Friday, March 14, 2008

The doctrine of joy

In the fall of 2006 at the "Supremacy of Christ" Conference in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Dr. John Piper speaks on the following from John 17:13;
1. God is the only eternal being; therefore everything and everyone else is dependent on, and less valuable than Him.
2. God has been eternally and supremely joyful in the fellowship of the Trinity, so he has no deficiency that would prompt Him to create the world.
3. God created human beings in His own image so that His glory might be displayed by being known and enjoyed by them.
4. Christ came into the world and accomplished His word so that all who receive Jesus as their Savior, Lord and Treasure would be justified and fitted to know and enjoy God forever.
5. The enjoyment of God above all else is the deepest way that God's glory is reflected to, and terminates on, God.
6. Nevertheless, God has constituted us so that our enjoyment of Him overflows in visible acts of love to others.
7. The only God-glorifying love and joy is rooted in the true knowledge of God.
8. Therefore, the right knowledge of God and His ways is the servant of God-glorifying joy in Him and love for people.
9. Therefore healthy biblical doctrine should not be marginalized or minimized, but rather embraced and cherished as the basis for building friendships and churches.
10. And, thus the church should become that for which it was created, namely, the pillar and buttress of truth, joy, and love in order to display the glory of God and the supremacy of Christ in all things.