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John Piper

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College and Seminary. For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is author of more than 50 books, including Desiring God: Meditations of a Christian Hedonist and most recently Foundations for Lifelong Learning: Education in Serious Joy. Read more about John.

Summary and Conclusion: 1 Peter 2:13–3:7

Lessons on Living as Exiles, Part 17

The ultimate goal of 1 Peter is to encourage believers to live transformed lives in light of their hope in Christ and to glorify God.

Broken Dynamics in Marriage (Q&A)

Broken Dynamics in Marriage (Q&A)

Lessons on Living as Exiles, Part 16

Issues within marriage can be helped by relating to each other openly and honestly while involving Christian community, but there will be times when a couple just has to live with a difficult situation.

Bible Reading, Justice, and Marriage (Q&A)

Lessons on Living as Exiles, Part 15

Godward prayers should fuel our Bible reading, compassionate advocacy should flavor our understanding of justice, and gospel instincts should shape our marriage struggles.

Men, Love and Lead Your Wives

Men, Love and Lead Your Wives

Men, lead your wives with understanding, honoring them as the weaker vessel, and recognizing them as joint heirs of the grace of life. By doing so, your prayers may not be hindered.

What Is Submission in Marriage?

What Is Submission in Marriage?

Submission has become a curse word in our culture today, even within the church. However, the Bible reveals the beauty of what submission is — and what it’s not.

The Beauty and Behavior of a Godly Woman

The Beauty and Behavior of a Godly Woman

What does it mean to be a strong woman? The world and all the media will answer one way, but the gospel and the Bible paint a more beautiful and satisfying picture.

Christ Returned Good for Your Evil

Christ Returned Good for Your Evil

How does what Jesus did on the cross for you relate to people who treat you badly? He models a patient, sacrificial love that would radically change all our relationships.

How Do We Honor Dishonorable People? (Q&A)

Lessons on Living as Exiles, Part 10

How do you honor leaders while also standing up against policies, laws, or agendas that are unbiblical? John Piper addresses this question and more.

The Horror and Hope in Slavery

The Horror and Hope in Slavery

Showing honor to one’s master is a way of honoring God and commending the gospel, including to masters who are unjust and treat you badly.

For God’s Sake, Be Free

For God’s Sake, Be Free

Christians are free to submit to human authority because our citizenship is in heaven and Jesus is our King.

Submit to Laws for the Lord’s Sake

Submit to Laws for the Lord’s Sake

The default stance for a believer is all about servitude, not some grand quest for superiority.

Your Desires Want to Kill You

Your Desires Want to Kill You

Lessons on Living as Exiles, Part 6

When God saved us from our sin, he brought us from death into marvelous light and life. But sin still tries to entice us and destroy us, so the call to faith is a call to war.

Faith and Fear Produce Love

Faith and Fear Produce Love

Lessons on Living as Exiles, Part 5

God’s sovereign justice and Christ’s sacrifice should cause us to fear ever doing anything to make the cross look cheap.

The Mind Serves the Heart

The Mind Serves the Heart

Lessons on Living as Exiles, Part 4

God gives us knowledge about himself to help us develop deep passion for him. So, how do we learn to cultivate the right feelings for God?

Imperishable, Undefiled, and Unfading

Imperishable, Undefiled, and Unfading

Lessons on Living as Exiles, Part 3

Once you grasp the glory of adoption, with its promise of an inheritance from God, you will naturally find yourself echoing the words of the apostle Peter: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!”

Getting Started in 1 Peter

Lessons on Living as Exiles, Part 2

To understand 1 Peter, you must understand what the apostle Peter means by “elect exiles.”

A Realistic Book About Life Today

Lessons on Living as Exiles, Part 1

The answer to the rise of secularism, persecution, and the prosperity gospel is to behold God's self-authenticating glory in the Bible as found in 1 Peter.

Ask Pastor John

How Much of My Decision-Making Is Emotional?

When it comes to making God-honoring decisions, our greatest problem isn’t necessarily that we don’t think enough, but that we don’t have hearts and emotions that treasure God above all else.

A Surgeon for Sin-Sick Eyes

A Surgeon for Sin-Sick Eyes

True humility can take dramatically diﬀerent forms from one clay pot to another. The form it took in John Newton was Christ-exalting tenderness. His own experience of “amazing grace” worked its way so deeply into his soul that he became a delicate surgeon for taking specks out of many sin-sick eyes.

Look at the Book

Romans 9:1–5, Part 3: Chosen by God, Cut Off from Christ

Chosen by God, Cut Off from Christ

Romans 9:1–5, Part 3

The crisis in the first verses of Romans 9 is the unbelief of Israel, God’s chosen people. How can we trust God’s promises to us, if his promises to Israel did not come true? In this lab, John Piper wrestles with the tragedy of Israel turning away from God after everything they have been given.

Ask Pastor John

How Do I Study Bible Verses and the Bible Storyline Together?

As we study the Bible, we want to go deep into the details of specific texts, and we want to get a broad overview of the whole. How can we do both in a limited amount of time?

Ask Pastor John

Getting the Tough/Tender Balance Right

We need more pastors with both theological backbones of steel and compassionate hearts of warmth. In short, we need more pastors like our Lord Jesus Christ.

You Can Believe the Promises of God and Be Lost

You Can Believe the Promises of God and Be Lost

Saving faith reveals itself not only by good works, but also by joy. God’s children not only obey him; they also enjoy him.

Look at the Book

Romans 9:1–5, Part 2: Unending Joy and Unceasing Anguish

Unending Joy and Unceasing Anguish

Romans 9:1–5, Part 2

The Christian life is an undeniably hard, yet gloriously satisfying life. How is it that we can be unbelievably heartbroken over the lost in our lives and unshakably happy in the promises of God all at the same time? In this lab, John Piper digs at the root of this emotional mystery.

Ask Pastor John

How Much of My Sinful Past Should I Tell My Children?

Should a parent share their past sins with a child to comfort or warn them? Or are parents better off just keeping their sins to themselves?

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