John Piper writes,

Jesus said, “I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him” (John 5:42–43).

When Jesus says, “receive him,” he means receive him for who he really is: the divine, eternal Son of God who lays down his life for the sheep and takes it up again in three days. If a person does not receive him in this way, that person, Jesus says, does not love God.

Jesus said, “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent h…

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Theology Refresh is a podcast for pastors and Christian leaders designed to sharpen our grasp of key doctrines used in everyday ministry. Each podcast is around 15-minutes (or less), which is the time it takes for the average daily commute.

The latest discussion is with Ed Stetzer on spiritual warfare.

It's a mistake to dismiss the battle that's going on around us. God is sovereign, reigning over all, and his creatures have rebelled. This includes everyone until Jesus intervenes to save. Then we become citizens of another kingdom — we rebel against the rebellion.

Stream or download this 13-minute audio.

Recommended resources on spiritual warfare:

• Spiritual Warfare and Mis…

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J. C. Ryle was a man of the Word.

The first bishop of Liverpool, and subject of John Piper's biographical message at next week's Conference for Pastors, wanted his people to read the Scriptures. And we want the same thing, for ourselves and for you.

To help us out, Erik Kowalker recently compiled a list of tips straight from Ryle's book Practical Religion. Here are eight profitable ways to read the Bible:

1. Begin reading your Bible this very day.
2. Read the Bible with an earnest desire to understand it.
3. Read the Bible with child-like faith and humility.
4. Read the Bible in a spirit of obedience and self-application.
5. Read the Bible daily.
6. Read all of the Bible — and read it in an orderly way…

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In 1977 John Piper organized some advice for a group of college students who were considering a career in teaching biblical and theological studies.

The counsel includes the goal of teaching, the difficultly in teaching, and the personal traits that might make you fit for such a vocation.

Here's the list of those five personal traits:

1. You have to be a good explainer.
2. You have to believe in the value of thinking.
3. You need to feel an inner drive to solve intellectual problems.
4. You need to be what the Germans call a “Menschenkenner.”
5. You need the discipline to sit at a desk and think and write for 10–14 hours a day.

Read the entire paper. It's short and helpful.

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Recent posts…

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Is there anything distinctive about Christian friendship? What’s different about how two fellow followers of Jesus relate to each other, compared with two friends who don’t identify with Christ? Romans 15:2 helps us consider one essential component of what puts the Christian into Christian relationships.

“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up.”

Who Is Our “Neighbor”?

"Neighbor" can be used very broadly (as Jesus does in Luke 10:29), but in this case, Paul is plainly talking about fellow believers (as he does in Ephesians 4:25). This is confirmed in the verb "to build up" — a word which Paul reserves exclusively for the church. We're talking about Christ…

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The following article appeared in the January 14 issue of WORLD Magazine. To learn more about WORLD, check out www.worldmag.com. You can also read it on the iPad or Kindle.

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Web of Grace

CHINA | A burgeoning presence on the internet is helping Christians spread the Word in China | by Angela Lu

China's Christian surge is likely to continue in 2012, with teaching via the internet contributing to it. Type "democracy" or "Tiananmen Square" into Baidu.com, the popular search engine in China, and a message will pop up informing you that you cannot access the page. But type "Christianity" into the same search engine, and you'll be flooded with links to church websites, personal blog…

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Pastor John:

Here is my answer to the question, "How do pro-life Christians honor a pro-choice president?"

1. Humbling ourselves

We will honor you, Mr. President, by humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God (1 Peter 5:6) and acknowledging that we are ourselves sinners and in need of mercy and forgiveness from God. We are not infallible. We are open to new light on this and every issue. We are not the final judge in this matter. God is. We stand before the cross of Christ on level ground with you, not above you, utterly dependent on mercy and seeking to live by the will of Christ.

2. Acknowledging God's image

We will honor you by acknowledging that you are a man, created in the…

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Pastor John:

Christians — people who bank their hopes on Jesus and spend time with Jesus and obey Jesus — should stand up in public and tell God's truth as they see it without worrying that secular listeners may not even agree with our most basic assumptions.

Isn't it amazing how Peter and John respond to the rulers [Acts 4:13–20]! The rulers tell them to get out and not to speak in the name of Jesus any more. Then in verse 19–20 they say, "Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard."

One of the great obstacles to our speaking out in public about the truth as we see it with Jesu…

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January 18, 1987, John Piper preached a sermon to expose the evil of abortion. Since this sermon he has preached against abortion every year on the Sanctity of Life Sunday, which correlates with the dark anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

39 years and 50 million babies killed since this Supreme Court decision, what exactly does it say?

Pastor John:

When the American Medical Association was formed in 1847, abortion was commonly practiced "before quickening." But through the efforts of the A.M.A. and anti-obscenity crusaders and (ironically) feminists, abortion became illegal every where in the U.S. by 1900. Abortions went underground or out of the country.

The key reversal of this legal si…

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The Bible comes from God; God doesn't come from the Bible.

Our knowledge of God is a different story. What we know about God, definitively and redemptively, comes from the Bible. And that is, the Bible that comes from God, who himself comes from nothing.

These are the foundational pieces to understanding the doctrine of revelation, and therefore, the doctrine of Scripture. God, utterly independent and essentially revelatory, has made himself known. This is stunning. And it helps to read the Bible with it in view.

D. A. Carson writes,

To approach the Bible correctly it is important to know something of the God who stands behind it. God is both transcendent (i.e., he is "above" spa…

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