith impacts its role in salvation, justification, and obedience, leading to a conflation of faith and faithfulness.
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Faith is treasuring Christ
John Piper's definition of faith is not a simple one. In his view, faith is ""affectional", meaning it is inherently connected to our emotions and, in some ways, constituted by them. Piper's recent book, "What Is Saving Faith?: Reflections on Receiving Christ as a Treasure", argues for this "affectional" understanding of saving faith. Specifically, treasuring Christ is an affectional "act of faith", not in the sense of an action that results from faith, but as one of the "actings that constitute what faith is".
Piper's primary argument is that faith has an inherent emotional quality that is needed to make it saving. He claims that love for Christ that finds satisfaction in Him, although not exhaustively identical to faith, is an aspect of faith's nature. This claim is controversial, especially within the Reformed heritage, as it suggests that the traditional description of faith as knowledge, assent, and trust is inadequate.
Piper's view of faith as emotional does impact its role in salvation. He explains that what turns believing into saving faith is when we apprehend and embrace the spiritual beauty and worth of Christ through the illumination of the Holy Spirit. In other words, if we do not taste the beauty of Christ in his promises as delightful or satisfying, we do not yet believe in a saving, transforming way.
Piper's understanding of faith as treasuring Christ is further supported by his interpretation of 1 John 5:1–5, where he argues that faith includes new affections for Christ that remove the burden of obedience to God rather than the world. He also highlights the story of Adam and Eve before the Fall, suggesting that Adam needed to find satisfaction in God's promises in Christ.
In conclusion, for John Piper, "faith is treasuring Christ" means that faith has an emotional dimension that makes it saving. It is not enough to simply believe certain truths; one must also find satisfaction and delight in Christ and His promises. This emotional aspect of faith is what enables believers to press forward in their Christian life, even during trials, by trusting that God will be good to them.
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Faith is a gift from God
John Piper is a well-known evangelical preacher and theologian. He is the founder of the Christian hedonism movement, which argues that humans are most satisfied when they find joy in God. Piper's teachings have been influential in the "young, restless, and Reformed" movement.
Piper's definition of faith is complex and nuanced. He characterises faith as an emotion, specifically as "being satisfied with all that God is (and promises to be) for us in Jesus". This definition has been criticised as conflating faith and obedience, and as being inconsistent with the traditional Reformed understanding of faith as trust in God's promises.
Piper's view of faith is intimately connected to his understanding of sanctification, the process by which believers are transformed into the image of Christ. In Piper's view, faith is the primary engine for sanctification. He argues that believers are best enabled to press forward in the Christian life by trusting in God's future grace, even in the midst of trials. This trust in God's future grace is what Piper calls "faith in future grace".
Piper's definition of faith as an emotion has been criticised as confusing and unhelpful. Critics argue that emotions are fleeting and changeable, and that defining faith in these terms fails to provide a stable foundation for the Christian life. They argue that a more traditional understanding of faith as trust in God's promises is more consistent with the biblical witness and provides a firmer foundation for believers.
Despite these criticisms, Piper's teachings on faith have had a significant impact on many Christians, particularly those in the Reformed tradition. His emphasis on finding satisfaction and delight in God has resonated with many who seek a deeper relationship with God.
Faith, according to Piper, is a gift from God. It is not something that humans can generate on their own, but rather it is a result of God's grace and the work of the Holy Spirit in the believer's heart. This faith is not a static thing but is meant to grow and deepen over time, as believers increasingly treasure Christ and find their satisfaction in Him.
Piper's understanding of faith as an emotional response to God's grace has been both praised and criticised. Some see it as a helpful correction to overly intellectualised faith, while others argue that it fails to provide the certainty and stability that traditional understandings of faith offer. Ultimately, Piper's definition of faith as "being satisfied with all that God is and promises to be" reveals a deep trust in God's character and a desire to see believers find their joy and satisfaction in Him alone.
Faith, for Piper, is not merely intellectual assent to certain doctrines or truths, but a heartfelt trust in God's promises that results in a transformed life. This trust is not a one-time decision but a daily embrace of God's grace, a continual reliance on His future provision. It is this dynamic, emotional aspect of faith that Piper emphasises, seeing it as the key to a vibrant and growing relationship with God.
In conclusion, John Piper's definition of faith as "being satisfied with all that God is and promises to be" reveals his deep conviction that faith is a gift from God, meant to lead believers into a satisfying and joy-filled relationship with Him. This understanding of faith has both supporters and critics, but its emphasis on emotional connection with God has had a significant impact on many Christians, particularly those in the Reformed tradition.
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Frequently asked questions
John Piper defines faith as "trusting all that God promises to be to us in Christ Jesus".
Piper means that faith is not just agreeing to certain truths, but also trusting God to deliver on those promises. This is in contrast to demons, who agree that God exists but do not trust Him.
Some examples of God's promises that Christians can focus on include God's promise to satisfy their heart in Christ (John 4:13-14), forgive their sins (1 John 1:9), or give them wisdom (James 1:5).
John Piper argues that faith in Christ is not saving unless it includes an "affectional dimension of treasuring Christ". He believes that saving faith welcomes Christ forever as our supreme and inexhaustible pleasure.
John Piper views faith as having an inherent emotional quality. He believes that love for Christ and finding satisfaction in Him are aspects of faith's nature. This emotional dimension of faith is what makes it saving, according to Piper.