Desiring God - Part 9
I am still reading Desiring God by John Piper. Today my post is on Piper’s chapter about Scripture.
This is a very good chapter. I will probably post more on Scripture later as well. Piper points the reader to an appendix at the end of the book that goes into even more detail.
One of the main verses that Piper uses for this chapter is Psalm 19:7 (The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul.). He really stresses the reviving part of the verse and how in the Christian life there will be dips and valleys. The Bible is how we can be revived to press on. Piper calls the Bible the kindling of Christian Hedonism.
Another important verse that Piper quotes is Romans 10:17 (Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.). Basically, this tells us that our Christian life and faith start with hearing God’s Word.
Piper tells the story of Tokichi Ichii who was hanged for murder in Tokyo in 1918. This is a really incredible story. He was a very, very evil man. Shortly before he was executed, two ladies sent him a New Testament. He read the story of Jesus’ trial and execution. The words of Jesus, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do,” transformed his life. Below is what Ichii wrote before he died.
“As sorrowing, yet always rejoicing.” People will say that I must have a very sorrowful heart because I am daily awaiting the execution of the death sentence. This is not the case. I feel neither sorrow nor distress nor any pain. Locked up in a prison cell six feet by nine in size I am infinitely happier than I was in the days of my sinning when I did not know God. Day and night . . . I am talking with Jesus Christ.
“As poor, yet making many rich.” This certainly does not apply to the evil life I led before I repented. But perhaps in the future, someone in the world may hear that the most desperate villain that ever lived repented of his sins and was saved by the power of Christ, and so may come to repent also. Then it may be that though I am poor myself, I shall be able to make many rich.