One of my favorite modern day preachers, and one whose teachings I love is John Piper. He is also known as a renown theologian but the point of this entry isnt necessarily about reformed theology. And like all extreme sides and view points of Christianity and denominations, I'm cautious in study of extreme teachings of any theological viewpoint... That said, the articulation of Gods Word the way John Piper interprets it and the passions that he conveys resounds with me and convicts me in a way that I know God is using it to change me, to teach me and sanctify me. Specifically, John Piper's sermon at One Day 2000 helped changed my life in a way that it probably set a new tragectory of my passions and perceptions of God.
The Word of God IS living and breathing and though its hard to conceptualize in our mind of shortcuts and built in perceptions... the Word itself is power. If breathed into the born again heart, the reformed heart... it WILL cut and penetrate to the deepest part of our hearts and souls. For those that have experienced this change know then the value of Gods Word... it is a lifeline, it is a treasure which we hold dear to.
The way we perceive things in our sinful state without the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit is vastly different from person to person. It can be based on our life experiences, our culture, our personality, our tendancies... our emotional states at the present time. It is constantly evolving... yet the Word of God in its essence resounds in the hearts and souls of a person universally all the same when accepted unguarded through the Holy Spirit. Because it is a message that is able to bear the weight of our deepest and most foundational question which exists in every breathing person. Every other answer, every other conclusion cannot bear that weight.
However, as vessels, sometimes fallen man mistreats and uses Gods Words to the detriment of others. And just as perfection can be tainted with even the slightest blimp of filth, the Word of God can be misused in a powerful way by selfish intentions and misuse of our free will. Churches are sometimes split, people disillusioned and sometimes nations of war waged and Gods Word is unfairly put front and center to be accountable for what are the actions of sinful man. However, the gospel of Jesus Christ to the born again Christian is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and will be through the rest of mankinds existence... it will never change, no matter the intention and interpretations of man.
As such as long as the main point is the main point, I've made it a point in my life not to argue about the dogmatic differences and the many delivery styles of Christ's body. There is a difference in standing up for what Christs asks us to stand up for, whatever the costs, and causing division in the body of Christ or even the harvest field in the name of a me-centered mission masked in Christian themes. There is a difference between studying theological points of contentions in attempts to strengthen our faiths and drive deeper our convictions to live for him and using them to create whole protests of hatred... to become pharisees of the law so to speak. It is a misnomer to think that Gods Word will not be served and proved effective if not used under the exact pretenses, dogmas, and interpretations that one believes is correct... especially when it comes at a detriment to actually putting to PRACTICE Gods Word. This is not to buy into some theory of relativity or to show no concern for those who may be being lead astray, but as mentioned before, the Word itself cannot be changed and when delivered through the Holy Spirit, WILL yield the end result, that which is a changed and joyous heart, and even more importantly a Glorified God. The difference in denominations and styles speak more to me about the fickleness of man than any suggested frailness of the gospel.
I recognize that there are many preaching heresy in these times, many false prophets as the bible warns of, many reasons to guard our hearts and lean on the wisdom and discernment of the Holy Spirit... at the end times, many will hear, "depart from me for I never knew You"... but those who hold close the Word of God will be transformed in His like image to stand firm in the end.
