The Problem with Christian Speculations: 1 Timothy 1:3–5, Part 1
What separates sound doctrine from speculations? Sound doctrine serves godliness, accords with the gospel, and agrees with the words of Jesus.
Aug 18, 2024
Look at the Book
Look at the Book is John Piper's ongoing series of 8-12 minute videos to help you learn to read the Bible for yourself.
Episodes
The Fatherhood of God and the Lordship of Christ: 1 Timothy 1:1–2, Part 4
Christians experience — not simply know — that God is our Father and Jesus is our Lord by the indwelling witness of the Holy Spirit.
Aug 16, 2024
How Is Timothy Paul’s Child? 1 Timothy 1:1–2, Part 3
Some relationships run much deeper than blood. The bond between a spiritual father and his children is forged in Christ and lasts forever.
Aug 13, 2024
God Is Our Savior from What? 1 Timothy 1:1–2, Part 2
Christians love to refer to Jesus as our Savior. But what exactly does Jesus save us from?
Aug 11, 2024
An Apostle by Command: 1 Timothy 1:1–2, Part 1
Why does Paul begin his letter to Timothy by identifying himself not only as an apostle, but as an apostle “by command of God”?
Aug 09, 2024
Paul’s Authenticating Scars: Galatians 6:14–18, Part 5
When Paul argues that he is an authentic apostle of Jesus, he points to the marks of persecution written on his flesh.
Aug 06, 2024
Walk by Faith, Not Works: Galatians 6:14–18, Part 4
Faith results in two wonderful blessings for the believer: a new standing before God and a new life empowered by the Spirit.
Aug 04, 2024
Did Paul Really Boast Only in the Cross? Galatians 6:14–18, Part 3
Why should Christians boast only in the cross? Because everything that we have as believers comes through the cross.
Aug 02, 2024
What Is the New Creation? Galatians 6:14–18, Part 2
Only Christ can take an instrument of death and make it the place where a new creation comes into being. The way of life runs through the cross.
Jul 30, 2024
The World Crucified to Me and I to the World: Galatians 6:14–18, Part 1
What does Paul mean when he says that the world has been crucified to him and he to the world? He no longer trusts and treasures the world. He trusts and treasures Christ.
Jul 28, 2024
Requiring Circumcision and Breaking the Law: Galatians 6:11–13
Legalism in Paul’s day and legalism in our own day share a similar root: the desire to impress fellow humans.
Jul 26, 2024
Hell and Heaven Are at Stake with Money: Galatians 6:6–10, Part 1
We may think that what we do with money matters little, but Paul teaches that where we choose to invest has eternal consequences.
Jul 21, 2024
Is Boasting Good or Bad? Galatians 6:1–5, Part 4
The New Testament treats much boasting as sinful, but it also calls us toward a holy kind of boasting. So, how should Christians boast?
Jul 19, 2024
Don’t Be Energized by Comparison: Galatians 6:1–5, Part 3
Do not determine the value of your work by comparing yourself with others. God calls each person to unique acts of faith, and comparison sours and spoils that calling.
Jul 16, 2024
What Is the Law of Christ? Galatians 6:1–5, Part 2
What is “the law of Christ” — and how does our fulfilling of this law relate to justification by faith alone?
Jul 14, 2024
How to Restore a Sinning Saint: Galatians 6:1–5, Part 1
Christian love is not passive. When love sees a brother or sister caught in sin, it does not shrink away but confronts in order to renew and restore.
Jul 12, 2024
If We Have the Spirit, Why Commands? Galatians 5:22–26, Part 3
If Christians have the Spirit of God leading and guiding them, why does the New Testament issue over four hundred commands to obey?
Jul 09, 2024
Keep in Step with the Spirit: Galatians 5:22–26, Part 2
Those made alive by the Spirit will keep in step with the Spirit. They will walk by the Spirit, sow to the Spirit, bear the fruit of the Spirit.
Jul 07, 2024
The Fruit of the Spirit Is the Fruit of Faith: Galatians 5:22–26, Part 1
If the fruit of the Spirit is a miracle that God produces in his people, what can we do to cultivate that fruit?
Jul 05, 2024
How Do We Inherit the Kingdom? Galatians 5:19–21, Part 2
How do Christians inherit the kingdom of God? Not by our work or merit, but by our union with the Son of God and offspring of Abraham.
Jul 02, 2024
Practicing Sin Destroys the Soul: Galatians 5:19–21, Part 1
If you live in sin, practice sin, and die in sin, you won’t go to heaven. You won’t be happy with God forever.
Jun 30, 2024
The War in the Christian Soul: Galatians 5:16–18, Part 4
How does God give us victory over the desires of the flesh? He reshapes and reorients our desires by his Spirit.
Jun 28, 2024
How Do We Love in the Power of Another? Galatians 5:16–18, Part 3
Competing desires war within every Christian — desires of the flesh and of the Spirit. How can we refuse to gratify what our flesh wants?
Jun 25, 2024
Does the Spirit Make Me a Robot? Galatians 5:16–18, Part 2
If Christians are indwelt by the Spirit of God, and if he guides and controls us, are we simply spiritual robots?
Jun 23, 2024
How Do I Receive the Spirit? Galatians 5:16–18, Part 1
All Christians should walk by the Spirit. But how? How do we experience the powerful, omnipotent, merciful, all-wise leading of the Spirit of God?
Jun 21, 2024
How Does Love Fulfill the Law? Galatians 5:13–15, Part 4
Paul says that the law is fulfilled in the command to “love your neighbor as yourself.” But how does such love fulfill the whole law?
Jun 16, 2024
Love Your Neighbor as You Love Yourself: Galatians 5:13–15, Part 3
What does it mean to love your neighbors as yourself? It means you seek their good with the same passion with which you seek your own, and you find your joy in theirs.
Jun 14, 2024
Freed from Flesh to Love: Galatians 5:13–15, Part 2
What prevents us from using our freedom in Christ as an opportunity to indulge the flesh? A life of faith is the opposite of a life in the flesh.
Jun 11, 2024
How Were We Called to Freedom? Galatians 5:13–15, Part 1
When God sovereignly calls us, he opens our eyes to see and embrace the beauty of Jesus. And that call grants freedom from obeying the law as a means of being justified.
Jun 09, 2024
Let Them Emasculate Themselves! Galatians 5:11–12, Part 2
Why does Paul use such shocking language against the false teachers in Galatia — and how should his rebuke inform the way we speak?
Jun 07, 2024