On September 25, 2017 Dr. John Piper published a blog at the DesiringGod.org website. It was entitled, “Does God Really Save Us by Faith Alone?” His answer was No!
In part Piper writes:
These works of faith, and this obedience of faith, these fruits of the Spirit that come by faith, are necessary for our final salvation [emphasis added]. No holiness, no heaven (Hebrews 12:14). So, we should not speak of getting to heaven by faith alone in the same way we are justified by faith alone [emphasis added].
Essential to the Christian life and necessary for final salvation is the killing of sin (Romans 8:13) and the pursuit of holiness (Hebrews 12:14). Mortification of sin, sanctification in holiness.
Did I mention that Piper is a Calvinist?
Of course, many Calvinists find fault with this language of Piper.
According to John 3:16-18, when is salvation final?
The answer is that salvation was final the very moment you believed in Jesus for everlasting life. There is no time of probation.
No works are necessary in order to get into heaven. At least no works which we have done. Jesus’ works, His sinless life and His finished work on the cross, are necessary, of course. But our works are not the issue. At all.
Before my senior year in college I was hoping to gain final salvation when I died. I thought I could lose salvation (if I even had it) by failing to persevere in holiness. If I’d read that quote by Piper, I’d have thought he was speaking God’s Word clearly.
Then I learned that salvation is final the very moment one believes in Jesus. The passage God used was Eph 2:8-9. I believed that day at the start of my senior year and I knew right then that I had been saved once and for all by grace through faith and that it was apart from works. I was saved that day once and for all. My search was finally over. Thank God.
Wow. What good news that is. I dedicated my life to telling others about this good news.
I know John Piper has good intentions. But he is wrong. Salvation is final the moment one believes in Jesus for it.
Ken Tamashiro
Hi Pastor Bob,
I agree with you 100% because I had a debate over the same issue recently.
God does not ask the individual about the veracity of his Salvation, but rather Scripture teaches we are Justified by Faith when we believe in Christ for our Eternal Life.
I have also noticed God does not question our Faith but rather He questions did we believe in Christ for Eternal Life and not are we living for Christ. The Error here is mixing Justification and Sanctification and not understanding how they work separately.
I won the debate by saying it is not a False Profession to place our Faith in Christ for our Eternal Salvation.
Grace and Peace,
Ken Tamashiro
B. Johnson
I ran across this blog post from 2015 by John Piper yesterday. The opening sentence is, intentionally, I presume, quite breathtaking: “It is possible to believe the promises of God, and have the assurance of salvation, and yet be lost forever.” In it, he gives a very unique definition of saving faith: “But now we see that more needs to be said about this future-oriented faith. Now we see that it must include a spiritual perception of the beauty of God and his plan in making these promises — a beauty that we will enjoy to the full as the promises come true.” Here’s the link to the post: https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/you-can-believe-the-promises-of-god-and-be-lost
Ken Tamashiro
I’m feeling very frustrated,…I know for a fact that God is not the Author of Confusion, but it seems to me John Piper has established for himself as a confused person, who cannot believe in the Factual Promises of God. It reads as if he is one step away from Foolishness and his Theology sounds much like a New Baby Christian who is in wonderment and still not clear on what the Bible Teaches. I’ve also noticed also that these type of people will flower up their language to conceal their error. It is similar to a Stock Broker trying to sell bad stocks by putting lipstick on a pig and trying to sell it as beautiful. I’m sorry but John Piper should re-examine himself and see if he understands good Sound Theology. ……I think these bible verses sums up my feelings of frustration: James 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. ….Another verse for those who believe they know more than Jesus their Master: Matthew 10:24 English Standard Version (ESV)
24 “A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant[a] above his master.
Alvin
John Piper is only fooling himself and those who follow him. He is not rightly dividing the word of truth but making it contradict a gift taken freely. It’s only based upon that fact that a believers faith can produce obedience. Piper is one who is only producing filthy rags but seeing them as clean. As 2 Cor 10:12 For we dare not class ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise. If Piper ever believed the saving truth his faith could produce righteousness. But, since Piper is teaching a contradiction (something free cost everything) all he is producing is filthy rags:-(
Alvin
Harmonizing the Scriptures: Zane John 5:29: It is perfectly true that even after we are born of God, we continue to live in a sinful body that expresses itself all too often. But it is the unmistakable doctrine of the Apostle John that, in the final analysis, “whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9). This verse means exactly what it says, but of course it is the NEW PERSON created by regeneration that “does not….and cannot sin.”
When such a new person is raised in “the resurrection of life” and granted a body as perfect as our Lord’s own physical body (see Phil 3:20-21), we have a person whose only real acts are “good things.” The sinner who rises in judgment, however, is a person who has NOT done what is truly “good” in God’s sight. As Paul states it, “There is none who does good, no not one” (see Rom 3:10-12).
Thus when the possessors of eternal life lose their sinful bodies at death, or the coming of the Lord, they also lose all connection with its sinful deeds. Those deeds are not in any way imputed to them so as to make them liable to judgment. Clearly what we have here in the teaching of Jesus Christ is an anticipation of the Pauline doctrine of justification by faith. There is no charge against such persons and hence there can be no judgment. The regenerate person is sinless~!
Jerry Clay
As you may remember Bob, I am the poster child for Free Grace. When Pastor Paul Carpenter clearly & concisely laid out the gospel for me on Oct. 6th, 2003, I was born again, a new creation in Christ who realized at that moment that my salvation was totally free & didn’t depend on a single thing I did or could do. I have, in those now nearly 15 years, never once doubted my salvation & have grown in the Spirit mightily. Paul planted & watered, but God has most definitely caused the increase! I have a heart of thankfulness & use the Spiritual gifts God has bestowed on me for His glory. I am no longer a slave to sin & owe everything I am to Gods loving grace & mercy! Thank you for proclaiming the gospel clearly as well, & I sure hope you can come see us at JBC again soon!
Ken Tamashiro
I think I’m understanding the problem with Piper and others like him. ……After listening briefly to Pipers Video’s I think I understand where the problem lies. They see a Sanctification as proof of one’s Salvation. But that is where the mistake lies. Justification does not require Intimacy with God, but only requires Faith in Christ Alone. …..Jesus nor the Apostle Paul required Intimacy with God as a requirement for Entrance into Eternal Life nor evidence of that for the verification of being a Christian. …The only verification for being a Christian is when someone Believes in Christ for their Salvation (Justification). In the area of (Sanctification), our Position in Christ and the Process that God does to help the individual become more like Christ is now in motion after the individual becomes Born Again. The choice to yield to the Holy Spirit is between the individual and God alone, and will never be questioned by God about his being saved.
andrew
This kind of theory that Piper proposes goes all the way back to Augustine. It is also in the New Hampshire Confession. A true believer perseveres to the end or he is not elect. Guys like Piper are wonderful brothers in Christ but theirs is a works salvation even though they would strenuously deny. It is Justification by sanctification. they cannot make themselves believe that Justification might not result in sanctification even though it should. They fear being Antinomian. Both Calvinists and Arminians park their cars in the Vatican parking lot.